Until I had my Little Beauty, I never knew that breastfeeding could be so complicated. There's nothing to it, I thought, Stick baby to boob. Baby eats. End of story.
Actually, that's just the beginning. There are SO many things to know and consider - from positions to pumping to pacifiers. The topic actually requires an entire book.
That's how Andi Silverman came to write Mama Knows Breast: a Beginner's Guide to Breastfeeding. Silverman is a former lawyer and television reporter and is now the mom of two boys that are eighteen months apart. After breastfeeding her two boys, she realized that there was a market for a comprehensive - but also reader-friendly - guide to breastfeeding. So she wrote it.
The cover is very fun and vibrant - the font and graphic selections make it appear friendly and inviting. The illustrations within the pages are equally trendy and modern. The small size of the book is also enticing for a new mom - it's non-intimidating and easy to throw in a diaper bag or purse. The inside pages make very efficient use of white space, bolded and italicized fonts, and quote boxes to ensure that the reader won't be overwhelmed by too much text. These "superficial" things do matter - especially to moms - who often have limited chunks of time to read.
The information within the pages is also comprehensive and factual.
My only point of contention was Silverman's comments about babies' sleep patterns: "After a few months, most babies can sleep through the night without waking to eat" (p. 91). Elizabeth Pantley, sleep expert and author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution, paints a more realistic picture in her book, "...waking up once or twice a night is really normal during the first two years of life...and until about age three, a great percentage of children wake up during the night needing a parent's attention."
I can overlook that point, however, since it's really only one or two lines out of the whole book. The rest of the guide is jam-packed with extremely useful information presented in a fun format that moms will enjoy. Moms will learn about proper latch-on, burping, how to know if baby is eating enough, how to store and thaw breast milk, tips for breastfeeding in public, how to respond to critics (in witty or polite ways - depending on your mood), and how to go about the weaning process.
In sum, this little "pocketbook" guide is handy, friendly, and non-threatening. This would be the perfect baby shower gift, along with a Glamourmom® tank, a tube of Lansinoh HPA® Brand Lanolin, and/or a box of Lansinoh® Ultra Soft Nursing Pads.
WIN IT! One mama will win a copy of Mama Knows Breast: a Beginner's Guide to Breastfeeding. To enter, simply leave a comment and your e-mail address prior to Sunday, March 2, at midnight. The winner will be announced and contacted on Monday, March 3. * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.
* UPDATE * The winner is #24 doodlegirl. Congratulations!
Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!
I'd love to have this book as I know nothing about breastfeeding and only have a short time to figure it out before the little one arrives.
Breast feeding is NOT necessarily an easy thing. I'd love this for my pregnant daughter
yes yes, I need this. I have a friend who really needs this and would appreciate this. thanks. please enter me.
Good luck!
Thanks for the chance to win.
let me win please please
enter me, please!
Please enter me :)
Cute, I would like to win.
Please enter me in the contest. Thanks.
great giveaway!
Not for me. I'd give this to my friend who's having a baby. It seems my life is filled with pregnant ladies (FINALLY!!)
Great giveaway ! I'm expecting my baby in about a month and could use more advice bout breastfeeding...
miniloulous(at)yahoo(dot)com
I'd love to win this for my pregnant best friend!
I could definately use this! I really want to BF but I have to tell you, it scares the beejeebees out of me!
Sounds fascinating, would love a copy of this book!
I love this!
Mommie
http://www.mommieshome.net
(e-mail can be found on contact portion of the site)
great for my new expecting daughter in law!
Sounds insightful!
I'd pass this on to my cousin.
Looks like it contains so valuable tips! Should be helpful.
Thanks,
Marissa
md-sweeps at hotmail dot com
My friend Emmalee would absolutely love this!
TheWizardKing (at) Gmail (dot) com
I'm terrified of trying to breastfeed and failing at it. Why can't it be simple?
I'd love to win a copy! My email is runhlrun at gmail dot com.
