Breastfeeding in America With Lison Philor-Jonassaint

Breastfeeding can bring a host of benefits to both mother and child, but not every mother can or chooses to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of life as recommended by the CDC. There is additionally a racial disparity in rates of breastfeeding in the U.S., with Black women having the lowest rates of initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. In this podcast, Artha Jonassaint speaks with public health and nutrition expert Lison Philor-Jonassaint on the benefits of breastfeeding, the racial disparities in breastfeeding rates, and what mothers can do to maximize breastfeeding potential.

Artist

Artha Jonassaint (2020)

Artist Lens

My final project focuses on breastfeeding in the United States in the form of a podcast with a public health and nutrition specialist. The purpose of this podcast is to give an overview of how beneficial breastfeeding is to both the mother and child, as well as discuss its relevance in the U.S. The intended audience of this podcast would be expecting mothers and the mothers of newborns. Seeing that both expecting mothers and mothers of young children are extremely busy, either preparing for the arrival of their child or caring for their new child, I decided to use the form of a podcast because it can be played in the background while meals are prepared, while grocery shopping, while cribs are being built, or while a mother/family scrolls through their various social media feeds each day. Podcasts can be integrated really easily to the daily activities of a family, and it’s a cost-effective way to spread important messages. I decided to utilize my mother, the dietitian and public health expert, because it allows for the facts to come from a seasoned professional in the field, and she could speak to her own experiences breastfeeding. I, a college first-year student, am not equipped with the same credentials so I knew I could benefit from using the resources around me to create a more credible end product. Finally, I hope my product inspires mothers of all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic demographics to breastfeed their children to create a generation of stronger children.

Media

Audio

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