Customer Reviews

Breastfeeding : Biocultural Perspectives (Foundations of Human Behavior)

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This isn't for the average "consumer" of breastfeeding and parenting books- it won't give much practical advice. What it does is provide accurate, researched based information on what is currently known as "attachment parenting". I was led to "ap" by an endocrinology professor, ten years before I had children, and I learned from her that parenting can be interesting and fulfilling. I learned that there are parenting instincts- holding a baby, sleeping with the baby, not letting the baby cry... the various authors in this book reinforce that. I came away from these writings with a sense that mothering is important and has been throughout history, and that *children* are important. Sometimes I feel that gets lost in parenting books, especially the "mainstream" of Dobson, What to Expect, Ezzo... Dettwyler, et. al. show us that our children deserve better than that.

I might even study anthropology someday. :-)

Breastfeeding: BioCultural Perspectives is a wonderful in depth look at the biological and cultural issues surrounding breastfeeding. It contains a close look at the biological history of breastfeeding, explaining how it is thought that breastfeeding has evolved to protect infants and children, why it is important to breastfeed, and how women in the distant past breastfed (or not) and the implications this may have held for their offspring.

The book goes on to examine information about current breastfeeding practices in various parts of the world and the effect these practices seem to have had on their populations. Included are all of the cultural issues which serve to support or sever the breastfeeding relationship. Further, the book covers issues of: weaning (what is biologically and culturally normal
and why they are so different), breast as a sexual object, demand feeding vs. scheduled feeding, co-sleeping and SIDS, fertility issues affected by breastfeeding, and breast cancer and reproductive biology.

This book is a must read for those interested in more than just mechanical information about breastfeeding. It is also recommended reading for any attatchement style parent who is interested in a more biocultural view of why AP works.

This book is not light reading, but is certainly accessible to anyone truly interested.

This book has changed my life! There is so much evidence and sound facts about why it is so important for a child to be breastfed until the age of 2.5- 7 years of age that a person would have to be deaf, dumb & blind to at last not consider it. It is because of this book, that I am going to continue to exclusively pump for my son until the age of 5 (he never latched). I would highly recommend this book for any breastfeeding mother that is considering whether or not she should continue to breastfed beyond the age of 12 months. Read this book. It will change your life. When I read it, not only did I see how humans create their own destruction, I saw the face of God.

Breastfeeding: BioCultural Perspectives is a wonderful in depth look at the biological and cultural issues surrounding breastfeeding. It contains a close look at the biological history of breastfeeding, explaining how it is thought that breastfeeding has evolved to protect infants and children, why it is important to breastfeed, and how women in the distant past breastfed (or not) and the implications this may have held for their offspring.

The book goes on to examine information about current breastfeeding practices in various parts of the world and the effect these practices seem to have had on their populations. Included are all of the cultural issues which serve to support or sever the breastfeeding relationship. Further, the book covers issues of: weaning (what is biologically and culturally normal
and why they are so different), breast as a sexual object, demand feeding vs. scheduled feeding, co-sleeping and SIDS, fertility issues affected by breastfeeding, and breast cancer and reproductive biology.

This book is a must read for those interested in more than just mechanical information about breastfeeding. It is also recommended reading for any attatchement style parent who is interested in a more biocultural view of why AP works.

This book is not light reading, but is certainly accessible to anyone truly interested.

No other breastfeeding book compares to this one. Every woman should read this book because the information contained within is invaluable. It gives background for how and why breastfeeding works like it does. It's powerful information not found in any other book I've read.

One of the most informative and interesting books I have ever read. A must read for every woman of child bearing age well before she considers having children and then again when she becomes pregnant. I wish I had read it sooner.

Dettwyler's book: Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives is an instant classic and a must-read for any health personal, parent or anyone else interested or somehow involved in breastfeeding (aka everyone!)
Dettwyler opens our eyes, not only to breastfeeding, but to many misunderstandings and wrongdoing in our society, when it comes to raising our children.

I'm currently writing a book about breastfeeding in my native language danish, and Kathy Dettwyler is quoted several times. In Denmark child upbringing is generally a far cry from natural upbringing. Hopefully the book, with Kathy's assistance, can help change that.

Thank you Ms. Dettwyler!

This is a great book - whether you are interested from a cultural perspective, or from a breastfeeding mother's perspective, or both. Once you've read this book, you will feel even more inspired to make the changes we need to make as a culture to support nursing mothers and their children.

One of the most thought-provoking and insightful books I've ever read. As a breastfeeding advocate and a woman, this is a MUST read.