The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Completely Revised and Updated 8th Edition

First off- you might not like everything you read in this book. When I started reading it, I was a formula feeding mother (that should tell you something!), and had not followed any advice or research disclosed in this book. However, reading this was a revelation to me. This book is meticulously cited, and there are no claims made without research to back it up. The authors do not sugar coat this information, so if you are like me when I initially read it, you might be slightly taken aback. But if you are looking for a book on breastfeeding that is chock-full of legitimate research and valuable information, this is the book for you. When my son was born, I was told I shouldn't be nursing if I was planning on consuming any alcohol, or taking any medication, etc, etc. (though there are plenty of medications that you definitely should NOT be taking while nursing, that are plenty that are perfectly safe to take while nursing, and many doctors and nurses take the "safe" route by just telling you to formula feed- rather than look up safety information on drugs while nursing. For those who are interested in this, I would recommend reading Dr. Hale, who has compiled a vast amount of information related to risks of specific drugs while nursing). I was also told that my child "needed" to be supplemented with formula from day one (false). All of this misinformation I received within a few weeks of having my child. Soon after, my son's pediatrician began telling me how my breastmilk (which was already in very low supply, thank you unnecessary supplementation!) lacked vital nutrients that formula (specifically, Similac) provided. I was a young mother, and confused. I had been breastfed myself, and before I had my child I never imagined I would end up bottle-feeding, or get bombarded by so much (mis)information from supposedly credible sources. Taking my ped's advice, I stopped breastfeeding completely, and formula fed instead. A couple months later, I found out that pediatrician had had her med school paid for, in full, by Abbott (makers of Similac). Coincidence? Yeah, right. It did not take long for me to understand what a terrible (personal) mistake this was. My son became sickly. At least once every three to four weeks, he would contract some type of illness. Stomach virus, bad cold, fevers, you name it. This is when I heard about re-lactation, and immediately decided this was what I wanted to do. I had heard good things about this book, so I decided to pick it up as an additional resource. Though I had not re-lactated when I read this book initially, and hated some of what I read (yes, formula is bad for babies), it was a harsh wake-up call. Furthermore, I found the text surprisingly encouraging and motivating, despite some of the harsh truths it seemed to brutally convey at the time. It made me feel empowered with new knowledge, as a mother, and confident in my body. Amazing. My re-lactation attempt was successful, and was for me, possibly the best decision I ever made. As soon as I began producing milk again, my son stopped getting sick. No more colds, no more stomach bugs, no more all-nighters screaming. I would never claim that breastfed babies never get sick, but they DO get sick much less often, and with much less severity, than formula fed infants (babies fed formula are 14x more likely to be hospitalized for illnesses, if that tells you anything). But more than the health benefits that my son gained (he is still nursing almost 18 months after re-lactation, and still hasn't gotten sick), we gained a tremendous bond through our nursing relationship. Nursing is amazing for so many reasons that most books and professionals never discuss (save this book). It comforts, consoles, strengthens and empowers both mother and child. As a feminist, it pains me that so many who claim to represent women and equality (cough, Joan Wolf, cough) treat breastfeeding as a curse, a terrible chain, or enslavement. I feel that my experience, made possible by this book- has left me feeling empowered as a woman and as a mother. Some of the topics discussed or advice given you might not like or wish to pursue, which is understandable. The topic of co-sleeping is controversial, and though some would love the information and advice given on it, others might not be inclined to at all. If you don't have an open mind, this might not be the book for you. But if you value research-based information, detailed accounts of nursing at all ages and situations, you would love it. Certainly this might be too much information for some. For me, it was just right. If all this sounds good to you, get this book. If you are like me, it might just change your life.

I initially bought it and read it while still pregnant to prepare for breastfeeding. It definitely helped me a lot in navigating the challenges early on (my baby had a tongue tie). I was also more aware of what options I had and "breastfeeding lingo" so to speak, so discussions with my lactation consultant were a lot easier. What I love about this book though is it goes beyond breastfeeding - it's the most reassuring book I've ever read as a first time mom. Instead of giving specific "do it this way" advice, the book encourages you to listen to your baby and to trust your instincts. The authors remind you - because of your baby's instinct to cry and reach out to you if he needs something, and your mothering instinct to want to soothe him - that you are fully capable (serious complications aside of course) of taking care of your baby, and that things will work out and that as a mother, you will know and do what is best for your child. The first 6 weeks (especially the first two) were so hard and I found myself re-reading this book again and again. The amazing thing was, almost everything they said was spot on. When my daughter turned 6 weeks, she went through a phase when she would not want to be put down. I had to have her in my Moby Wrap constantly. When I read the part on "why babies cry", they said something like "the number one reason babies cry is because they miss their mothers, and this tends to peak at around 6 weeks". Bingo! The quotes from other mothers were very reassuring as well - I remember crying after reading a quote saying, after 6 or 8 weeks, everything gets better. In hindsight (my baby is 10 weeks now). Back then, my baby was 4 weeks old and it was comforting to know it wasn't just me being a stupid, incapable mom, that all mothers out there go through this. And the 6-8 week mark? Spot on. After 6 weeks I began to enjoy being home with her all day, and after 8 weeks, I wasn't terrified if we had to step out of the house anymore. I got the kindle version which was great for one handed reading while breastfeeding. Being able to search the book also came really handy. Note that some lactation consultants give the book out as part of the initial consultation fee, and if you become a member of La Leche League, you can get a free copy as well.

