Healthy Living Books Books
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Books : What to Expect When You're Breastfeeding...And What If You Can't? .
Rating: 
- If you want to feel bad about yourself, buy this book.
If you're having trouble breastfeeding, reading this book is the worst you can do. Written with staggering arrogance normally reserved for organised religions this book does not allow for the fact that some people will experience a lot of pain while breastfeeding, even when you are doing it right, and will put the blame for the pain squarely on you. Not exactly what you need in that situation. I wished this book had never entered our home.
Rating: - DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!
I am a trained midwife, currently practising as a maternity nurse. I like to read to keep up to date with what the women I work with are reading. I would NEVER recommend this book. It is full of inaccurate sweeping statements and not even one single reference - the whole book is solely based on what she thinks! NEVER take a book seriously if it can't be backed up with references.
The book regularly had me shouting out loud at her inaccuracies (eg re getting baby to take a bottle 'You can use the same bottle of milk for up to one-and-a-half hours, reheating it as often as is necessary to keep it at an attractive temperature for him.' - JUST NOT TRUE AND ACTUALLY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS) and therefore had me extremely worried about ALL the advice she was giving. Some of it is so inaccurate and misleading.
Never once in this book does she suggest holding your baby or playing with your baby. It's all feed, wind, sleep. What about relationship and nurturing? I think she's missed an important point about breast feeding and the early days relationship.
Breast feeding doesn't require a text book. It requires patience, common sense, a good sense of humour and a relaxed approach. If you're really struggling see a local breast feeding counsellor (BUT even then be wary, and follow your gut and your heart, and your baby!).
The book desperately needs updating, but preferably, in my opinion needs removing from the market. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!
Rating:
- Just what I needed!
This book was a real God-send when my baby was born. I think that it is written in a very pragmatic and realistic manner and is simple to work with. I was nearly put off by the lack of glossy pictures but after dipping into it many a time I realised that what mattered was good content rather than expensive photography. I have recommended this to all my friends expecting babies and plan to use it next time round. One of the most valuable books I had during the early months. Breastfeeding should be easy but sadly that isn't always the case and since many grandmothers didn't breastfeed (my mum was in the bottle is best generation) they can't pass on their advice as was the way in the past.
Rating: - The most helpful baby book ever!!!
Just a quick review. I am soooo glad that I ignored the negative reviews of this book. We bought the book and the DVD by Clare Byam-Cook and it really helped. My wife was having a lot of trouble breast feeding and we had no support from the midwives, this book and the dvd changed all that. My wife is now able to breast feed quite well but still using bottle feeding. It is a very morale boosting book, with most other books and NHS literature giving women guilty feelings for not being able to breast feed.
Buy it!!
Rating: - Dreafdul
DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! I was wandering round Mothercare and thought this might be useful. I had had difficulties right from the beginning with latching sore nipples etc etc., but about 8 weeks in and with nipple shields all was well. However, I was wondering if I had enough milk and followed her advice for finding out if I did. Within in a day I was defrosting frozen milk (surplus you notice). LUCKILY, I came across a superb website whilst waiting for good advice response from an email sent to our breastfeeding co-ordinator. A very comprehensive website which includes lots of advice on milk supply and what are not signs of poor supply (i.e. what I thought!) By the following day I was back to expressing surplus. He was weighed the next day and had put on 9oz! I don't think there was anything wrong with my supply - one day didn't make 9oz!
Many readers here have found this book helpful. There may well be areas that are, however it probably depends which section you read and as you can see I would have been using formula top ups as would any woman following this advice as it is inaccurate as you will find out from any expert on breastfeeding and/or websites. I had got through the difficulties and this book set me back! I fully understand that breastfeeding is not easy and had I read this book earlier I would have had more problems! Her whole premise of breast milk supply is wrong, physiology, mechanisms and latching. (e.g. breasts do not empty) If you still think that she is right then it means that every other medical person in the country and beyond that deals with breastfeeding is wrong! Just because people pay for her services does not mean that she is right! As far as I aware all the organisations set up to support breastfeeding do not support this author, there is little to no evidence for much of what she says but there is to the contrary!
Get advice from breastfeeding counsellors/co-ordinators/organisations and websites. Free, helpful and accurate. I would not still be exclusively or even partly breastfeeding had it not been for the hospital breastfeeding co-ordinator. I was going to sell this book on Amazon! However I would not wish anyone to go through the worry I did and feel it would be morally wrong! I am giving it to the co-ordinator to use in training as what not to do. If anyone puts a positive review after this then all I can say is that you did not read the sections I did! DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK.
