Customer Reviews

Working without Weaning: A working mother's guide to breastfeeding

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Let me start with a disclaimer: I am a friend of the author. She and I met about five years ago, when we each were working and pumping for our babies. We became part of an online group of working and pumping moms, and have been in touch (along with about 50 other women who were also part of that group) ever since. The group traded advice and support, stories of what worked and what didn't, and online and in-real-life resources. They made it possible for me to work and pump successfully for my daughter's first year, even while working 18-hour days six days a week for weeks on end. Kirsten has, in this book, assembled the collective wisdom of that group and combined it with scientifically supported research to create an invaluable resource for any woman thinking of combining working and nursing/pumping. All the friendly advice, the practical how-to, the list of things "they" say you have to do which you really don't have to do . . . all that stuff is in here, in a very readable, accessible format. Even though I no longer pump for any of my children, I've skimmed most of the book and have marveled at how comprehensive, yet down-to-earth it is. I own the Gail Pryor book as well, and while it is marginally useful, it comes nowhere near to the level of practicality that this one does.

Practical, down-to-earth, and written in a conversational style a 'la the "Girlfriend's Guide" books, this book is a must-read if you are even thinking of continuing to breastfeed after returning to part-time or full-time work during your baby's first year. Kirsten combines the science with practical advice, and sprinkles in real-world examples of moms who have made it work for them. Special sections on talking to your boss, traveling for work, how to boost milk supply, and how to balance life as a working, breastfeeding mom are of specific interest. THE guide we wish we all had with our babies!

This is a fabulous book with tons of helpful info and I'm glad I bought it.

Most of these types of books are written by stay-at-home moms (what working mom would have the extra time to write a book?!) so there are very few resources about breastfeeding and pumping once you're back at work. And yet, it's such a challenging thing to do, that I believe every working mama needs this kind of support.

La Leche League wasn't very helpful because all the LLL leaders are stay at home or part-time moms (lucky them) and have no personal experience with working outside the home 40 hours a week. The breastfeeding support group meetings are during working hours so that was no help to me either.

But my opinion is that without some helpful resources (like this book, an online support group, or, if you're lucky, a local support group for working moms with meetings on weekends or evenings), most women who go back to work will give up pumping and ultimately breastfeeding earlier than they otherwise would. It's a really hard thing to do and having support makes all the difference.

This book is packed full of helpful info and I really wish I had it when my first child was born and I had to go back to work. Now that I'm about to have my second child, I just know I'm going to be a lot more successful this time around.

I will be forever grateful to the author for writing this book and creating the online support group for working moms!

My only (teensy weensy) complaint is that the author clearly didn't have an editor and the finished product would have been better with a professional editor. The writing style is very casual and that gives it kind of a personal feel. But it's kind of annoying to have typos here and there, and also to wade through some sentences that just aren't well written and thus cause confusion for the reader until you go back and read it a second time. Hopefully there will be a 2nd edition that will have an editor. But let this not deter you from buying this book.

If you're working and pumping, please do yourself a favor and get at least one book that can provide you with the support you're going to need.

This is the only brestfeeding book I bought, and it was the only one I needed! As a first time mom, I was really confused by how the whole back-to-work thing went. I really appreciated the fun writing style (it doesn't read like your typical reference book, thank God. Instead, it's like a friend is giving you the inside scoop.) I was grateful it covered traveling and pumping/storing, a huge concern for me. I read it cover-to-cover, then re-read it. It's that good!

Working without Weaning is a must read for mothers who return to work and wish to continue to provide milk for their babies. (and let's face it, scores of women some would say "most" return to work because they have to)Working without Weaning is a down to earth, practical, nonjudgemental resource for tired and worried moms who are just looking for helpful information to get through their days (and nights)! Moreover, this book is well referenced and accurately reflects current breastfeeding research and advice. One woman with whom I work commented "it felt like a friend or a sister was giving me advice and reasurrance." What more can I say?
CT, USA

While there are some useful tips for a working mom who is nursing and pumping, overall the author is too didactic in her claims. She is obsessed with the concept that any formula is terrible, which really isn't helpful at all to a woman who is having trouble breastfeeding and who has to work. Working moms should be supportive of each other, but this book makes a person feel like if they can't "do it all" that they are not being good to their children. Also, the author is not a physician or a midwife or a nurse, which she states, but also seems to be passing out medical advice left and right.
I read this book before my baby was born and it made me anxious, now that my baby is 6 months old and I am back at work, I see what she is saying is so intense on a working mom, to feel that absolutely no formula is the ideal, puts undue pressure on a mom who is trying to do the best she can. Nurse completely, mix breast milk and formula, or do formula - women should support each other. Telling a brand new mom that she should throw away the formula so that she can't give it to her baby when her baby is screaming from hunger at 3 a.m. is terrible advice and unhealthy for both mom and baby. Moms should take care of themselves and their babies, and not strive to some specific ideal set up for no particular reason.

This is an awesome resource for those mamas who are planning on going back to work after the baby arrives. I don't know how many people I have heard say, "well, I'll nurse until I go back to work" WHY??? Working shouldn't change your feeding relationship with your baby!

I received this book during my first pregnancy and I have purchased it for every mom I have know that is pregnant after that!

And this still has TONS of information if you are a stay at home mom too, so don't over look it if you aren't planning on going back to work!

During my pregnancy, I was most looking forward to breastfeeding my first child and researched a number of available resources. This is the only book I actually purchased, because it had the requisite technical information on how to get started breastfeeding, how to recognize and treat typical problems (e.g. mastitis, thrush, etc.), and how to store expressed breast milk, as well as additional content I've never seen elsewhere, such as use-based critiques of available breast pumps (most "reviews" are extremely skewed or just a list of features), tips on how to discuss pumping with your boss, and experiences from other professional moms who work full-time and continued providing their babies with the best, most nutritious food.

Thanks to this book, I knew what to expect from myself and my baby from the day he was born. He is now 7 weeks old and we haven't had any speedbumps while breastfeeding, though several others in my birthing class "cohort" have. My husband also read this book (with a highlighter!)--he was always supportive, but now he knows what I need to do and how he can help. He is extremely proud to feed our baby my breastmilk while I'm working.

One of the best prenatal purchases for any working mom!

I have read several breastfeeding books in an attempt to find one that can help through the transition back to work and this one is the best I've found! The author offers practical non-judgmental advice on how to both work and pump. The book can be read cover-to-cover, and it is that good, but can also be used like a reference book to read just the parts that are relevant to your needs.

I am a working mother of two and am currently tandum nursing. I love this book! I found it to be very practical, useful and funny. I highly recommend it!