So That's What They're For!: Breastfeeding Basics [Paperback]

Janet Tamaro-Natt (Author), Janet Tamaro (Author), Barry Littmann (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1996

Filling the gap left in a market glutted with dated or dry books on breastfeeding, So That's What They're For! lends support and encouragement to those wondering whether they sould try breastfeeding, for pregnant women who are sure they will breastfeed and for new moms who are having trouble and are considering stopping. With hilarious anecdotes and wonderful illustrations, this comprehensive guide offers a supportive, pragmatic view from the real world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Adams Media Corp (May 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155850611X
• ISBN-13: 978-1558506114
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (146 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,336,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Of all the breastfeeding books, start with this one., April 11, 2000

By 

ltp1 "ltp1" (Manchester, NH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: So That's What They're for: Breastfeeding Basics (Paperback)

What sets this apart from other breastfeeding books is

1. It has a readable, friendly presentation.

2. It combines solid information with emotional support (lighthearted, not sappy). There's more to breastfeeding (to DOING it) than you think, and it's explained here.

3. It's short enough not to overwhelm. You're too busy/tired to read encyclopedias.

4. It imparts technical facts AND practical advice from people who've been there.

My complaints with the book are outweighed by the good things I got out of it, but here they are:

1. Occasionally I picked up a hint of near bashing of non-breastfeeders, as in "Breastfeeding represents a style of parenting: Right off the bat you're willing to adjust your life to your baby's and give a lot of love. You might save your child a lot of time and money he'd have spent in therapy" (p. 28). Not only is this statement silly and of questionable purpose, it's a backwards argument. You don't breastfeed to prove you have a certain parenting style. You start with the style, and then you breastfeed. Tamaro seems to be arguing that you should breastfeed because it will mean you have a good parenting style. I consider this complaint minor because the rest of the book doesn't carry this tone.

2. Too little info about sources of some claims. "Did you know a study in Sweden showed that...?" is insufficient. "Breastfed babies have better eyesight" (p. 29) is insufficient. I want a few details and a citation . I know I said above I was glad this book is NOT an encyclopedia, but I'm talking about the addition of just a few words here. Overall, though, the book seems credible. Can't argue with the personal-experience bits.

3. The fact that the ingredients in baby formula have long gibberish-like names does NOT imply they're bad. The chemical name for ANYTHING can sound bad. And on the flip side: the fact that something's natural does not alone imply that it's good for you. There are natural poisons. So get rid of the part about the ucky-sounding ingredients in formula and "is THAT what you want to feed your baby?" I agree that formula is inferior to breast milk. But the names of the ingredients have nothing to do with it.

Conclusion: I strongly recommend this book to anyone considering breastfeeding and to anyone who's already started. You can read it quickly even while you're tired and you'll learn some things. You may want to read some others too, but start with this one.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humorous, Non-Threatening, Absolutely Excellent!!, March 22, 2003

By 

Kelly "kelly" (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: So That's What They're for: Breastfeeding Basics (Paperback)

I bought this book five years ago when I was pregnant with my first child. I did not want to breastfeed. I didn't know a single soul who had breastfed. I thought breastfeeding was pretty weird and gross and had already told my husband I was going to bottlefeed. After I read a lot of information on the benefits of breastfeeding in several different magazines and pregnancy/childbirth books, I decided I better look into it a little more. I bought this book simply because I liked the title, and I have been SO extremely grateful ever since.

This book is very non-threatening and completely NOT militant! I'm surprised by the reviews I see here saying otherwise - the author was so laid back and respectful, that it actually allowed me to open my mind to the possibility of breastfeeding. If she had been some kind of militant breastfeeding person, I never would have read more than the first few pages - however, I found a funny, sincere author who tried to fairly present breastfeeding [both the advantages and the (often humorous) disadvantages]. I thought she was brilliant.

This book is a very "basic" breastfeeding book. It doesn't have all the level of detail of some other books [like "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League - a book that has EVERYTHING you'd ever need to know, but is definitely [obviously!] biased towards breastfeeding]. I think this book is a great basic guide for new mothers and a WONDERFUL place to start if you are just considering breastfeeding or trying to make that decision.

Incidentally, I did end up nursing my first child successfully, mainly due to this book. My original goal was to breastfeed for 3 months, but it went so well that I ended up nursing her for a whole year! I also used this book when I got pregnant with my second child and nursed him for a year too. Now I am re-reading it while pregnant with my third baby and I am STILL enjoying it! This is money well spent in my opinion!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't have gotten through without this book, December 19, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: So That's What They're for: Breastfeeding Basics (Paperback)

I'm keeping myself anonymous because I am a physician who shouldn't have needed this book. But deciding to breastfeed was a real struggle for me because it wasn't something that I grew up with--no one that I knew growing up nursed their babies and it was considered to be a dirty thing. Once I got into med school and understood all the benefits I knew that I had to nurse my future children but psychologically the idea of it repulsed me. When I finally got pregnant and started reading the standard books they didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know. What I needed I found in this book. It is funny, practical and by the end of the first chapter I was inspired and excited about the challenges of nursing. I couldn't put this book down and I swear that it made all the difference for my perception of breastfeeding. My mother undermined my dedication to nursing every step of the way and while she didn't mean to be hurtful I couldn't have dealt with it as smoothly as I did if I hadn't read this book. I still almost never nursed in public and am so happy for the women who do. One of the other reviews said to read this only if you were dedicated to nursing and I feel exactly the opposite--This book convinced me when I was wavering because of my ingrained bias against it.