Assistant Professor Aunchalee Palmquist and Elon graduate Molly O’Brien published a chapter in "Community Health Narratives: A Reader", edited by Emily Mendenhall and Kathy Wollner.
O’Brien and Palmquist’s chapter, “My Body, My Self” introduces both the complexities of teenage pregnancy and childbirth and the important role that breastfeeding can play in caring for an infant.
Teenage mothers struggle with many issues related to their changing bodies, changes that directly influence their self-esteem and identity. Pregnancy and breastfeeding in an unsupportive social and cultural context, such as in rural North Carolina, can be very challenging for teenage mothers, who worry about the stigma they may face from friends, family members and society at large. Breasts are often seen as objects of a woman’s sexuality, and for teenage mothers especially, feelings of embarrassment and shame often become barriers to seeking prenatal care or to try breastfeeding.
However, breastfeeding remains the best nutrition for babies, particularly those who are pre-term. This story illustrates the importance of family and social support for teenage mothers and the unique challenges they face.
O’Brien, who was an anthropology and creative writing major in her final year at Elon, helped turn one of Palmquist’s breastfeeding clinical case studies into a narrative for this book. “Molly did an amazing job breathing life into this story. I am extremely proud of her,” said Palmquist, a faculty member in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. “This story is an important contribution to the collection, because many youth may not have had a chance to think about pregnancy and breastfeeding from the point of view of a teen mom and what she may be going through.”
“Community Health Narratives” is the third in a series that is written for high school students taking courses in global health. It is published by the University of New Mexico Press (http://www.unmpress.com/books.php?ID=20000000005626).