Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers

by Kathleen A. Kendall-Tackett, Jack Newman

Breastfeeding is natural, but it's not always easy. It is the biological norm, but it is not the cultural norm. By learning the seven basic principles in this book, mothers can dramatically increase their likelihood of success and make breastfeeding the enjoyable experience it should be. The seven laws taught in Breast Feeding Made Simple are easy for mothers to understand and are sure to help them avoid some of the pitfalls that they might otherwise face. The seven principles

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Health, Reference, Science, Childrens, Family

296 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2005

About the author

Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She is a Research Associate, and Affiliate Research Associate Professor of Psychology, specializing in women’s health at the Family Research Lab, University of New Hampshire. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in Health Psychology and Trauma Psychology, editor of the Family & Intimate Partner Violence Quarterly, and is on the editorial boards of Journal of Human Lactation, Child Abuse & Neglect, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, and Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a La Leche League leader, chair of the New Hampshire Breastfeeding Taskforce, and the Area Coordinator of Leaders for La Leche League of Maine and New Hampshire. Dr. Kendall-Tackett specializes in synthesizing current research on breastfeeding and related fields, facilitating the provision of evidence-based care. She is an academic researcher who also works clinically with mothers as a Lactation Consultant/LLL Leader. Dr. Kendall-Tackett has a long-standing interest in maternal depression, the lifetime health effects of childhood abuse, the link between trauma and chronic pain, and the psychological aspects of breastfeeding. Her current work examines the relationship between stress, depression and inflammation, and how this combination increases the risk of depression in new mothers. Breastfeeding, with its stress-lowering effects, is protective of maternal mood. She is also interested in psychological trauma related to difficult birth experiences and the long-term impact of childhood abuse on women's experiences of mothering and breastfeeding. Dr. Kendall-Tackett has authored more than 170 articles or chapters and is the author or editor of 17 books on maternal depression, family violence and breastfeeding. Her most recent books include: Non-Pharmacologic Treatments for Depression in New Mothers (2008, Hale Publishing), The Psychoneuroimmunology of Chronic Disease (2008, American Psychological Association),Writing for a General Audience (2007, American Psychological Assn), Intimate Partner Violence (2007, Civic Research Institute), and Breastfeeding Made Simple (co-authored with Nancy Mohrbacher, 2005, New Harbinger). A full listing of her books is available at www.GraniteScientific.com or www.BreastfeedingMadeSimple.com.

Reviews

[Mercury1122 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Positive comments: I feel informed about the mechanics of breastfeeding and equipped with some solid troubleshooting strategies after reading the book.
Negative comments: I specifically searched breastfeeding books by reviews that used the words "nonjudgmental" and chose this book as a result. Definitely not the case. The first couple of chapters are full of entirely unnecessary statistics related to how not breastfeeding will lead to a horrible life for your child and then follows up with a chapter that begins by saying "some mom's feel like failures when they can't breastfeed but they shouldn't." Well, of course they feel like failures!! The author just spend 40 pages telling us to feel that way! Arg! Note to authors of instructive texts: If I'm reading the book, it would be safe to assume that I'm already onboard with the concept. Please, just get to the how-to! Also, since I have to make my mortgage payment, I have to go back to work. I NEED more instructive and less judgemental information about how to formula feed AND breastfeed. In other words, I'm still searching for the right breastfeeding book.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a few issues with this book to say the least.

First of all, there appears to be a disconnect with the intended audience. I picked up this book as a reader who has already chosen this option and needed guidance on how to make this work. The title, Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers implies that it's for women who have already made this decision. And yet...the book keeps bogging itself down in research and statistics about why women should choose breastfeeding. The actual "natural laws" get lost in this and it feels really judgey--and really unnecessarily judgey at that, since it's preaching to the choir. Anyone who is reading this book and is having doubts is probably having doubts because they're having difficulties with the breastfeeding and are looking for help on how to make it work, so guilt-tripping by way of a dozen or so lectures seems particularly insensitive and unhelpful. Another area that ventures into judginess territory is the completely (I feel) tangential section on "scientific parenting."

This leads me to my other pretty big issue. Not only did I not find it that helpful or clear because of the way it was structured (and the way the tips kept getting derailed by more lectures) but it was actually pretty discouraging. Although the author tries at one point to make the point that this is natural, that babies are programmed to attach, that you shouldn't overthink things and so forth, there's a recurring section "When the System Breaks Down" that itemizes all the things that could go wrong, and in many cases I felt that this wasn't paired with actual solutions and even (again) comes off as somewhat judgey at times. As in, if it's not working, this is what you must be doing wrong.

