Customer Reviews

Unbuttoned: Women Open Up About the Pleasures, Pains, and Politics of Breastfeeding

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While clearly this book has appeal to a certain audience, I have to disagree with the reviewers who felt it would be beneficial to "any" breastfeeding mother. First, the mothers depicted in the book represent a pretty narrow cultural and social spectrum--the upper middle-class, highly-educated cultural creatives. Working class mothers, "earth mothers," mothers from traditional religious backgrounds, and disadvantaged mothers won't hear their voices echoed here.

Secondly, what some reviewers have called "realism" seems skewed quite definitely to the negative in most cases. Breastfeeding is never a bed of roses, but too many of the writers see it as a bed of nails. Indeed, most of the authors seem to see mothering in general as a bed of nails; I felt that a number of the critiques made against breastfeeding were more honestly critiques of mothering.

I was also concerned about misinformation about breastfeeding in some of the selections and the risk of expectant mothers coming away with inaccurate ideas about matters like antidepressant use while breastfeeding (usually *not* a need to wean) or the physical discomforts of breastfeeding (it can indeed be painful in the early postpartum but such problems are usually resolved after a few weeks, thank goodness).

Downright ugly was some authors' use of phrases like "Nipple Nazis" and "Nipple Gestapo" to characterize breastfeeding counselors. Of course, these comments always came associated with pleas for understanding and acceptance of the authors' choices. Hypocrisy much? And after all, if one consults a breastfeeding counselor or lactation consultant, one will be given information that time, research, and many mothers' experiences have shown to be important to being able to breastfeed successfully--otherwise would represent malpractice. It is the mother's decision to take such information, assess its relevance to her situation and its viability in her life, and implement it or not. I doubt that the authors who were critical on this point truly want someone else to decide to pre-filter information based on assumptions about them and restrict the freedom of mothers to make their own informed choices.

In conclusion, I wouldn't recommend the book widely--if you're a magazine editor in her mid-30s to mid-40s, this book will probably seem excellent to you. Enjoy. Many other mothers will prefer to check it out from a local library and skip the stories that grate.

The stories in Unbuttoned are wonderful for breastfeeding mothers. It depicts the loves and pains of bf'ing very well and it helps with getting into the grove with baby. It helps you feel more normal and that all the goofy issues you have as a new mom bf'ing, are normal! I loved the read and recommend it to any new breastfeeding mom.

I just got done reading this after recently weaning my 15 month old. Wow! What a great book. I don't normally love essays but I just wanted to keep reading the next one and the next one and the next one. I will admit that there were 2 or 3 essays that I didn't particularly care for, but they were all pretty quick reads, so I wouldn't consider them a waste of time.

With any series of essays by different authors, you will have differing styles and differing opinions, so I figure there's bound to be a few that you can't relate to at all. I'm sure another reader will find the essays that I didn't like to be his/her favorites!

The authors of these essays were able to put into words the feelings that I had as I went through the process of learning how to nurse, dealing with the pain, dealing with infections, and finally weaning.

I am not a writer AT ALL, so it was wonderful to read how these women were able to capture the emotional highs and lows that women go through during this period - whether they nurse/supplement/formula feed. There is definitely something in this book for everyone.

Again, you might not like all the essays, but I can almost guarantee that if you're a mom, there will be one or two that you will relate to.

Wonderful book for any breastfeeder !! Beautifully written, funny and moving pieces which will strike a chord for any mother who has ever fed a baby. The quality of the pieces is superb. About to have my fourth baby and will dip into this book again and again during that first year. This book would be a fabulous gift for ay new mother.

I could not put this book down. I could relate to almost every story. This book is great for any new mother, but also for any woman who is trying to encourage other women to breastfeed . . . this book has the power to create more understanding, compassion and acceptance for all mothers, regardless of their feeding decision, and to hopefully get more people to figure out to help moms instead of judging them.

If you are a pregnant mom who is expecting your first baby or if you are planning for your first breastfed baby please put this book down. This book feels like when you go in to the hairdressers and let people know that you are pregnant, and then let the horror stories of childbirth. It may be healing for them, but this is not what you need to know.
As a mother who breastfed three children, I do feel for most of the stories told by these broken mothers. I wish they have had better support, and knowledge of breastfeeding. The stories told in the book written very well -you would expected as they are written by professional writers-, however most of them written of the point of a New York carrier woman who are acting like three years olds "I centred". As a mother I do appreciate and understand the mix feelings of motherhood, however there is no consideration of the baby's birth right to breastfeed. In some stories I felt like saying "stop it, stop it now. Obviously not every one has to breastfeed." And this is I never thought I would say it to any mother. So by all means to have and read this book if you have had difficulties when you breastfed -it may be the cathartic for your wounds-, but if you are first time breastfeeding mom run away.

I picked this book up because I was told it was an excellent resource for nursing mothers. While I am no longer a nursing momma (though I was for two years)I still enjoy reading about nursing and having books in my arsenal when I help other mommas with nursing. This book was a complete and utter disappointment. I thought it would be pro nursing when in fact it was like every other book about nursing out there: If you nurse that's great, but if you don't no big deal, formula is just as good. Of all the essays in the book only one or two was completely positive when it came to nursing. Women already hear enough about how hard nursing is, why for once can't we have a book that tells other women how WONDERFUL nursing can be and that persevering IS worth it in the long wrong. This book was such a let down-no pun intended :/

If you're a first time mom, new to the world of breastfeeding, this is a decent selection. However, if you're in the industry (doula, etc) or if you have read articles in Mothering, and other books on the subject of breastfeeding in the past, don't bother. There is nothing new here, and there are only a couple of interesting essays, one in particular by a woman who admits to breastfeeding her lover. Otherwise it's the same old - some women love breastfeeding and find it easy, some hate it and find it difficult, societal pressures, working moms, etc, etc, etc.

I started with the last chapter, because my son has recently turned two and weaning is in sight. The stories were beautiful, bittersweet, and I found myself getting teary more than once, particularly when reading Catherine Newman's "Wean." In fact, just looking up the story, to get the author's name, my eyes fell on a particular paragraph and again I find myself close to weeping. Unfortunately, starting with the wonderful final chapter means that I finish with the "quitting" chapter. Similar only in that there is an end (or, in one case, no beginning at all), but completely different in their relevance to nursing mothers who would be interested in this type of book, the book would be much better if the entire chapter was removed. While some of the mothers in earlier chapters made some frustrating comments, I was able to just roll my eyes and still enjoy bits of their stories. The "On Empty" moms, however, either sounded like they likely had post partum depression, or were grasping for reasons why they couldn't do it. One seemed to imply that society wanted to place women back in the 1950s by making it impossible to be a working mother while nursing. I take great offense to this notion, as I successfully returned to work when my eldest son was four months old, pumping twice a day until shortly after his second birthday, never giving him a drop of formula. I don't fault mothers who are forced to supplement with formula; pumping is hard and definitely doesn't work for everyone. But I'd rather see stories of women who SUCCEED (whether or not formula comes into play) rather than give up entirely - I want a pep talk, not a cold reality check from someone who hasn't REALLY "been there, done that." I think that I'll go back and re-read "Wean" so that I feel like I finish on a high note. And I recommend skipping "On Empty" completely.

This book has something for everyone. The fanatic nursers, the middle of the road and non nursers. It is such a beautifully and well written book. It is the perfect baby gift for any mother. I am sharing it with all my friends. You won't regret picking up this book!