UC Davis

This dissertation project presents and examines the figure of the “Nourishing Mother” in contemporary Mexican and Brazilian cultural production through the lens of matricentric feminism to reveal social truths about women’s feeding work and self-care practices. Drawing on scholarship from sociology, food studies, and motherhood studies, it analyzes how women negotiate the demands of feeding work within the domestic sphere, both paid and unpaid, and explore strategies of resistance against patriarchal expectations of motherhood.

The first chapter, “O pé na cozinha: Women’s Feeding Work Across Class and Race Lines,” explores the intersectional dynamics of feeding work within the home. It analyzes how race and class shape women’s experiences performing domestic labor and reveals the often-invisible labor performed by both paid domestic workers and middle- and upper-class mothers.

The second chapter, “Hasta las tetas: The Nourishing Mother as Consumed,” examines the embodied labor of breastfeeding and its impact on maternal identity and corporeality. It argues that breastfeeding, while often promoted as a natural and fulfilling practice, is a demanding form of work with physical, mental, and emotional implications for women. The chapter further analyzes how societal discourses surrounding breastfeeding contribute to the (a)sexualization of the maternal body.

The third chapter, “Me vale madres: Nourishing Self as Resistance to Patriarchy,” focuses on mothers’ strategies for self-care within the constraints of patriarchal expectations. It examines “strategic absences,” times when women create distance from their children to cultivate “counter-mother identities” such as the “Mother-Writer” or “Desiring Mother.” The chapter also considers the importance of finding value in the work of mothering itself as a form of self-care.

By highlighting the experiences of mothers across different social classes and racial backgrounds, this project aims to shed light on the often-invisible labor of feeding work and the importance of self-care for mothers’ well-being. It argues that recognizing and valuing the work of the Nourishing Mother is crucial for creating more equitable and supportive environments for all women.