Scan barcode
rthnbrg's review against another edition
2.0
There were definitely things I liked and learned from this book, but it was very repetitive and with a good editor could probably cut at least 50 pages. I also had problems with some of the tone and recommendations. The author recommended lots of medications and supplements without also mentioning that the reader should consult their personal doctor or nurse-many things can interact with other medications that one is already taking and either become dangerous or cancel out the other’s effects. She also explicitly recommended ignoring the dosage guidelines on the bottle of at least one supplement, but again this should be done with consultation of your personal medical caregiver not a random nurse who wrote a book and knows nothing about your personal health…
She was also very condescending about anything she decides is “unnatural” childbirth (basically anything that isn’t a spontaneous, unmedicated vaginal birth), supplementing with formula, pacifiers, and insists that co-sleeping/bedsharing is always safe and the right choice for everyone. In one part toward the end, she said “Despite what people say, your baby won’t be smothered by the covers, by you, or by your mate.” This is NOT A GUARANTEE she can make.
I can’t recommend this book unless you’re prepared to take it with many grains of salt. Speak with your & your baby’s care team if you need advice, information, or referrals to the appropriate lactation support.
She was also very condescending about anything she decides is “unnatural” childbirth (basically anything that isn’t a spontaneous, unmedicated vaginal birth), supplementing with formula, pacifiers, and insists that co-sleeping/bedsharing is always safe and the right choice for everyone. In one part toward the end, she said “Despite what people say, your baby won’t be smothered by the covers, by you, or by your mate.” This is NOT A GUARANTEE she can make.
I can’t recommend this book unless you’re prepared to take it with many grains of salt. Speak with your & your baby’s care team if you need advice, information, or referrals to the appropriate lactation support.
bruinuclafan's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to give this one star, but to be fair, there ended up being some information that is fairly helpful. The problem with this book is that it is cloaked in a straight-up propaganda, pseudo-science, pro-breastfeeding agenda. Your doctor gives you advice that isn't optimal for breastfeeding? Ignore it! Survivor of sexual assault and feel weird about breastfeeding? Get help, but get over it because breastfeeding is best for your baby. Feeling lonely as a working mother on maternity leave? Go to a La Leche League meeting (because obviously you want to meet with because on the basis of breastfeeding and nothing else). And on and on and on.
It's sad because I do think there was helpful information in this book. I knew nothing about breastfeeding and it is helpful to know just how much goes into it. I just could never really trust whether what I was hearing was accurate. The portion at the end about nutrition was surprisingly good.
I do not recommend this book.
It's sad because I do think there was helpful information in this book. I knew nothing about breastfeeding and it is helpful to know just how much goes into it. I just could never really trust whether what I was hearing was accurate. The portion at the end about nutrition was surprisingly good.
I do not recommend this book.
sarahmchale's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
4.0
Lots of information about a full breastfeeding journey. Kinda unclear how they consider bottle feeding though, and there’s some stigma in the book about women who have to work…
ashleyserena's review against another edition
2.0
There are some great insights in this book, but it seems to stick to a rather wholistic mindset and made me feel guilty for even considering medical interventions or supplements such as an epidural or formula. Wholistic is wonderful, but I wanted to learn healthy nursing methods when I picked up this book, not read about The One Way.
hollyplebeau's review against another edition
informative
1.5
The only thing I appreciated was that they gave lots of details for all the different kinds of breast pumps. Otherwise, I didn't super agree with most of the information in this book or it just didn't inspire me or rub my the right way.
maraihrcke's review against another edition
2.0
There is a great deal of information that I found useful in this book. Granted, I am only six month pregnant, and haven’t had a chance to try breastfeeding. I like the recommendations and breastfeeding troubleshooting sections, where you can flip to the baby’s age and the issue you’re having, but I did find the author’s tone very preachy.
This is particularly an issue in the beginning, when she’s discussing natural childbirth. This did gradually get better as I progressed through the book. Overall, I’m glad I read it, but I would hesitate to read anything else she has written or to recommend it to a friend.
This is particularly an issue in the beginning, when she’s discussing natural childbirth. This did gradually get better as I progressed through the book. Overall, I’m glad I read it, but I would hesitate to read anything else she has written or to recommend it to a friend.
stringreads's review
4.0
I really wish my library had added this to their collection before June. I liked it quite a bit more than The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, it was more modern and a lot more inclusive. I did skim/skip the sections meant for pregnancy and birth since I kind of been there done that. However there wasn't the kind of medication/C-section shaming in WAoB. The sections on pumping were extensive and detailed and I'd highly recommend the book for moms who are exclusively pumping or pumping a lot.
One criticism is a lack of information on oversupply/overactive letdown issues, there were some short sections but this seems to hold true throughout every breastfeeding resource I've looked through. Another is there were lots of mentions of pumping shields being too small and not one of them being too big or how to deal with small nipples. I suppose they get lumped in to flat/inverted nipple discussions.
One criticism is a lack of information on oversupply/overactive letdown issues, there were some short sections but this seems to hold true throughout every breastfeeding resource I've looked through. Another is there were lots of mentions of pumping shields being too small and not one of them being too big or how to deal with small nipples. I suppose they get lumped in to flat/inverted nipple discussions.