The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International, Gwen Gotsch (Editor)

Not worth the hypeby Anonymous

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June 13, 2009: The problem with this book is that it spends a lot of time convincing you that breast feeding is best. But the whole reason to buy the book is because you want to breast feed but aren't sure how to do it. It was frustrating that so much of the book was committed to convincing you how great breast feeding is, when the questions I had were all about how to do it.

Nursing Babies Can Save the World, Seriouslyby serviceKP

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December 06, 2008: Abroad, I bumped into many informative, missionaries, diplomats, and traveling business folks and they would often be up on some of the cleverest ways to get along. I was from one of the seemingly modern families where my mom thougt that baby bottles are the answer for the modern mom as they seem so clean, so convenient, and the formula is just perfect. Nevertheless, we learned that when researchers discovered formula for premies, often the overlooked the fact that breasts have more going for them than they thought. This book goes into how breast milk and natural weaning is best for the optimal well being of babies, always has been, always will be. A rubber nipple, just can't compete.

As soon as my daughter came to me after her tests to make sure all her gears were going just fine, she immediately gave a look and an expression that she wanted her little mouth nearer to a nipple, and that granted, latched on contentedly. Sure like a lot of good things, there's some pain involved at first, but this info bashed a lot of myths like nursing does not cause tough nipples, sagging breasts, and does not spoil them with getting what they want when they want it. She didn't loose an ounce of weight during the first weeks, and was so healthy that although I read the typical toddler has 10 colds a year, if her temperature went up once a year, that was the big illness for the year. It also helps optimize growth, intelligence and behavior.

Now, behavior is a big issue, much bigger than many think. When babies don't get a chance to bond with the mother through nursing, ideally with dad taking his parental chore roles as his voice and way are also very important to pave the wave for good behavior, then, they can have a real hard time figuring out what good behavior is all about. Basically, babies don't argue with the one who supplies the mother's milk.

It's sort of like a magic potion if I may say.

Now, my daughter and I are still pondering how she can find her professional calling and not have this be in conflict to parental duties. Since I haven't found full employment yet, well, I'm glad that I'm working at the right place to look up info about that and other subjects, too. Unfortunately, much of the world seems to rotate with notions that at home jobs when mom's needing it during nursing and weaning, just aren't important and aren't as sofiscated, serious or supposed as hard, as scheduled professional work that turns it's backs on such issues. Traditional female jobs in things like sewing are mostly gone to industrialization. How many can afford to be like the noble woman who had a vineyard?

I hope La Leche League comes out with some material on jobs that work best for nursing mothers. It's like hey, even in the space program, astronauts don't seem to get so much consideration on paternal quality time. We can't make it past the bud of the space age though if we don't optimize child care, though.

La Leche League hosts great conferences, too. I took my 3 year old bundle to one in Orlando, Florida. We had a tremendously good time, and had a chance for her to see the magical world of Disney and other theme parks later. Nursing moms sure know how to have family fun.

I Also Recommend: The Complete Organic Pregnancy, The Vegetarian Mother and Baby, Peter Rabbit Baby Book, Your Vegetarian Pregnancy, Raising Baby Green.