The history of infant feeding, 1500-1800
This thesis comprises an interdisciplinary study of infant feeding practices in the British isles between 1500 and 1800. Detailed analysis of medical texts and manuscripts, many previously unexplored for this purpose, provide medical recommendations and opinions which are compared with evidence of actual feeding practices from diaries, autobiographical and literary works; paintings, engravings, medical illustrations, and other forms of art; and relevant artefacts. Modern research in the fields of paediatric medicine, nutrition, anthro pology, psychology and demography are used to interpret the findings, in the context of current thinking about the social, medical and family history of pre-industrial Britain. In identifying trends and changes in feeding practices, interest is principally focused on the effects on the health of a) the child b) the mother c) the mother-child relationship. The five areas examined are maternal breastfeeding; wet nursing; mixed feeding; artificial feeding; and weaning. A further chapter traces the development of feeding vessels from the iron age to 1800. Appendices give biographical information about medical and theological authors; a descriptive list of infant food recipes; and
Fildes, Valerie A.
History
The history of infant feeding, 1500-1800. This thesis comprises an interdisciplinary study of infant feeding practices in the British isles between 1500 and 1800. Detailed analysis of medical texts and manuscripts, many previously unexplored for this purpose, provide medical recommendations and opinions which are compared with evidence of actual feeding practices from diaries, autobiographical and literary works; paintings, engravings, medical illustrations, and other forms of art; and relevant artefacts. Modern research in the fields of paediatric medicine, nutrition, anthro pology, psychology and demography are used to interpret the findings, in the context of current thinking about the social, medical and family history of pre-industrial Britain. In identifying trends and changes in feeding practices, interest is principally focused on the effects on the health of a) the child b) the mother c) the mother-child relationship. The five areas examined are maternal breastfeeding; wet nursing; mixed feeding; artificial feeding; and weaning. A further chapter traces the development of feeding vessels from the iron age to 1800. Appendices give biographical information about medical and theological authors; a descriptive list of infant food recipes; and
history infant feeding comprises interdisciplinary_study infant feed practice british isle detailed_analysis medical_text manuscript many_previously unexplored purpose_provide medical recommendation opinion compare evidence actual feeding practice diary autobiographical literary_work painting medical illustration form art relevant artefact modern field medicine nutrition psychology demography use_interpret finding context current_think social medical family_history pre_industrial britain identify trend change feed practice interest principally focus effect health child mother mother_child relationship area examine maternal wet nursing mixed feeding artificial feeding weaning trace_development feed vessel iron appendices give biographical_information medical theological author descriptive list infant food recipe