The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Seventh Revised Edition (La Leche League International Book) [Paperback]

La Leche League International (Author)

Book Description

Series: La Leche League International Book | Publication Date: May 25, 2004

All parents want the best for their babies, and there’s no doubt about the fact that human milk is the ideal food for human babies. What’s the secret of successful breastfeeding? For almost fifty years mothers who have been in touch with La Leche League have found the kind of information and support they needed to breastfeed their babies.

In this newly revised edition of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, you will learn:

• How human milk offers lifetime benefits for your baby
• How to prepare for breastfeeding during pregnancy
• How to exercise and lose weight safely while nursing
• How to find time for yourself while meeting baby’s needs
• How to increase your milk supply by using herbs and medications
• How to be sure your baby is getting enough to eat

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding was the first book of its kind, written for mothers by mothers. Over the years, more than two million mothers have turned to it for information and inspiration.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Since 1955 when La LEche League started with seven women in the Chicago suburbs, it has grown into the leading breastfeeding advocacy organization in the world, with more than three thousand groups in fifty countries. La Leche League International regularly holds seminars and workshops for health care professionals and parents, and publishes more than twenty books on child care.

Product Details

• Paperback: 463 pages
• Publisher: Plume; 7 edition (May 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452285801
• ISBN-13: 978-0452285804
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (168 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for All Moms-to-Be, June 16, 2004

By 

Cheryl (Norristown, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Seventh Revised Edition (La Leche League International Book) (Paperback)

I had a much older edition of this book when I was pregnant with my first child almost 10 years ago and I read it and countless other pregnancy, breastfeeding and parenting books. I passed along the older version to a pregnant friend after the birth of my youngest in 2002; I thought I knew all I needed to know after successfully breastfeeding my first and continuing to breastfeed my youngest. Some recent problems led me to borrow the new 7th Revised Edition from a LLL meeting and I wish I had a newer edition before my second son was born. I learned so much about recent scientific discoveries about breastfeeding and the healthful properties of human milk. I could have avoided alot of heartbreak and anxiety in the hospital if I'd known all this and read it prior to his birth. The hospital was not very friendly to breastfeeding and if I had not already had the positive experience with my first son, I probably would have let them convince me of the need for bottles. As it was, we had a very difficult time in the first few weeks, which could have been avoided with the knowledge and information contained in this book. I urge you to read it, especially if you are considering nursing. And even if you plan to feed your baby formula, it may change your mind! And bring it with you to the hospital to use as a resource and to back up your requests to nurses to NOT give your baby sugar water, formula or a pacifier. The scientific information and references provided should give you all the support you need.

183 of 218 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars whose agenda is best served by this book?, March 16, 2006

By 

Nop "Nop" (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Seventh Revised Edition (La Leche League International Book) (Paperback)

I breastfed all three of my children well into toddlerhood and was very active in LLL for several years. This book does have helpful information, but if you don't completely subscribe to LLL's basic philosophy (breastfeeding on demand until the child chooses to wean, having no scheduled separations from the child because then you might not be available for nursing at the exact moment the child wanted to, a very limited role for fathers, etc.), the book will seem judgmental. In addition, the book often does not seem sympathetic to mothers who face what seem like overwhelming problems. Their assurances that you can work things out no matter what can be guilt inducing rather than helpful. Actually talking to LLL leaders can be great--I've gotten some wonderful help from some. On the other hand, I've know others who were either not knowlegable enough to be helpful, gave too much information, or who were jugmental and unsupportive of mothers who made choices they didn't like (such as working outside the home). One cannot be an LLL leader if one has had scheduled separations from baby (like working), so many leaders have strong feelings about how you should parent, and their personal feelings can get inthe way of being helpful to moms who work, want to wean, have to go on a trip without the baby, etc. In the book itself, I also find that the use of "he" to refer to all children is annoying--they say it's for clarity because the mom is always "she," but in the chapter on dads, they still refer to babies as he, and somehow the references are still clear. LLL has a tendency to put women in the secondary position of fulfilling their womanliness solely by serving the needs of others. I think The Nursing Mother's Companion is a better book for the nursing mom. It's helpful and practical, and while the author is very pro-breastfeeding, you don't feel like there's a hidden agenda lurking beneath the advice. The non-breastfeeding oriented decisions you make about how to run your life and family don't really enter into the discussion, while in LLL's book, these other issues are front and center. If you don't want a whole life philosophy along with breastfeeding advice, The Nursing Mother's Companion is a better book.

58 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars answers when you need them, September 20, 2004

By 

Samanthas_mom (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Seventh Revised Edition (La Leche League International Book) (Paperback)

I had problems with breastfeeding for the first 4 weeks. Just when I was at my wits end, everything just clicked and now we are doing great. This book really helped me through those weeks and I got the encouragement I needed. There are relatable stories and straight answers to questions you have about breastfeeding. I found this to be an invaluable resource!