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

This book spends so much time going on tangents about things that are not breastfeeding (sleeping, swaddling, drugs, natural childbirth) and it's really hard to find the information you need. I found the dense text impenetrable while sleep deprived. I needed more pictures, more troubleshooting techniques and a lot less, "breastfeeding is the best relationship you'll have..." and "if you had anything but a natural birth, well, no wonder you're suffering now from a bad latch, low supply, a colicky baby, you name it." As someone who was ultimately unable to go natural after over 40 hours of natural labor, it made me feel really attacked at a time when I just could not handle criticism. Months later I don't really care. I got a lactation consultant and figured it out and my hormones aren't making me feel like every little decision is the end of the world. In the moment, though, it made me feel desperate and like a failure.

I had high expectations for this book, based on the reviews, but I was honestly very disappointed. I found this book to be very judgemental. There was a lot of judgement around anything but a 100% drug free vaginal birth. I ended up with a premie (delivered by emergency c-section under general anesthesia) who needed intestinal surgery the day after birth. LO was on IV nutrition for 2 weeks, so when we finally got to try nursing, it was not the typical experience. There is practically nothing in this huge book to help someone under those circumstances, and in fact much of it and the stance of the writers made me feel angry and not at all understood. I'm sure lots of people have the type of experience that makes them receptive to the advice and viewpoints in this book, but not everyone and certainly not me.

I am a pediatrician and cannot recommend this book enough. It got my baby and I through the roughest part of establishing breast feeding. My baby is now 5 months old and still has never had formula (some of that is her though and not liking it, can't say I never ever tried). It took a good month to get over sore breasts and nipples, and a few weeks into it I almost gave up. I had so much advice to put her on a schedule, only let her feed every 2 and a half to three hours, etc, and she wanted to feed every hour for the first couple months of life. I thought I was going crazy. But this book advises differently, to not even watch the clock and just let your baby decide when to feed. That helped a lot, took a lot of pressure off me. And that advice makes a lot of sense, because more frequent feeds mean more let downs and higher levels of hormones. Not only that, this book answers so many questions about pumping and storing milk and things that I would have never thought to ask. I was always pro-breast feeding, but now I am passionate about it. Breast feeding my infant has become one of the best experiences of my whole life. Now I can help other moms who are struggling with establishing breast feeding and answer all their questions. I have recommended this book to many new moms as well. Thank you so much for this book!

Before I gave birth I read through this book like it was a bible. I had always planned to breastfeed and was determined to make it work. After giving birth to my daughter at 36 weeks, I desperately searched this book for answers as to why my supply wasn't coming in etc.As a previous reviewer said, this book will leave you high and dry if you are having problems breastfeeding in the days following birth. The mantra seems to be that it is so easy any mother can do it, and if you can't, you're not trying hard enough.

I couldn’t even finish this book due to its judgmental tone. Honestly, I’m not even sure where to begin with this review. I’d hoped to learn about breastfeeding. Instead I got page after page on why I need to ditch my friends and anyone else in my life who didn’t breastfeed (unless I want to keep them around as an example of what not to do). For a group of people who set out to destigmatize breastfeeding, they certainly have a lot of criticism for people who don’t do exactly what they do.I had to stop reading during the birth section (why there is even a birth section in a breastfeeding book, I’ll never know). It was SO incredibly preachy and judgmental about anything but a non-medicated birth, and it was not backed up by science. (In fact, studies have shown that induced birth at 39 weeks for older mothers correlates to a lower incidence of c-section.) Once I read the line that birth “is pain of effort not pain of injury” I had to put it down. Seriously, it’s awful.Because of this book, I will never be involved in La Leche Leage. It’s shameful that they’d ever publish this screed.

Okay so here’s the thing about this book - it’s from La Leche League so obviously there’s some significant bias towards breastfeeding being the best (read: only) way to feed your child. I found it very off-putting and mom-shaming honestly, especially the part about giving birth which reads that if you don’t have a 100% “natural” birth you started your breastfeeding journey off in a terrible way and are basically doomed and that if you used an epidural or had pain medication that you are hurting your baby and delaying their breastfeeding bond with you (cue eye roll). I also don’t appreciate the section about co-sleeping saying it’s the preferred way to sleep with your baby, considering that the American Academy of Pediatrics specifically recommends against that since it can literally kill a child. AAP guidelines state a baby under 1 year of age should sleep in the same ROOM as their parents but not the same bed, should be flat on their back, and not have any loose bedding around them. Anyway, this book has some great information about breastfeeding, holds, ways to move through rough patches, etc. but I would rather something more practical and down to earth rather than a preachy book about their way being the “right” and only way.

I wish I didn't read this book at all. It's way too extremist in terms of what to do when giving birth and breastfeeding. Everything else than a 100% natural birth or 100% breastfeeding is bad.I wish I just followed my instincts from day 1 and supplement with formula instead of panicking that I am going to ruin the baby's intestinal flora and compromise her immunity if I give her anything else than breast milk.The idea that EVERY woman can breastfeed is just wrong. I threw everything at it: willpower, private breastfeeding consultant, books, food supplements, you name it, it was just not possible for me to make enough milk for the baby. And I am far from being the only one in this situation.I ended up topping up with formula and it would have been better if I did so from week one, without reserves and without feeling guilty.Go with your instincts and common sense, if the baby cries, breastfeed her. Recognise early and admit if you don't have enough milk and feed her formula. Signs the baby needs more milk: crying and pink-orange marks in the nappy. You see those, feed the baby more. Again, breastmilk and/or formula. As simple as that, you don't need a book. It's going to save you lots of energy and keep you sane when you need it the most.

Keep an open mind with this old fashioned title. This amazing book will help solidify an optimal relationship between mother and baby/child. It helps to understand how our basic biology works, your infants perspective and how modern life interventions can interrupt this.I’d highly recommend La Leche league’s Sweet sleep first. Sleep is paramount to the new born relationship. We often come at it from a warped behaviourist model. Remembering humans are the most vulnerable mammals helps to understand that fighting against our instincts can cause post natal angst. These two books will keep you on track, or find your back to where we should be. In the process you might be introduced to very supportive network that is the La Leche League.Highly recommended x

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is the best book, overall, for everything one needs to know before and during their breastfeeding journey. It is well-indexed so that you can dip in to find something specific whenever you need. Great for first-time parents to prepare for their baby and get breastfeeding off to a great start. How to overcome whatever special circumstances that might occur during or after birth and how to overcome any early difficulties that are commonly experienced. There are sections on every stage of babyhood and beyond. Something for everyone. I recommend this book above all others.

This book was recommended so many times to me that when I started breastfeeding and it didn't start out the best I decided to buy it. It's alright but the info in the book you can get online on numerous websites. Nothing unique in it. I read some of it but found common sense and my own mothering instinct best for me to follow. Patience, time, calmness, dedication are what is needed to get breastfeeding established well.

Such a useful resource. This book is full of great knowledge, but the tone is as if you asked your mum or grandma for help. It has lots of tips from people who are clearly very experienced and know how hard it can be to breastfeed whilst also trying to figure out how to look after a baby and be a mum too. I also bought Jack Newman's book which was much more scientific but also came across as patronising at times and didn't seem contain any material not already on his website/blog. I returned that book, but am really pleased to have this one to turn to if I need any help in the future.