It took a bit longer than normal to receive this book, but that's OK. This is a complete guide to breastfeeding including preparation. I recommend it for every new mom (Mom to be) who wants to know more bout breastfeeding. Think of all the savings you have by producing your own milk. The best for baby!!

I wish I bought this book while I was still pregnant!!! It had some great birthing advise as well as tips for getting started the right way to have smooth sailing later on. I have had a drug free childbirth and expected to breastfeed with no problem - but we've had latch trouble, pretty bad nipple pain. I complained to all the nurses, pediatrician and my ob/gyn at the hospital but they all told me to keep trying and it would work itself out. My ob/gyn even said not to give her breast for more than 10 min at a time as not to "ruin" my nipples. but my baby was not gaining weight and i went to a pediatrician 3x in 2 weeks for weigh-ins all the while complaining about latch, which I knew was improper. finally, the doctor said i must not have enough milk and gave her formula in the office after i breastfed to see if she was still hungry - which she was. finally, i called a lactation consultant who diagnosed my daughter with having a tongue-tie. at 3 weeks we finally had it fixed. it took another 3 weeks for her to learn to latch properly all the while i was pumping and bottle-feeding. if i would have had this book, i would have been spared pain and stress for my baby and myself. i would have identified the issue that seemed to elude all the medical personnel. as it was, i've never even heard of tongue-tie! "what to expect in the first year" does not have one word on the subject. this book also has lots of advise on pumping that would have been handy as my lactation consultant had no information beyond 'get a hospital-grade pump' and do it. the book discusses breastfeeding issues that can come up and what to do about them as well as unique challenges for every stage of breastfeeding. this book provides great, comprehensive advise for all the issues that came up in my experience so far (tongue-tie, engorgement, over/under supply, soreness,blebs, pluged ducts, infection). beyond the fact that it is so practical, the book also has many touching and inspiring stories that have had me in tears. my daughter is nursing as i am writing this and with the help of this book, i hope to continue to enjoy this for a long long time

I LOVE this book! Really. The info within is great. Another reviewer or two complained about the fact that the book frequently tells you to call your local LLL chapter- but personally I think they missed a major message. The point of reminding the reader, frequently, to go to LLL is to offer community- a live person to help you when you're worrying. All parents fret, and if it's a first time experience then you're twice as likely to fret. Calling someone and having a local support network will make all the difference when you're experiencing uncertainty. The advice is excellent, and the book is well organized. It's written in a way that's engaging, and includes excerpts from other mothers. I think the book is nearly five star- here's my only hesitation... I think the book, the No Cry Sleep Solution is also excellent, and when it comes to getting your baby to sleep better this book is frequently a bit at odds with that one. This book recommends not giving sleep patterns a thought, allowing the baby to fall asleep at the breast, and/or fall asleep in arms all the time. I agree that these things are wonderful for bonding, but... you need to mix it up, so to speak. Once in a while (as explained in No Cry Sleep Solution) you need to take the baby away from your breast and put them down before they fall completely asleep or your baby will think the only way they Can sleep is at your breast or in your arms. Lets be realistic, as much as we love our children (and I agree wholeheartedly with attachment parenting) we cannot Always sleep with our babies. I believe in co-bedding, and I believe that a baby under 4mo should be going no more than 4hrs without nursing... but as they get comfortable and start to nod off, gently remove the nipple - lay them down near you... or you'll be 18mo down the road still waking every two hours. I recommend the two books together, so that you don't accidentally 'overdo' the nurture thing. No, you canNot spoil a baby at this age- I agree! and you should respond to All of their needs quickly and lovingly- but you can teach them good sleep habits without relying on clocks, crying it out, or other things that are harsh. You can nurture your baby and still teach them gently. This book doesn't chastise such methods, it just doesn't mention that there are gentle methods to gain more sleep while still seeing your little angel prosper. Anyone can survive the first 4mo of weird sleep- but after a year you'll be near tears, and that won't help your baby. The breast feeding advise and the rest of the book are Top Notch- but do yourself a favor and pick up The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night as its companion.

