Hey folks! I have an interesting new book to share with you today. It may not seem like it since I hardly ever talk about it on here, but I am a big supporter of breastfeeding. Just because my breastfeeding days weren't a success doesn't mean I don't wish for other mothers to have better "luck" than I did!
I thought I had done my research on breastfeeding while I was pregnant with my daughter. However, in hindsight, I focused too much attention on different nursing positions and not much else. To be honest, I have learned SO many more important things about breastfeeding from other mom bloggers since I have started blogging. I also learned some new things from Baby-Led Breastfeeding as well!
I absolutely recommend this book for new moms (and maybe moms who haven't breastfed for awhile or had troubles the first time as well). Although it may seem kind of obvious to most, the authors have aimed to help mothers trust in their baby's instincts when it comes to breastfeeding and let them "lead the way". Unless babies are born earlier than around 35 weeks and/or have major health concerns, they will naturally know how to breastfeed without being "forced" to the breast if you just give them the chance!
Here are some of the main aspects of this book I liked or points I found particularly interesting:
1) The authors explain the "science" on how making milk actually works. I found this interesting and it actually helped me to better understand how breastfeeding works.
2) Some women naturally have more milk making cells than others. This doesn't mean that women with less can't breastfeed, but they will more than likely need to let their baby feed more often to kick them into gear. Almost all women are capable of breastfeeding and breast size does not indicate how much milk a mother will be able to make.
3) The authors talk a lot about why it's so important to let your baby breastfeed as often as possible. This is another big mistake I made when I tried to breastfeed my daughter. I MAJORLY underestimated how often she needed to feed. Which, in turn, is why I didn't think (and probably wasn't) making enough) milk. The more you let your baby breastfeed, the more milk you make!
4) The authors touch upon just about everything you can think of when it comes to breastfeeding, including nursing twins and higher multiples, premature and sick babies, what you should do if you happen to get a clogged duct, mastitis, etc., how to increase or decrease your milk production, and so much more.
5) There is a Painful Breastfeeding Quick Symptom Checker (since contrary to the beliefs of some, nursing should NOT be painful for any longer than about 10 seconds when your baby first latches on and only in the first few weeks when you're still learning) and Sources of Information and Support section in the back of the book, which are convenient.
6) There are also photos of real moms in the middle of the book demonstrating certain breastfeeding concepts, such as what a "good latch" should look like, that are referenced throughout the book. I thought these were handy because let's face it, there's a big difference in reading about nursing and actually doing it or seeing it!
This really is a must-read for expecting and new mothers. It would make a great baby shower gift too! You can find Baby-Led Breastfeeding on The Experiment along with the authors' other two collaborative works: Baby-Led Weaning and The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook. You can also keep up to date with The Experiment Publishing on Twitter.
I am sure this book has a ton of helpful info for breastfeeding moms. I breastfed both my kids, but it was a combination of when they wanted and when I wanted. Moms need to find what works for them and what they are comfortable with.
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