- If you want to feel bad about yourself, buy this book.If you're having trouble breastfeeding, reading this book is the worst you can do. Written with staggering arrogance normally reserved for organised religions this book does not allow for the fact that some people will experience a lot of pain while breastfeeding, even when you are doing it right, and will put the blame for the pain squarely on you. Not exactly what you need in that situation. I wished this book had never entered our home.
Rating:
- DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!I am a trained midwife, currently practising as a maternity nurse. I like to read to keep up to date with what the women I work with are reading. I would NEVER recommend this book. It is full of inaccurate sweeping statements and not even one single reference - the whole book is solely based on what she thinks! NEVER take a book seriously if it can't be backed up with references.
The book regularly had me shouting out loud at her inaccuracies (eg re getting baby to take a bottle 'You can use the same bottle of milk for up to one-and-a-half hours, reheating it as often as is necessary to keep it at an attractive temperature for him.' - JUST NOT TRUE AND ACTUALLY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS) and therefore had me extremely worried about ALL the advice she was giving. Some of it is so inaccurate and misleading.
Never once in this book does she suggest holding your baby or playing with your baby. It's all feed, wind, sleep. What about relationship and nurturing? I think she's missed an important point about breast feeding and the early days relationship.
Breast feeding doesn't require a text book. It requires patience, common sense, a good sense of humour and a relaxed approach. If you're really struggling see a local breast feeding counsellor (BUT even then be wary, and follow your gut and your heart, and your baby!).
The book desperately needs updating, but preferably, in my opinion needs removing from the market. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!
Rating:
- Just what I needed!This book was a real God-send when my baby was born. I think that it is written in a very pragmatic and realistic manner and is simple to work with. I was nearly put off by the lack of glossy pictures but after dipping into it many a time I realised that what mattered was good content rather than expensive photography. I have recommended this to all my friends expecting babies and plan to use it next time round. One of the most valuable books I had during the early months. Breastfeeding should be easy but sadly that isn't always the case and since many grandmothers didn't breastfeed (my mum was in the bottle is best generation) they can't pass on their advice as was the way in the past.
Rating:
- The most helpful baby book ever!!!Just a quick review. I am soooo glad that I ignored the negative reviews of this book. We bought the book and the DVD by Clare Byam-Cook and it really helped. My wife was having a lot of trouble breast feeding and we had no support from the midwives, this book and the dvd changed all that. My wife is now able to breast feed quite well but still using bottle feeding. It is a very morale boosting book, with most other books and NHS literature giving women guilty feelings for not being able to breast feed.
Buy it!!
Rating:
- DreafdulDO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! I was wandering round Mothercare and thought this might be useful. I had had difficulties right from the beginning with latching sore nipples etc etc., but about 8 weeks in and with nipple shields all was well. However, I was wondering if I had enough milk and followed her advice for finding out if I did. Within in a day I was defrosting frozen milk (surplus you notice). LUCKILY, I came across a superb website whilst waiting for good advice response from an email sent to our breastfeeding co-ordinator. A very comprehensive website which includes lots of advice on milk supply and what are not signs of poor supply (i.e. what I thought!) By the following day I was back to expressing surplus. He was weighed the next day and had put on 9oz! I don't think there was anything wrong with my supply - one day didn't make 9oz!
Many readers here have found this book helpful. There may well be areas that are, however it probably depends which section you read and as you can see I would have been using formula top ups as would any woman following this advice as it is inaccurate as you will find out from any expert on breastfeeding and/or websites. I had got through the difficulties and this book set me back! I fully understand that breastfeeding is not easy and had I read this book earlier I would have had more problems! Her whole premise of breast milk supply is wrong, physiology, mechanisms and latching. (e.g. breasts do not empty) If you still think that she is right then it means that every other medical person in the country and beyond that deals with breastfeeding is wrong! Just because people pay for her services does not mean that she is right! As far as I aware all the organisations set up to support breastfeeding do not support this author, there is little to no evidence for much of what she says but there is to the contrary!
Get advice from breastfeeding counsellors/co-ordinators/organisations and websites. Free, helpful and accurate. I would not still be exclusively or even partly breastfeeding had it not been for the hospital breastfeeding co-ordinator. I was going to sell this book on Amazon! However I would not wish anyone to go through the worry I did and feel it would be morally wrong! I am giving it to the co-ordinator to use in training as what not to do. If anyone puts a positive review after this then all I can say is that you did not read the sections I did! DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK.
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