Book Review

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
by Gwen Gotsch and Judy Torgus
Review by Erin Pavlina

My baby was born on February 24, 2000 and I very much wanted to breastfeed. But my daughter had problems with her sucking reflex due to too much swallowed mucous. After they tubed my baby to suck out the extra mucous, they fed her soy formula to prevent dehydration. We stuck with the soy formula for a short while until we found out she was possibly allergic to soy! On day 10 of my baby's life I had to quickly increase my severely dwindling milk supply or else we were going to have to feed her cow's milk formula! No way, I said.

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I was frantic to find a way to get my milk into her. We started out by pumping to increase my supply and fed her my milk in a bottle. Eventually we got her latched on and she breastfed exclusively for most of the first year of her life.

What does this have to do with the book? Simple. This book saved me. Filled with vital information about how to breastfeed properly and what to do in emergencies, I found it invaluable in helping me with my particular problem. If you can't get to a lactation consultant quickly, having this book around sure can be handy.

Practically all it lacks is someone holding your breast for you and putting it in your baby's mouth! If you plan to breastfeed your baby, you should get and read this book BEFORE you give birth. If you've already given birth and are having problems with sore nipples or a low milk supply, this book can help you get back on track. It is vital reading for anyone planning to breastfeed or already doing so.

Order The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding Now!

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