Finally, I feel like this has to be said...repeatedly in the book, the mother is encouraged to breastfeed in bed, even allowing herself to nap and nurse. There is only the briefest of mentions acknowledging the safety arguments against this, and I feel like at least half of that section falls back into advocating for co-sleeping and again, citing statistics (only on how common co-sleeping is, but noticeably nothing referencing how safe it actually is). The clear rationale for this is to dispatch with concerns by nursing mothers about how to make constant nursing work in the first few weeks especially, when the baby has their days and nights mixed up, by encouraging women to believe that there's an easy way everyone can win and no one loses out on sleep (this last part is practically a direct quote). In truth, it seems somewhat disingenuous at best, and at worst, irresponsible at the very least. It's true some bulletpoints are given with tips on safe co-sleeping, but the tone of the section really makes it feel almost like it's offhanded advice, as if it's not really that important. For a book that seems so concerned with research and citing medical studies in every other respect, this sudden departure really just confirms the feeling that this book is more agenda-driven than guidance-driven, and that's a shame. If there's one thing this book taught me, it's that clearly, there's a lot more involved than even I thought, and women need all the support they can get. Unfortunately, they're not going to get it here.

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book for mothers. It is packed with information.

My big take aways:
America’s ideas on feeding and raising babies is not natural or beneficial.
Watch your baby and feed him/her when you see signs of hunger.
If your baby keeps gaining weight, you’re doing it right. If it hurts, you’re doing it wrong.
Find a lactation consultant.
Keep formula away from your baby.
Wait to introduce solid food until month 6.
Month 6 is the minimum time you should breastfeed. Then wean slowly as baby practices eating. Don’t quit cold turkey. It will hurt you and baby.
Breastfeeding for 1 year is better and 2 years is amazing. But Americans will probably give you a hard time about that.
If you have panic about anything when it changes like your babies eating times, the feel of your breasts, nipples…ask for help. And read this book! Docs and nurses often give wrong advice. They don’t know any better.

I picked up 8 books on breastfeeding at the library. Couldn’t even get through most of them as they were so ridiculous.

Sorry, moms out there…if you feel bad for not breastfeeding, you should. Work through it, see a counselor or better yet, don’t give up on breastfeeding. Educate yourself by reading this book.
I almost gave up, but pushed through with help from a lactation consultant and encouragement from this book.
All studies say not breastfeeding is detrimental to you and your babies. Yes, detrimental or in other words: harmful. Formula and baby food are billion dollar industries and don’t have your best interests are heart.

Currently there is a baby formula shortage. 75% of American babies are fed with formula. That’s absurd. How many thousands of years have people been on this planet keeping babies alive and thriving without formula? Yeah…think about that.
(The book talks a bit about this. They aren’t as bitter and angry about it as I am.)

Anyway…this book is excellent because it brings in studies from outside of the US like the UK and Japan and even mentions how developing countries without our technology and western medicine raise babies.

If someone tells you “all babies…” or “this is what I tell all mothers…” and proceeds to give a schedule of feeding or anything else not specific to you or your baby. Disregard it. Just file it along with something you could try.

But really, read this book. It will save you so much heartache. If every mother read this and applied it, we would slowly bankrupt the formula and baby food business while also making our kids healthier with longer life spans, less allergies, less obesity and more. Moms would be seeing less cancers and other serious illnesses as they age too. Our bodies were made for this.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breastfeeding is so intimidating to me, but Breastfeeding Made Simple helped me feel a little more confident! This book definitely has an agenda to convince you to breastfeed, which is why I’m dropping it down a star. For some women, bottle feeding really is the best thing for them and their baby.

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book is definitely not perfect, I found it immensely helpful, reassuring, and actually an interesting read. I wish I'd read it before giving birth! It's full of scientific citations and details about studies about breastfeeding, which are used to provide general guidance and practical tips. I read the ebook and there were lots of pages I screenshot to refer back to. I know I'll read sections on weaning again when I get to that stage.

I found it interesting how the book sometimes took a biologist kind of POV, looking at humans as breastfeeding mammals like many other animals.

I could have done without the intro. The authors spend a long time arguing (using evidence) that breastfeeding is superior to formula and about the various health benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby. All true I'm sure!

Unfortunately this intro is a) unnecessary if you've already decided to breastfeed / already are; b) scary to read tbh, like statistics on infant mortality; c) a bit judgmental in tone. I'd rather an intro to a book like this just say explicitly that it's for people who want to / are breastfeeding and briefly mention resources about the health benefits and the problems with formula that readers can check out if they're interested.

I also didn't care Jack Newman's intro. I'm not a fan of being told by a cis man that breastfeeding can / should be easy and simple as it's supposed to be. There's also some exoticization about Black moms when he talks about working in South Africa.

I'd recommend skipping the intros and going straight to the seven laws chapters. I definitely took some of their advice with a grain of salt in those chapters (they advocate for bedsharing while nursing without detailing risks enough in my opinion) but some has been incredibly helpful already both in shaping my attitude and practically re: latching, positioning, etc.

