So That's What They're For!: The Definitive Breastfeeding Guide 3rd edition [Paperback]

Janet Tamaro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2005

The Critics Love So That's What They're For!

"A practical, light-hearted, and humorous look at breastfeeding...that's full of factual information and down-to-earth answers to the universal questions all breastfeeding mothers have." --La Leche League

"This light-hearted approach to a truly serious subject offers a healthy mix of medical fact and hearty humor, and is a must for all moms." --Dr. Dean Edell, nationally syndicated radio/television talk show host

"BEST PICKS: Best breastfeeding book out there for new moms." --Parent Soup

"Janet Tamaro has produced a humorous, informative, concise, affordable, fun-to-read book on the joys and trials of breastfeeding." --The Journal of Perinatal Education

"So That's What They're For! lends support and encouragement to those wondering whether they should try breastfeeding, for pregnant women who are sure they will breastfeed, and for new moms who are having trouble an are considering stopping." --Natural Health and Alternative Medicine Newsletter

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Janet Tamaro became a certified lactation educator after her first daughter was born. She is a television correspondent, reporter, and author. She has worked for ABC News, Fox, and KingWorld Productions. Ms. Tamaro lives with her family, including two beautiful daughters, in Los Angeles, CA.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Adams Media; 3 edition (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159337285X
• ISBN-13: 978-1593372859
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,098 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This helped me succeed where I'd failed before ... January 18, 2006

By Heidi A. Dugan

Format:Paperback

I am one of those working mothers facing a highly anti-breastfeeding boss and environment following my first pregnancy. I lived several hours from my nearest female relative and was loathe to ask strangers for advice. I didn't know that what just seemed like an awkward starting phase in the first days and weeks of breastfeeding my daughter, was really the beginning of the end to our breastfeeding relationship. I didn't know anything was really wrong, and if I had, I wouldn't have known how to fix it.

So, I bought this book during my second pregnancy. I'd since moved even further from my close female relatives but really wanted to make breastfeeding work this time around. I remember all-too-vividly my daughter crying from hunger after I'd nursed her inadequately, the cost of formula, the stains and odors which accompanied formula-feeding. I wanted to breastfeed my son, and get it right.

(I want to interject here that I'm not forcing my decision on anyone else. I'm not some sort of militant wacko with an agenda of breastfeeding for everyone, everywhere. I nursed my song for 12-1/2 months at which point we were both ready to give it up.)

Anyway, this book made a HUGE difference. I learned what the difference was between discomfort and pain. I learned what a good "latch-on" was supposed to be like. I learned that other women had to work to make breastfeeding successful, too.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in breastfeeding her baby. If you're not interested in breastfeeding, you shouldn't be reading this book. It will teach you how to breastfeed successfully. But, make the decision first, then get advice on how to do it well.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A good start, light-hearted approach - Add'l Reads Listed... September 9, 2005

By April Steele

Format:Paperback

This book offers a light-hearted fun spirted approach to breastfeeding--something that we can all use... but it doesn't quite go far enough to answer all the questions a new mom will have when it comes to breastfeeding. As a mom who has nursed three babies to date--all for over a year--here are some additional books I recommend, as well as some places where you can get support from real moms:

The Nursing Mother's Companion

The Breastfeeding Answer Book

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

Working Mother, Nursing Mother

There is a website called kellymom that is also good for searching about breastfeeding information...I highly recommend it.

Two yahoogroups you can search for are breastfeeding and pumpmoms, go to the site and do a search... both provide invaluable advice from moms who have "been there, done that."

The books mentioned are really much better resources for problem solving and understanding how breastfeeding works...how to do it...what to do if you have problems. (And many of us do...and we can get beyond them... and it's very rare for a woman to have a problem that can't be fixed.)

I hope this list helps you find some additional options. This really is a nice book--it just stops short of being completely useful. It is worth reading, and is very enjoyable. It's just not a book for solving problems. :)

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny, without the guilt, but few specifics September 17, 2005

By Nic

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really liked this book, mostly because the other breastfeeding or parenting books I had made me feel completely inadequate abotu breastfeeding. Am I doing it correctly? Am I doing it often enough? How is my technique? etc. etc. This book is realistic in its approach, and the author shares a lot of funny personal stories which made me feel more normal. I read most of the book while breastfeeding and it took me a week to finish - it goes fast. The one down side is there isn't a lot of specifics should you run into problems...particularly medical problems, just a brief statement like, "see your doctor... and I'm sorry." (I remember this quote from when she was talking about galactosemia in the infant. I remember thinking how dissappointing that would be to an affected mother who read that.) Also, she cites some interesting websites in the back - but a lot are Canadian, so you can spend extra $$ in shipping. This would be a good book for a mother to be who isn't sure if she can hack breastfeeding - it gives a much needed pep talk without being overbearing or dogmatic.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite possibly the best breastfeeding resource for laymoms! May 18, 2005

By C. Holland-Radvon

Format:Paperback

I read an earlier edition of this book when I was pregnant with my son - when I was still convinced that breastfeeding was something I would "try". What an eye-opener! This book not only convinced me to dedicate my and my baby's first months to breastfeeding, but that it would make my life easier. And it did!

Updated review: I would change my rating to 4 stars now...

I gave a 4 star rating only because the subtitle "The Definitive Breastfeeding Guide 3rd edition" is a little misleading. This isn't a definitive guide. If you want definitive, buy yourself a copy of "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Seventh Revised Edition (La Leche League International Book)" by La Leche League International. That is a no nonsense-this-is-how-to-do-it-and-what-to-do-if-you're-stumped guide. I also own that book and it reads like a dictionary. I used it for diagnosing problems as they arose. I think it's also a valuable resource to own.

"So That's What They're For" is great for first time mothers who need encouragement to make the best decision for their infant's nutritional needs. It doesn't absolve new mothers of their guilt should they choose to formula-feed. It lays out all the facts - breastmilk is best and if you choose anything else, you're choosing substandard infant nutrition. There's no way around that.

I truly believe that if I hadn't read this book, I wouldn't have been so determined to breastfeed. It probably saved my nursing relationship with my son. We were a nursing pair for 2 1/2 years. The information gleaned from this book got me through the worst two months of my life - my son's first two months of breastfeeding. I cried through nearly every feeding in those two months - not due to post-partum depression.... But because I wanted to give up because it was so hard and so exhausting. Because of this book, we made the decision not to keep bottles or formula in the house as a back up plan. It saved us countless times from giving in to the temptation to formula-feed or even to pump and bottle-feed.

This book isn't about teaching women how to nurse, but WHY they should nurse. It's empowering and a must-read for everyone considering breastfeeding. If you're going to succeed, you need to have the conviction to follow through. This book is a great motivating tool for mothers who are unsure of their ability to breastfeed. Read more ›