Book Review: Mama Knows Breast

Book Review: Mama Knows Breast 1Until 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!

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75 comments on “Book Review: Mama Knows Breast”

  1. 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.

  2. yes yes, I need this. I have a friend who really needs this and would appreciate this. thanks. please enter me.

  3. 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!!)

  4. Great giveaway ! I'm expecting my baby in about a month and could use more advice bout breastfeeding...

    miniloulous(at)yahoo(dot)com

  5. I could definately use this! I really want to BF but I have to tell you, it scares the beejeebees out of me!

  6. 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.

  7. 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

  8. As a nurse, I know that babies get many benefits from breast feeding. My daughter can use this for her expected one.

  9. 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.

  10. 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

  11. 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.

  12. 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.

  13. 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!

  14. 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.)!

  15. 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

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