Top Picks:
Top 4 Books for Breastfeeding
By Denise Altman
Go into any bookstore’s parenting section and you will find shelves full of resources for expectant parents. It can be overwhelming trying to decide which of these has accurate, up-to-date information and which are trendy best sellers for the moment.
Listed below are the top four breastfeeding resource books that all parents (including dads) should be aware of.
Amy Spangler’s Breastfeeding: A Parents Guide
Amy Spangler (2000)
ISBN: 0962745073
Buy on Amazon.com or Powells.com
This book offers basic information with guidance for some possible complications. The strongest part of the book is the black and white illustrations, very well done line drawings that appear frequently throughout the book. This book is affordable, easy to follow with good flow and clarity and an excellent resource for any expecting mother.
The Nursing Mother’s Herbal
Sheila Humphries (2003)
ISBN: 1577491181
This is an extremely well written text that combines breastfeeding information, postpartum recovery and herbal remedies and common uses. There are several helpful charts that are cross-indexed for safety, side effects and usage. The author provides the information as completely as possible and encourages her readers to make their own choices. Because herbs should be used with the same respect as medications, this book provides great information in an excellent format.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
La Leche League (2004)
ISBN: 0452285801
Buy on Amazon.com or Powells.com
La Leche League has occasionally struggled with stereotypes but nonetheless is responsible for initiating much of the breastfeeding information that is available today. Their book is thorough and has stood the test of time, giving mothers a wonderful resource for their breastfeeding experience.
Medications and Mothers Milk
Thomas Hale (2004)
ISBN: 096362198X
A nursing mother certainly doesn’t need this book on her shelf — and probably shouldn’t, since it’s revised every two years. However, all breastfeeding mothers should be familiar with its existence. Most lactation consultants feel that this is the single best information source for medication use while breastfeeding. However, it is often underused for this purpose, probably due to lack of awareness by health care providers.
Other Books for Specific Situations
Working Moms
Nursing Mother, Working Mother
Gale Pryor (1997)
ISBN: 1558321179
Breast Surgery
Defining Your Own Success: Breastfeeding after Breast Reduction Surgery
Diana West (2001)
ISBN: 0912500867
Multiple Births
Mothering Multiples: Breastfeeding and Caring for Twins or More
Karen Gromoda and Judy Torgus
ISBN: 0912500514
© Denise Altman
Denise Altman, R.N., IBCLC, LCCE, is a private practice lactation consultant and nurse educator in Columbia, South Carolina. Her business, All The Best, reflects the skills, service and products she strives to offer expectant and new families. She is also the mother to twin girls and a son; they are her most joyful experience to date.
