A review by hannahebartholomew
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Completely Revised and Updated 8th Edition by La Leche League International

informative medium-paced

4.0

I found the information in this book valuable. I have the newest edition, so I think it’s been updated a bit to be more modern, but there’s a lot about breastfeeding that simply doesn’t change. I realize that not everyone wants to follow an attachment style of parenting and for some, it’s unrealistic with their lifestyle. But, attachment parenting really is the way that biology intended and it’s what has kept the human race alive all this time. I think the emphasis on attachment parenting is helpful, even if you don’t want to or can’t follow it rigidly. I felt that the book was fairly inclusive, there’s an entire chapter at the end about troubleshooting that includes all sorts of exceptions to the “typical” nursing experience, such as Down Syndrome or cleft palette. I did find some advice to be contradictory (ie: “maybe baby is too hot” “maybe baby is too cold” “maybe baby needs more stimulation”, “maybe baby needs less stimulation”), but I think the overall point is to try to get to know your baby and be willing to make different adjustments to see what makes them most comfortable. There aren’t any in text citations, either, which I didn’t like. However, all the references are listed at the end.