The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding

The new book Great Expectations: The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding by Marianne Neifert, M.D., is a wonderful resource for pregnant women and women who are currently breastfeeding. It contains comprehensive, up-to-date information in an easy to read format.

It’s refreshing to see evidence- and practice-based breastfeeding recommendations from a doctor. While most physicians receive very little education in breastfeeding, Dr. Neifert has many years of experience practicing breastfeeding medicine as a pediatrician, co-founder of one of the very first breastfeeding centers in the United States, and co-founder of the Denver Mothers’ Milk Bank (among a long list of credentials, not the least of which is having breastfed her own five children!)

The book strikes the perfect balance between informative and accessible, enthusiastic and non-judgmental. It gives women the tools and encouragement to get breastfeeding off to a good start and to continue breastfeeding through any challenges or changes in the breastfeeding relationship. It covers common breastfeeding problems, working and pumping, special circumstances such as medical issues or multiples, toddler nursing, breastfeeding during pregnancy and tandem nursing. I liked the tone of the book and agreed with the vast majority of the breastfeeding and parenting advice presented in it. The only issue on which we part ways is bed-sharing/night-time parenting (I’m a huge fan of co-sleeping to maximize sleep for mother and baby and to help maintain a good milk supply for the mother especially if she plans to return to work), but I was still pleased to see Dr. Neifert offer some guidelines for safe co-sleeping.

I very highly recommend Great Expectations: The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding. What about you? Have you read the book? Please leave a comment with your own book review!