Bestfeeding: Getting Breastfeeding Right for You

Anyone familiar with Suzanne Arms, knows that she is passionate about anything to do with pregnancy, childbirth and babies. This book, though she is only one of three authors, reflects that energy and passion.

The book is written in easy to understand language and is geared toward women interested in breast feeding their babies. Everything that makes a book readable and enjoyable is included. Helpful hints, personal stories and step by step instructions. Most any breast feeding situation is covered, from starting to weaning and everything in between. The chapter titled "Problems: Their Causes and Solutions" is sure to be helpful to all breast feeding women……..the remedies to normal breast feeding problems, such as sore nipples, low milk supply, and breast infection are simple to follow and very reassuring.

But it isn't the words in this book that are most important, it is the pictures. Nearly every page has a photograph or drawing…….and no matter how well something is written, there is nothing like a picture to help put words into practice. No ethnic group is left out, so women of all races should feel like this book "speaks" to them.

I especially like the chapter on breast feeding myths. It lays to rest many of those half-truths and near-truths that have been circulating about breast feeding since the beginning of time. And as a bonus for those of us helping Hispanic women, there is a chapter called "The Ten Basic Steps: A Storyboard in English and Spanish", which explains, with pictures, how to get breast feeding off to a good start in both English and in Spanish.

The book is several years old, so there is some information that is no longer correct, for instance, the book addresses the HIV virus in breast milk, but the authors only hint that breast milk "might" be an avenue of infection to the baby if the mother is HIV positive. On the other hand, since the book is older, the price is lower, therefore making it an excellent choice for a loaning library.

Overall, Bestfeeding: Getting Breastfeeding Right for You is a wonderful book for all pregnant women, whether they have made up their mind about breast feeding or not………it supports breast feeding without preaching and makes it sound like anyone can get it right.

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Reviewed by:

Margie Dacko, CM

Certified Midwife

Las Vegas, Nevada

Retired La Leche League Leader