Thanks!
Great book for a new mama
count me in!
Have a niece and daughter-in-law pregant. Would love to win. thank you
I would love to win this book! deanna@count.com
If I won, I would pass this on to my pregnant sister!
I love nursing my son and would love to give this book to my good friend who is expecting.
I'm expecting my first in May and I've already started to "milk". I'm new to breastfeeding and would like to be successful at it.
I would love to be entered in the contest. Your blog has been a wonderful read!
As mom to soon-to-be 18 month apart children myself, I'd love to win this book. Breastfeeding didn't work past 6 weeks with my now 14 month old, but I hope to breast feed with baby number 2.
I'm Canadian, but have a US address for shipping purposes :)
Robyn
graphicdesignchick at hotmail dot com
As a nurse, I know that babies get many benefits from breast feeding. My daughter can use this for her expected one.
Ahhh...I need lots of help in this breastfeeding department!! Thanks!
stbaisch[at]yahoo[dot]com
I need the help I can get. I want to breast feed.
watson at zerostreet dot net
i want to win
My best friend is pregnant and I'd love to give this to her! Thanks for the chance to win.
I'd love to be entered to win - thanks so much!
I am really going to need this!
I'd love to pass this along as a gift to a friend.
please enter me
Oh, man, do I need a refresher. It;s been four years since #1 and - yikes!
I'll be a newbie to breastfeeding in a few months - would love any help I can get!
i would love to win- i'm due in 4 days and want to learn anything and everything about breastfeeding.
Before I had my first, I, too, thought breastfeeding would be simple. But I'm on baby number 3 and still on that learning curve.
I am currently nursing our fourth baby and there is always more to learn about breastfeeding.
want to win this
Enter me please.
I would love to win this book. My first is due in June and I have been frightened by the internet, everyone says that breastfeeding is so difficult. Maybe this will calm me a little. Thanks.
lucycontest at gmail.com
I hope I can use this one day
Great Contest! Thanks!
I would love to win this book. I can never get enough info about breastfeeding!
Alexia @ voyager . net
Enter me, please.
Ooh! I'd love to win this! :)
for me and my daughter-in-law i hope
I am breastfeeding my third baby due in a couple of weeks, this would be great.
i want to win
You would think that breast feeding was easy, but let me tell you it depends on the baby.
Wow!!
would love to win this for my best friend who is pregnant right now. :)
breast is best! I nursed my youngest for 2 years and would love to pass this on to my sister who is actively trying to conceive.
I'll be a mommy soon. I could use this book.
lhendricks@cox.net
I am a mother of 6 breastfed beauties! However, my best friend comes from a family of non-breastfeeding women, and they are making her life a nightmare about making the choice to breastfeed! (She is 5 months pregnant)
This book could possibly help her, when I'm not there, or when I can't give her all the answers! (I'm good, but I'm not THAT good) :).. I'd love this book for her.
Thank you.
I would love this for my sister-in-law. After all the trouble I had with #1, and finally figuring it out with #2, I'd love to give her a positive head start to breastfeeding!
5 months of breast feeding and it's still a mystery to me.
Going to give it one more try with #3. Maybe this will be the secret I have been looking for?
Stephanie! You always find the coolest stuff. I am always on the lookout for new, mama-friendly bf'ing books. Thanks for the recommendation (and the caveat about when to expect baby to sleep through the night. Ay yi yi.)!
thanks for the awesome giveaway steph!
hellomary018 AT yahoo DOT com
My mom is a doula and I'm sure she would love to have this as a reference book for her clients.
Thanks so much for your kind review! I'm glad you liked the book. I appreciate your comment about the sleep section. I'm actually going to make a change to that paragraph if the publisher goes to a second printing. If anyone has any questions, I'm happy to respond. --Andi
I'd love to read more about breastfeeding!
This would a great shower gift! Thanks!
katebeth45 at gmail dot com
If I won, I would pass this on to my pregnant sister!