Can anyone recommend any breast feeding books?

[PipIsOutNow]

I would love to breast feed this baby once it's born but I really struggled last time so was hoping to get clued up by maybe reading a book or something? Any suggestions would be great

"The Food of Love" by Kate Evans is excellent!

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

I also cannot recommend highly enough, attending a LLL meeting BEFORE your baby is born, and then very soon after for some one-2-one support from a bfing leader.

Thanks both. I'm so adamant I want to make it work this time il do anything!!! How do I find out about the meetings?

I second the womanly art of breastfeeding. I've read it loads and continue to refer to it nearly 6 months in. There is also great info on the Kellymom website.
Re la leche league meetings, I just googled them in my area (tyne and wear) and their website came up. There is also a Facebook group for my region which is great and has info on meetings but I don't know if every region has one.

Just plowing in as I'm interested in this too. Due in October, so is it worth going to a lll meeting in September? Won't I be laughed out of the door without a baby? Do I need to inform them I'm going?

Off to amazon for those books now

I'm on phone so can't post link, but if you google La Leche League GB they have a website with local group information, and contact numbers to ring so you can speak to a breast feeding counsellor

You will be welcomed with open arms! I have been to many meetings where pregnant women have come along to chat to breast feeding mums. They will LOVE to talk to you about your impending arrival and give you tips about getting started

Another vote for The Food of Love. I think it's fantastic.

I haven't read the Food of Love but I still read the Womanly Art 10 months in. What made it difficult for you last time, can you remember?

Personally I found The Womanly Art a bit preachy. It's great if you manage to bf - really reminds you why it's so good to do - but I imagine if you didn't manage to bf it would make you feel like you'd "failed". On the other hand, The Food of Love is brilliant and I lend mine to all my pg friends.

Definitely go to a bf support group - if there isn't a LLL one in your area, the NCT might have one, or failing that sometimes the health authority runs them - my group is run by a hv and mw. It's for bumps as well as babies! Ring your hv and ask them if there are any in your area.

I did an nct workshop while pg. this one was specifically for multiples but a lot of the useful info was generally relevant to bfeeding and lactation - i wonder if they do something non-multiple specific too? Also, there was no LLL near me, but there were baby cafes nearby and i would think that would be a very good place to go before and after baby born. I'll have a look for some links.

Lucid it was because my milk was delayed coming in. Nothing at all came out until 5 days after birth by which, after such a traumatic delivery, I decided to give in and use formula. I really want, more than anything to be able to breastfeed this time. I will defo look up the groups in my area and get those books. I'm hoping my delivery this time will be more positive and a lot calmer which should help the situation a bit

Definitely recommend 'The Food of Love' - its brilliant

www.thebabycafe.org

Doesn't look like NCT have any courses on bf

I struggled with first baby and was nervous about BF the second, I went to a session at the childrens centre they have a bosom buddies group (group of volunteer ladies trained to help you BF and other BF mums very informal). Your local centre may do too? And yes yes to finding out the support options too. I made a plan before baby number two arrived which included getting nipple shields and a pump ready plus I learn't to hand express which I hadn't done with the first. In the end I did have the same problems with sore cracked and bleeding nipples, but I coped better as I was prepared (ignored the no shields advice!) and hand expressed and used syringes (MW in hospital helped) to get early colstrum milk when it was too painful to feed directly, used nipple shields for first six weeks and ended up feeding baby for 11mths off shields, I stopped a couple of weeks ago. I also cleared my "schedule" in my head and just concentrated on cuddles and feeding the baby as much as possible in the early weeks despite having a 4.5yr DD already, to get the milk established. Good Luck.

Pip one of my twins was formula fed for 4 days and topped up with formula due to a tongue tie preventing feeding and then low blood sugar as a result. Because of what i'd learned on the workshop i kept putting her to breast first and then topping up only with what she wanted from bottle and once the tongue tie was sorted she dropped the top ups within a few days (and after that we ebf for 13m). So, even if there are problems with establishing bf, it can be done. You will have a much better chance this time because you are not a first time Mum!

Really recommend the art of breadtfeeding. I failed to bf my dc1 and ended up expressing for him. But I read up a lot when I was expecting dc2 and in particular this book which was immensely useful and I kept referring to it In hospital (was in for 3 days after planned c;section) and I .bf with no problems st all . Still going strong after 2 years!

I forgot to say I had a emcs first time and a planned csec second time and I was a much calmer rested mum despite the section. You sound like you are doing all the right things in advance but Id still have some formula in the cupboard. Just knowing it was there took the pressure of me a bit and we did try a couple of top up feeds in the first week but the baby didn't take to them. And if BF still doesn't work out for you that is ok too!

Another vote for 'The Food of Love' by Kate Evans, it was lighthearted and funny as well as very very informative

Baby Led Breastfeeding is good and is available in kindle edition too.

I second the 'Food of Love'. It is humourous and informative, with lots of pictures too!

I second KatAndKit, baby led breastfeeding worked for me, i found it useful and the pics give quite a good idea of how to latch baby on and bf. I did not have a good support for DC1 but managed to bf fr 10m and was very keen on bfing DC2 who was born 3 weeks ago. MW was also very helpful. All is going well so far and I have topped up only for the first week when establishing bfing and waiting for milk to come in. Good luck.