Final E Spradley Disseration
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AVOIDING BOOBY TRAPS AND WHIPPING UP PUMPKIN-SPINACH PURÉES: A CRITICAL NARRATIVE ANALYSIS OF PEDIATRIC NUTRITION BIRTH THROUGH THE FIRST 12-MONTHS A Dissertation by ELIZABETH LOUISE SPRADLEY Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, Tasha Dubriwny Co- Chair of Committee, Barbara Sharf Committee Members, Kathy Miller Joan Wolf Head of Department, Kevin Barge December 2013 Major Subject: Communication Copyright 2013 Elizabeth Louise Spradley ABSTRACT With attention to parenting, mothering, and fathering in the academy and attention to pediatric nutrition in the sciences, this study meets at their intersection. Using a critical approach to study narrative, this inquiry examines pediatric nutrition instruction birth through 12-months that is targeted to parents. The aim of this study is to examine how pediatric nutrition instruction construct master (dominant) and counter narratives that determine what constitutes good parenting. Critical narrative analysis reveals that the maternal role is foregrounded and positions mothers as responsible for pediatric nutrition decisions based on expert recommendations. The master narrative, moderate naturalism, limits good decision making to breastfeeding in the first 4-6 months. The focus on breastfeeding within moderate naturalism highlights the postfeminist-individualization of the maternal role to self-educate about nutrition, self- diagnose breastfeeding problems, and self-govern the body. The totalizing role of mother is evidenced in the social expectations related to education, health enhancement, risk aversion, and cultivating a healthy eater. The two counter narratives, synthetic acceptance and strict naturalism, are in dialogue with yet resist the master narrative. First, synthetic acceptance resists “breast is best” constraints on feeding by legitimizing formula feeding as acceptable but inferior. Mothers within synthetic acceptance enact totalizing motherhood through feeding education, control over the scene and feeding process/products, and formula-matching. Synthetic acceptance simultaneously seeks legitimization through maternal storytelling ii and delegitimizes itself through guilt discourse. Second, strict naturalism resists motivations for feeding choices and the characterization of the apolitical mother in moderate naturalism. Within strict naturalism the maternal role is politicized. Paradoxically, maternal feeding responsibilities reify traditional gender roles and promote domesticity, but they do so in a way that empowers women to enact environmental advocacy. Strict naturalism features mothers who are health literate, environmentally-active, equipped to make homemade organic baby food, and pursue environmental advocacy. By politicizing motherhood, counter narration has the potential to shift from post-feminist-individual frameworks within moderate naturalism to feminist-cooperative frameworks in counter narration. Practice-based recommendations are made to redress the totalizing implications of pediatric nutrition instruction on mothers, limitations on legitimate feeding choices, and neglect of paternal roles. iii DEDICATION To my love, Tyler, thank you for your unconditional love and support. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am blessed to have a wide base of social support to help me press forward to earn my Ph.D. To my professors at Texas A&M, I am grateful for your challenging courses that stretched me as a scholar and instilled in me a passion for the communication discipline. I want to thank my committee Dr. Dubriwny, Dr. Sharf, Dr. Miller, and Dr. Wolf. Additionally, I want to extend my gratitude to Dr. Poirot for substituting during the dissertation defense. I would, especially, like to thank my committee co-chairs, Dr. Dubriwny and Dr. Sharf. Your feedback, guidance, frankness, and support was indispensible in the writing process. I am a better writer and scholar because of you. Dr. Sharf, you have been a mentor since I first set foot in your interpretive methods course. With a room overflowing with students, you took the time to invest in me and direct me toward a subject area that shaped my dissertation – child feeding and motherhood. Dr. Dubriwny, while I did not meet you through the traditional classroom, you welcomed me on as an advisee with open arms. Along the way we have been able to swap our own feeding stories. Thanks also goes to my friends and family that traveled with me to classes at Texas A&M so that I did not have to make the long commute by myself. Also, thank you for your prayers, for keeping my boys when I had a deadline, and for cheering me on. My church family rallied around me these past six years. I would like to especially thank my parents, Danny and Michal Cook, and my parents-in-law, Bill and Mary v Spradley. My parents’ unwavering faith and babysitting help is truly valued. My parents-in-law have sacrificed continually so that I could complete research studies, read for classes, commute to classes, and dedicate time to my dissertation. Thank you for your open home and open hearts. Finally, thanks to my boys. Micah T, Ethan, and Daniel G. You are the most understanding and encouraging sons. Your love for your mother is overwhelming, and my love for you is what inspired this study in the first place. We will have to do “Chin Chopper” to celebrate. Ty, my husband, you are a source of inspiration and strength. I stood by your side as you completed your Ph.D., and, as you said, it is my turn. Thanks for standing by my side. I cannot do what I do without all that you do to care for our sons and me. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION .......................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... vii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION: PREFACE AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE ........................................................................................................ 1 Intersections with Child Feeding Experiences .................................................... 2 Intersections with Influential Child Feeding Research ....................................... 8 Reading this Work ............................................................................................... 9 Parenthood and Pediatric Nutrition through One Year ....................................... 10 Parenting, Mothering, and Fathering ................................................................... 12 Family Nutrition and Child Feeding ................................................................... 28 Conclusion and Preview of Chapters .................................................................. 40 CHAPTER II METHODS FOR COLLECTING AND ANALYZING TEXTS .. 43 Choreography and Improvisation: A Metaphor for Mother and Researcher ...... 44 Narrative and Health Communication ................................................................. 48 Pediatric Nutrition Instructional Texts ................................................................ 59 Studying Master Narratives ................................................................................. 66 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 73 CHAPTER III MASTER NARRATIVE OF MODERATE NATURALISM ....... 75 Overview of Moderate Naturalism ...................................................................... 76 Pregnancy: Nutritional Preparation ..................................................................... 78 Birth through Four-Six Months: Milk Diet ......................................................... 91 Four-Six Months through One Year: Introduction of Solid Foods ..................... 110 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 117 vii Page CHAPTER IV COUNTER NARRATIVES ........................................................... 122 Synthetic Acceptance .......................................................................................... 125 Synthetic Acceptance Summary .......................................................................... 136 Strict Naturalism ................................................................................................. 149 Strict Naturalism Summary ............................................................................... 172 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 177 CHAPTER V CHARACTERIZATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF AUTHORITY ........................................................................................................ 183 Authority in Pediatric Nutrition Narratives: Whose Voice Matters .................... 184 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 203 CHAPTER VI CONCLUSION .............................................................................. 205 Revisiting Parenting ............................................................................................ 212 Contributions ......................................................................................................