Dr. Lesley Frank receives Harrison McCain Foundation Emerging Scholar Award to support her research:

From State to DIY supports for early maternal food work: Feeding the baby in the age of neoliberalism

Dr. Lesley Frank

Sociology

This research is a sociological examination of state policy/programs as well as maternal practices related to ‘feeding the baby’ within poverty conditions. First it aims to document state policy (federal and provincial) concerning income security policy for early parenting, maternal/infant nutrition programs, infant feeding policy, health policy on human milk sharing and, federal directives for formula distribution in order map the Canadian policy landscape that relates to infant food security. Additionally, it will explore the emerging phenomena of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) food acquisition methods facilitated by social media, such as: a. ‘mothers helping mothers’ facebook sites; b. free, or small fee mother-to-mother sales of infant formula on Kijiji and; c. ‘human milk for human babies’ facebook sites for informal breastmilk sharing. This research draws attention to food insecurity as a social determinant of food and feeding practice within the context of maternal food work, state support for maternity protection, and the income security of mothers in the age of neoliberalism.