By Anita Daubaras
This book is an inspiring read for new and experienced nursing mothers! Whether you are looking for a basic how-to guide or information about a specific breastfeeding challenge, you will find something handy within the covers.
The writers discuss the connection between birth and breastfeeding, how breastfeeding evolves as your baby grows older, and different breastfeeding scenarios, such as balancing work and breastfeeding, sleep, and weaning. New information and research findings are combined in a new layout, making this edition significantly different from earlier editions.
One of the things that I appreciated about this book was its warm and encouraging style. The writing has a personal feel; reading the book was almost like having a cup of tea with a group of experienced nursing mothers. This sense of community would definitely resonate with breastfeeding mothers at different points along their breastfeeding journeys!
This book discusses the science of breastfeeding and breastmilk, but it also goes far beyond that. It embraces the process of nurturing, connecting and the mothering relationship between a nursing mother-baby pair.
Much of the ‘breast is best’ campaign to support breastfeeding and spread awareness has focused on the scientific advantage that breastmilk has over other ways of feeding a baby. This book says that nursing a baby is more than providing that ideal food, it is nurturing a child emotionally as well. This book goes right to the heart of the breastfeeding wisdom of mothers of earlier generations; through this book, that wisdom gets to be carried on.
The book also takes a laid-back approach to breastfeeding, encouraging mothers to trust in their bodies and in the process of breastfeeding. Nursing mothers are usually inundated with how-to lists, lists of whys, lists and descriptions...; this book suggests that mothers go with the flow and find their rhythm as nursing mums.
An entire chapter is devoted to weaning; different weaning ages, weaning naturally as well as weaning that is initiated by the mother are explored. The focus is always on every mother-baby pair finding its own individual weaning approach. Many breastfeeding mothers would find this refreshing, especially in today’s context where mothers make many different choices or face different circumstances.
One of my favourite parts of this book is the last chapter, ‘Tear-Sheet Toolkit’. Each sheet can be torn-out and is available online, handy for sticking to the refrigerator door, passing to a grandparent if the mother leaves the baby with her for a few hours, or simply for reading for a quick inspirational message.
This book has helped me realise that fellow breastfeeding mothers need much more than information; peer counsellors forge an inimitable connection by reaching out with respect, acceptance, and encouragement.
