Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding
I am a labor, delivery and postpartum RN and mother of 3 children, all of whom I breastfed for over a year. I loved this book. It was factually accurate and provided information I have not found in other breastfeeding resources. In particular, I appreciated her realistic view of women returning to work and continuing to breastfeed. She had excellent information about the use of a breastpump and what to expect while using one. I also liked her more "moderate" view on breastfeeding unlike the La Leche League's book. It was nice to hear a more moderate voice in the world of breastfeeding.
This book was also quite educational and discussed some rather fascinating accounts of lactation, such as women who were able to lactate post-menopausal and prior to pregnancy. I found this quite interesting and of value to discuss in a culture that seems to have the belief that lactation is difficult or unimportant.
The only section I was somewhat ambivalent about was her discussion about "nipple phobia." While I do agree that our culture is "phobic" of seeing a woman's nipples, I'm not sure that the label adds value to the destruction of this state in our culture. Other than that, this book was the best breastfeeding resource I have ever read.
-Melissa Price, RN, MSN