Image included in the cookbook

In the postwar era of the 1970s, many new parents were uneducated about proper ways to raise a child. Many informational books about child rearing were emerging during this time which relates to the information presented in Coffin’s cookbook.

Much of the advice given during the 1960’s and 70’s was targeted to an audience of those who were white, middle class, and Anglo Saxon families. There was a shift during the 1970’s of health-related advice from during the time of the war. During the war, suggestions on diet and lifestyle were what we consider today health oriented, however post second world war it turned into a more permissive approach. Only rarely during this time was there child rearing advice given by experts that catered to the increasing population of working mothers in Canada. Also, diet suggestions ignored cultural and economic differences. The images used in child rearing information books often implied a white audience.

During this time there was a growing increase of the psychology behind advice for raising a child, and as a result many different informative books were published. Benjamin Spok was a pediatrician who was a major contributor to information on raising a child during the 1970s. Spok provided a relaxed ideology of parenting for mothers. He suggested that they could successfully raise their children based on their own instincts, as well as listening to their doctors instructions. The Grandmothers Conspiracy Exposed cookbook suggests alternate views to what was typically being suggested during this time regarding child rearing. 

Research suggests that mothers today believe that raising children during the 1970s and 1980s was the best to do so, due to the fact that most mothers were not working full time. Mothers today who do work full time do not have the same luxuries as those from this time, as they are unable to spend the time needed to raise their children themselves. These women today feel guilty about the lack of time spent with their children.

When looking at raising a child, a major topic to look at is breastfeeding. Breastfeeding was a huge contradiction for the wave of feminists. On one hand, some supported the idea of it being natural and liberating, however others were concerned for women’s autonomy. Most experts were enthusiastic and encouraging towards breastfeeding though some were concerned that it could lead to the inability of both parents to participate in this aspect of child rearing. With this in mind, the benefits of breastfeeding were coming into light during this time. A feminist health book published in 1978 suggested that if you breast fed then you are a good mother, but if you bottle feed then you are a bad mother. What this book refused to include was information about mothers who are unable to breastfeed for many different reasons, such as not having time due to full time work, or physically not being able to. 

Prior to the 1970s, there was a decline in women breastfeeding due to full time work. For these mothers, formula was more convenient and accessible, however those who did not work full time were more likely to make an effort to choose breastfeeding. Beginning in the 1970s there was an increase in the breastfeeding rate, due to the fact that less mothers were working full time. This occurred mainly among well-educated caucasian women, as they were being well informed of the health and bonding benefits of breastfeeding.

This information correlates with that being discussed in the cookbook in question. Information about the best practices for child rearing were not consistent and contained many different options. As well, this information did not cater to the different aspects mothers and families could have faced during that time.