The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Seventh Revised Edition (La Leche League International Book) by La Leche League International Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Seventh Revised Edition (La Leche League International Book)
Book Review: LLL toots its own horn!
Summary: 1 Stars
I am only 82 pages into this book and it seems on every page is LLL this and LLL that. All I want to know is practical advice on how to have successful breastfeeding, not how I should go to LLL meetings and never ever be separated from my baby, which is stupid because I have to go back to work in 3 months. It seems that LLL just wants you to give up everything and be a housewife who carries her baby around in a sling all day long. No way Jose, if my baby is sleeping, then he's going to be sleeping in his crib for the most part, not with mommy, it's the only way he'll become familiar with his new sleeping arrangements. There's also a part in the book saying that my milk won't come in for a couple days after the birth. Ok I agree, I've spoken to lots of moms who say the same thing, but I'll be damned if my baby is only going to eat a few tablespoons of colostrum for 2 days until my milk comes in. I think he needs more than that, which is why I'll be expressing my colostrum and adding it to some formula and giving it to him while simultaniously pumping and letting him practice sucking until my milk comes in. Anyway, I don't think I'll be getting through the rest of this book, not with LLL's not-so-hidden agenda attacking me on every page.Book Review: A good reference book
Summary: 3 Stars
I have this book and treat it as a quick reference guide when I have situations arise and need a quick answer.. but this book is not a good book for a first-time breastfeeder who just needs support. The book is really cut and dry about what needs to be done and is also a little too far fetched. It states to do things that are not realistic such as.. when having a latch problem, to latch the baby on and off 30 times at each feeding until it's right. I see the point, but also feel that with a baby so tiny, once he is on and eating, you don't want to keep removing him! It makes you feel guilty for choosing to supplement formula if you need to relieve painfully cracked and sore nipples! If you are looking for a reference guide, this book is good to have on your bookshelf.. which is why I gave it 3 stars. But if you are looking for an uplifting breastfeeding book that explains thngs more reasonably.. then I would recommend Dr. William Sears.. the Breastfeeding Book. Book Review: The Best Book on Breastfeeding!
Summary: 5 Stars
As a lactation counsellor, I always recommend "The Womaly Art". La Leche League combines scientific research with time tested mom-to-mom advice to create a rock-solid authority on breastfeeding. I love that this book covers such a wide range of topics and does not deal strictly with newborn issues. It is easy to read straight through, or to use as a reference on an as-needed basis. Every new mom should get a copy of this book!Book Review: Helpful for first time Moms
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is pretty big and a lot to read for anyone, especially a new Mom who has her hands full with a newborn. I would recommend reading it while still pregnant to find out about what to expect when you begin nursing, and simple solutions to common problems BEFORE you experience them. After baby is born, this book is useful as a reference or support guide from day one through toddlerhood. It discusses the mother-child bond, nutrition and proper diet for baby from her first foods to the terrible twos. I've used this book more as a reference from time to time, turning to the chapter that most fits my need. The stories other Moms share are relatible and supportive. This is a wonderful book for Dads too because it helps men to understand the sacred, unspoken bond a mother shares with her nursing baby.Book Review: disillusioning anti-woman drivel
Summary: 1 Stars
At its best, becoming a parent makes you re-examine all sorts of ideas you were sure of and give up the illusion of control. One of the first walls I ran into (and then quickly realized was an illusion) was the certainty that breastfeeding activists were righteous angels doing good work. I've since joined my pediatric nutritionist friend in calling La Leche League and their ilk "nipple Nazis" for the way they browbeat those who face challenges breastfeeding (or choose or are forced to choose not to). I was able to successfully breastfeed my robustly healthy baby for 10 months, until he weened himself, but I had a rough start. I had an unplanned c-section following severe pre-eclampsia, so my milk took a little while to come in. My baby lost more than 10% of his body weight in the hospital, screamed his head off, and we could see the bony ridges on his head before we decided to commit the sin of supplementing him with formula - otherwise we wouldn't have been allowed to take him home. He had no problem latching on, but I was so desperate for my milk to come down that I ended up with an open wound on my nipple for 6 weeks and cursed a blue streak every time he fed...not exactly the beautiful moments we think of in association with breastfeeding. La Leche League had nothing to say about my wound, not in the book, not my local chapter (who suggested I look at their website - so much for woman-to-woman support). Make no mistake, this book, and the so-called "attachment parenting" ideology that is connected (all based on decontextualized and misinterpreted anthropology), is anti-woman and anti-working class. Yes, we need better legislation and facilities so working mothers can breastfeed. In the meantime, women should not be demonized for their choices, including working (as if working were a selfish act). Telling me that if I don't cherish being awake at 3am that I have an attitude problem (p.101) not only fails to take into consideration my other responsibilities, it also fails to recognize that sleep deprivation is an internationally recognized torture method. It compromises your immune system and mental functioning. I know that breastfeeding is important, and am pleased that I could give my baby such a healthy beginning, but I was given paid leave, and have an office with a door that locks, which makes me more privileged than the vast majority of working women. Breast is best, when possible, but we need to respect and support women in the variety of their needs and desires.