Making Do: Producing Food
Breastfeeding is also a food production system. Food insecure mothers are highly motivated to breastfeed, many saying that a main reason is the cost of formula. In this way, breastfeeding is a strategy for feeding babies under income constraints. However, breastfeeding is not always possible. And many things can make it difficult—including food insecurity itself.
Watch Andrea’s story about the challenges growing a garden to address her family’s state of food security.
30% of survey participants felt their child was hungry while breastfeeding because they were not eating enough.
37% of survey participants attempted to start breastfeeding, breastfeed more, or restarted breastfeeding because there wasn’t enough money.
20% of survey participants used infant formula while breastfeeding because mother was not eating enough.
Watch the two videos below to hear from caregivers about how breastfeeding is used for food security and how breastfeeding is challenging—including how these challenges made caregivers feel in this time of crisis.
Breastfeeding for food security video – not completed yet
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Ellie Lee talks about the
challenges of breastfeeding.
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