Changing the Conversation: Shelving Shame

In this article I consider how women’s experiences of breastfeeding difficulties interrelate with the concept of ‘shame’. Difficulties establishing breastfeeding are
frequently interpreted by mothers as a sign that they have failed or are inadequate as a mother,24,25,26 an emotional experience which has often been described as ‘shame’ rather than ‘guilt’, though the two are closely related and are often experienced together.
I suggest that overcoming shame will be a necessary condition for better conversations.