Books on Breastfeeding

[hedgehog1979]

Hi,

I am currently 37+5 with dc1 and desperate to breastfeed when bump arrives.

My mum has offered to buy me a book to help me with understanding some of the problems and issues with breastfeeding as she really struggled to feed me (i was dd1)

Does anyone have any recommendations? I have been on amazon and there are so many I want to make sure I am getting one that is actually going to be useful.

Thanks

[Flibbertyjibbet]

I found the NCT one really good, I read it after struggling with bf ds1 and was glad I found it before ds2 arrived!
Its full of practical info and facts, but also has lots of quotes from other mums about what was best for them and how they bf and overcame problems etc.
If you google NCT they have a shop part to their website.

[hedgehog1979]

Does anyone else have anything to add?

I have looked at the NCT catalogue and there are 3/4 Breast feeding books so am not sure which one would be best.

Have already had 2 emails from my mum asking what 'that website' (MN) suggests.

[luckywinner]

I read the most brilliant book called something like how to breastfeed and what to do if you can't by a lady called clare byam cook. sorry if i am being a bit non-specific but brain not what it was. anyway it was really good!

[yogimum]

I really love "the ultimate breastfeeding book of answers" by jack newman and teresa pitman and "the new bestfeeding" illustrated guide by mary renfrew, chloe fisher and suzanne arms. I'm a maternity nurse so find these two very useful with my clients.

[hedgehog1979]

Thanks all, I am going to keep this bumped in case anyone else has anything to add as well

[BumperliciousNeedsToSleep]

I don't think Clare Byam-Cook is considered much of an authority on BFing by many people on here.

TBH hedgehog, I would just read lots of the threads on here, they cover all common and not so common problems. And if you are having problems mumsnet is an excellent source of answers, as is kellymom.com. But I am sure others on here will have lots of good recommendations

[beanbearer]

Agree the NCT one is good but have to add another vote for Bestfeeding (?Bestfeeding: Why Breast Feeding is Best for You and Your Baby? by Renfrew, Fisher, Arms - can buy from Ebay). When I was having a crisis, I found it fantastic because it had really clear pictures and words alone weren't enough for me at that point. Alternatively, search Kellymom website for any info you could possibly need A lot of her links take you to Jack Newman's website which is great too. But if there's a breastfeeding group near you, try to go along in the next week so you know where they are for when you have a small person and half a ton of kit with you after birth. Talking things through with people in the same situation can make everything much more bearable. Hope everything goes really well for you!

[Mammina]

I got the clare Byam-Cook book free with the magazine and found it very helpful. I don't know where you live hedgehog but what I found helpful too was going to a breastfeeding clinic (sitting around with other mums drinking tea & eating biscuits whilst b-feeding experts give you advice and watch to see if you're doing it properly)

[cmotdibbler]

I'd second getting a load out of the libary, or borrowing them from your local NCT group.

Any book that tells you to feed on a schedule, feed for a fixed length of time, feed only on one breast per feed, give expressed milk, talks about foremilk and hindmilk as separate things, thinks you can tell how much milk you are producing by expressing, or recommends routine pumping, are not worth buying, and are giving bad advice.

Best things you can do - find out your local bumps and babes/breastfeeding support/baby cafe groups and go along so that you know the who/where/when of them. Get all the support numbers and bookmark Mumsnet, Hunkers blog, and kellymom. And remember, if you keep your baby close and feed on their cues, go with the flow, and seek professional (and in this case I mean a bf counsellor, not most midwives or health visitors) advice as soon as you think theres a problem, you can't go much wrong. And if anyone tells you that you can't bf due to medication etc, they are probably wrong.

[tittybangbang]

Second 'Bestfeeding' by Chloe Fisher et al. Great book. Good pictures too!

Thumbs down for Clare Byam Cook - her advice isn't evidence based and often goes against everything other bf counsellors say. Unlike others who advise on breastfeeding, she didn't manage to feed her own babies for more than a few weeks and much of the information on ff you find in her books is (in my view) coloured by this: her aim is to make mums feel ok about not breastfeeding.... which shouldn't be a bad thing except in her case it results in lots of distortions and inaccuracies when it comes to the FACTS

[hedgehog1979]

Thanks all

I have been reading the breast and bottle feeding threads on here religiously for the last couple of weeks, and have been in touch with the NCT breastfeeding counsellor already because we did the NCT's antenatal classes.

Interesting what you say about the medication thing cmot as that has been one of my main concerns due to the fact that I am on antidepressants and have been for at least the last 4 years.

I think probably my mums worries and struggles to bf me have added to my paranoia about not being able to do it properly and care for my baby.

Am off to join the library now and then see which of these books are available there for a bit of light reading over the next weeks while I wait for bump to arrive!!

Thanks

[beansprout]

I have the NCT "Breastfeeding for Beginners" which is fab. You are very welcome to it if you like!

[Mammina]

hedgehog, all I'll say is if you do find it hard (like I did), try and stick with it because from my experience it WILL get easier and less painful - took me a few weeks of agony but eventually it all clicked into place and was easy peasy and lovely.
good luck

[cmotdibbler]

You can download a factsheet on antidepressants and breastfeeding from here. Might be best to print it off now so that you are forearmed with info.

[decaffeinated]

Also check out kellymom.com for a good resource on breastfeeding. Can't beat a bit of RL support from a breastfeeding counsellor too when your babe arrives.

And FWIW I second what migola says too! It's soooo worth it.

[decaffeinated]

Also check out kellymom.com for a good resource on breastfeeding. Can't beat a bit of RL support from a breastfeeding counsellor too when your babe arrives.

And FWIW I second what migola says too! It's soooo worth it.

[decaffeinated]

oops! didn't mean to post twice