I'm not bf'ing yet, but as an expectant mother I wanted to get some info before trying to deal with it once the baby's here. The book has made me feel very confident. It has all the info you need. However, even though there are chapters about pumping for going back to work, the authors really push their agenda that you're not doing your baby any favors if you don't stay home with him. One section had me in tears (and I do blame the hormones, not the book) saying that "if you plan on going back to work, it's ok because you might change your mind once you get there." I felt like in many different sections they go on and on about how it's so hard to leave your baby and the baby will have so much stress if you take it to a baby sitter or day care. I would love to find a good breast feeding book that gives all the info found in this one without sentimental judgements. I am going back to work, and I think today it should actually be expected that most working mothers will return. This is the best I've found towards making it seem like it's going to be ok, that I will be able to do this, but I really with they would have left their personal opinions on how bad it is to leave your child to go to work out of it. Edited to add: I'm now going strong at exclusive breastfeeding to a 20 week old, 18 lb baby boy. And that includes pumping 3 times a day for the past 9 weeks that I've been back to work. Although I do attribute this book towards helping with that, talking to other bf'ing moms on websites like The Bump and [...] is key! Also, and although I get flack for this from my ff'ing friends, the best advice I got was that if I was 100% dedicated to bf'ing, don't look at formula as an acceptable option. I never even kept any in my house. BF'ing was so, so hard the first 4 weeks (then again at weeks 7-8 when he had a cold and couldn't latch, so I was cracked and bleeding) but I was 100% dedicated to doing this, and stuck with it. If you are ok with going to formula if it doesn't work out for you, it might be harder to stick with it if it gets painful and it seems like they nurse for HOURS at a time! Good luck to all the mommies who are going to give it a try. It's amazing when you finally get it all figured out!! Updated 5.4.14 My second son was born in August of 2012, and although I ended up breast feeding my first for 15 months, I was unable to bf my second. He was born at 24 weeks, and never learned a sufficient suck/swallow pattern. He is tube fed, and I exclusively pumped for 20 months to be able to provide him with breastmilk. For some, pumping is the only option, so I fully stand by my first review of the book.

I am a daughter of a lactation consultant and currently training to be an LBCLC. So an update on the book. I feel that many women are writing reviews on this book based on their experiences with their infants but that is not a review on the book. This book is meant to support mothers in the LLL way of Breastfeeding. It is an excellent support to mothers who breastfeed. I appreciate the advice it gave and it was very helpful to me as a new mom. I recommend it to all pregnant moms and actually gift it if possible to all the moms I know. I will mention that breastfeeding is all about support so get as much support as you can. Beautifully written to help you adjust to motherhood and especially a guide in all of your breastfeeding concerns. I especially appreciated the advice since it felt the advice my mother would give me. Passed down wisedom on how to adjust to a big change of motherhood. It is an essential read for a pregnant lady to read and then attend a LLL meeting and see a woman breastfeed and how it is an incomparable bond!

From my personal experience, this is the best book on breastfeeding ever written. I first read it before the arrival of my second daughter, after struggling to breastfeed my first. It gave me so much clarity, confidence, and comfort. I’ve actually gifted this book twice at baby showers to close friends. It’s that good. Every new mom should have a copy.

This is my fourth copy of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (I have the 6th, 7th, 8th editions, and the 1st Japanese edition). I read my first copy when pregnant with my 5th child and found so many things I could relate to and answers to questions I had during my previous experiences breastfeeding my first four children. I referred to it often throughout my years of breastfeeding babies number 5 & 6 child and often refer to it when sharing about breastfeeding with other mothers. Chapter 20, "The Tear-Sheet Toolkit", is quite handy in that it provides quick reference to a number of breastfeeding concerns in a compact manner similar to tear-off sheets. If you are looking for one book that covers a large range of topics dealing with breastfeeding, I would highly recommend The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (any and all editions).

Bought as gift for my pregnant cousin. I had the last edition and found it really helped to read before baby was born. Yes you can find all this info fast online, but it's nice having a hard copy to reference and prepare / be informed before baby arrives and to trouble shoot issues when baby is here. Breastfeeding is tough, especially the first few weeks whilst establishing latch and supply. The more informed you are the better equipped you will be when dealing with latching issues, engorgment, mastitis, milk bleeps, etc. This book is extremely informative and provides practical information covering everything one will encounter from the beginning of your breastfeeding journey onwards. I highly recommend this book along with proper midwife/lactation consultant support when baby arrives.

Definitely recommend this book for all pregnant and lactating mothers. This is a beautiful knowledge filled book on breastfeeding and taking care of babies

This is the most complete source of information about breastfeeding. The best thing is that it actually presents realistic information and advices, not just a blind theory which often doesn't work in reality for real, non-theoretical babies and the parents. I bought this book in accident in a bundle with Safe Sleep and it appeared to be the best purchase in the baby care category. I'm reading other books and the internet resources too, but till now haven't seen much that wasn't discussed in the Womanly Art Of Breastfeeding. If I would choose one book to read as a new (or preparing) mom - it would be the one

I received an old book, previously owned by someone called Rose. It has been signed by somebody else as a gift.