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Unbuttoned: Women Open Up About the Pleasures, Pains, and Politics of Breastfeeding by Dana Sullivan
jholloed's review against another edition
4.0
Great book for any woman thinking about this, very honest account of all stages from starting out, choosing not to, or finishing. No medical or factual information here, but this is the other half the story we need to know as well. What happens to real people!
mcatmay's review against another edition
4.0
This is a fabulous book on the reality of breastfeeding - the ups and downs and the very real challenges of breastfeeding…or not breastfeeding. For anyone that has even attempted to breastfeed and might have had to stop on day one, week one, year one or year five, there's something to relate to. It's a collection of essays of women who breastfed (and one who chose not to even start) as to their thoughts behind breastfeeding.
As I nurse my second kidlet, a lot of these resonated with me - or, if they did not speak to my life, they spoke to many anecdotes that i've heard from other mothers. It was a refreshing read - something much greater and deeper than the rote 'breast is best' that is parroted left and right.
I wouldn't recommend it to someone who is expecting their first child - i think this book is much more useful/relatable to mothers who have been through it and have wondered, 'am i the only one who feels this way about breastfeeding?'.
As I nurse my second kidlet, a lot of these resonated with me - or, if they did not speak to my life, they spoke to many anecdotes that i've heard from other mothers. It was a refreshing read - something much greater and deeper than the rote 'breast is best' that is parroted left and right.
I wouldn't recommend it to someone who is expecting their first child - i think this book is much more useful/relatable to mothers who have been through it and have wondered, 'am i the only one who feels this way about breastfeeding?'.
l3m0nad3's review against another edition
4.0
Read this to get a feel for some political debating that is going on. We need better health care, better mental health care, better fetal/maternal support, better family support, better paternal leave from work. No way can anyone realistically expect a new mother to return to work in 6 weeks after having a baby, that is not possible after the body trauma of birth - no matter which feeding methods are used.
This book should be required reading for every government official, every elected politician, every person who sits on a board that makes policy and structure. This belongs in the hands of every person in HR and corporate big wigs and team leaderships. This belongs in dr's offices, therapists offices and on the shelves next to 'what to expect when you are expecting' and 'the first years' books.
The book is about women yes, but its about families, husbands, partners, siblings.
This book should be required reading for every government official, every elected politician, every person who sits on a board that makes policy and structure. This belongs in the hands of every person in HR and corporate big wigs and team leaderships. This belongs in dr's offices, therapists offices and on the shelves next to 'what to expect when you are expecting' and 'the first years' books.
The book is about women yes, but its about families, husbands, partners, siblings.
herlifewithbooks's review against another edition
2.0
Mixed feelings on this one. For a book about nursing, there are a lot of essays about why women didn't want to nurse, couldn't nurse, felt pressured and guilty about nursing or not-nursing. Even the essays where the authors stated how easy and enjoyable they found nursing would end abruptly with "and then a random roadblock appeared and I quit nursing at 6 months. Or 4 months. Or 3 months."
Then again, I know the stats: many mothers don't nurse at all, most quit around that 3-6 month mark. My experience (nursing for 12 months now and counting) is not usual. So really this is a collection of common nursing experiences, I suppose, and it's not the book's fault that my experience has been different. This collection is also 10 years old now - I'm sure the cultural environment around nursing has changed since then.
My complaints could also be rooted in the fact that this is a rather homogeneous collection of Rich White Lady Stories. And not, for the most part, by particularly literary writers. Lots of magazine writers and editors, and these read like women's magazine articles - quick and easy and lacking distinction. With exceptions. I found this book googling "Catherine Newman weaning" and I was not disappointed.
Then again, I know the stats: many mothers don't nurse at all, most quit around that 3-6 month mark. My experience (nursing for 12 months now and counting) is not usual. So really this is a collection of common nursing experiences, I suppose, and it's not the book's fault that my experience has been different. This collection is also 10 years old now - I'm sure the cultural environment around nursing has changed since then.
My complaints could also be rooted in the fact that this is a rather homogeneous collection of Rich White Lady Stories. And not, for the most part, by particularly literary writers. Lots of magazine writers and editors, and these read like women's magazine articles - quick and easy and lacking distinction. With exceptions. I found this book googling "Catherine Newman weaning" and I was not disappointed.
ashleykuehl's review against another edition
4.0
Most of the essays were fine, but nothing spectacular. The essays on weaning, though, were completely fantastic.
kstuppy's review against another edition
2.0
I had such high hopes for this book but ended up being incredibly dissapointed. Way too many essays by women trying to justify why they didn't breastfeed. In one essay the author actually states that there are benefits to formula over breastmilk and I almost closed the book and put it down right then and there. I'm glad I kept reading though because I did enjoy the essays at the end about weaning.
I guess I shouldn't have been too suprised since most of the authors write for magazines such as Parenting and BabyCenter.com.
I would never recommend this book to someone that is pregnant and wants to breastfeed.
I guess I shouldn't have been too suprised since most of the authors write for magazines such as Parenting and BabyCenter.com.
I would never recommend this book to someone that is pregnant and wants to breastfeed.
nadiaes76's review
4.0
As a mother struggling to be successful with breastfeeding, I found the essays in this book to be an encouraging support. Reading them gave me hope & reminded me I'm not alone. Knowing that other women have had the same frustrations & problems has helped me feel more confident about persevering.
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