[Echo C · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I guess the true rating of this would be a 2.5 or 2.75 but definitely no more than a 3 star book.

Honestly, I was put off by this book from the jump. The authors came off as holier-than-thou and super judgmental. The book started off by listing the benefits of breastfeeding your baby. This wasn’t surprising, you know with the book being about breastfeeding and all. What was surprising was how pushy the authors were about BF’ing and how long the tirade against formula was. It felt completely overdone and unnecessary. They were preaching fire and brimstone to the choir. I mean only people interested in BF’ing would even read this so why try to convince them? They’re already believers!

Another criticism was how repetitive the book was. I understand that it’s all connected. It makes sense that certain aspects of breastfeeding influence others and that they may bear repeating but still there wasn’t a lot of new information... Just the same being repeated in several chapters.

My last and most pressing issue with this book is the amount of impractical advice given. At one point, the authors suggest “sleeping when the baby sleeps.” Seriously? It’s like they don’t have children. Another helpful tidbit was to “make arrangements to have your baby brought to you at feeding times.” This advice was given in the book AFTER the authors heavily criticized the idea of feeding schedules. I can’t even comprehend how two women could justify giving such impractical advice.

On the bright side, there was some helpful info its pages and I appreciated the historical context provided. My advice, find something else to read if you’re looking for BF’ing tips.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is incredible!
First of all: yes, it is weird that I, a completely single person, read and loved this book. But my excuse is both my nerdiness and my interest in midwifery.
I learned so much from this book. What struck me was just how amazing the plan that God designed for the feeding of children is. And the natural instinct in every single mother and baby that helps to not only breastfeed successfully, but nurture the so important relationship of love between mother and baby. This book also showed very convincingly that the natural way of parenting: breastfeeding, skin-to-skin, co-sleeping, feeding when baby is hungry, and baby-wearing (known as attachment parenting) is actually much more healthy for mother and baby (as shown by science). In fact, the widespread "scientific mothering" method is completely unfounded and has a higher risk for emotional and health issues.
So, the bottom line that I learned from this book was to trust your instinct and that they way God made things is always better, regardless of whether science or the culture approves in this moment.
I recommend this book to all mothers, and anyone as weird as me who loves learning about motherhood. ;)

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I wish I could get access to the text to be able to re-edit it. I think there's good information in here--there are a couple chapters with good diagrams and photos, as well as various troubleshooting sections that aren't too overwhelming. It also cites studies that are fairly recently published, and it was interesting to learn about some of the changes in recommendations since the early 80s

However, there's really no need to spend nearly as much time as it does on constantly re-persuading the reader that breastfeeding is better than formula. For all that it tries to be nonjudgmental, it talks about "the risks of formula" to an unnecessary degree. The organization into these seven "laws" seems pretty arbitrary, too.

I was probably fairly peeved from the beginning due to a digression where it talks about how we've been approaching learning about breastfeeding with far too much a "left-brained, instructional" focus and really it should be much more right-brained and going with our intuition...but actually that just means the writers and editors don't like organizing content efficiently. They also seem to constantly be assuming that their reader is prone to anxiety and guilt and not asking for help, which to be fair, could be based on their practical experience. I do think it's interesting that apparently there are mothers that worry that not immediately succeeding with breastfeeding means their baby doesn't like them.

How I would organize a book like this instead:
* Benefits of breastfeeding (so you can skip over it more easily if you're already convinced)
* How milk production works and the science behind newborn nutrition
* Common misconceptions debunked
* What to try in the first week and how to know whether you're on track
* Rough signposts of how things might change over the next few months
* Problems and how to solve them

If the chapter on weaning is still considered necessary, just keep it to debunking the poor advice and reminding folks that partial breastfeeding is always an option, it doesn't have to be so black-and-white.

Overall it felt a bit like a book written for a slightly different time/environment when advocates for breastfeeding still struggled a lot for acceptance and that gets in the way a bit of the useful information, as well as the supposed goal of supporting mothers in the choices they make due to zealously believing so very strongly in the magical powers of breastmilk.

[Katherine Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was super informational!! I will definitely be recommending it to all my mamas to be as I meet with them for their doula appointments:) It did a really great job of explaining everything from latching, increasing milk production, benefits, when to wean, how to wean, and seriously so much more. It covered an abundance of topics and was super easy to understand. Loved !

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a bit torn on this book that was recommended to me by a coworker. On one hand, it contains helpful information and addresses a wide range of breastfeeding topics. On the other hand it comes off as “breastfeeding is the only way, formula is the devil.” The first part of the book (touting all the benefits of breastfeeding) can easily make moms who need to supplement with formula feel terrible.

I have to supplement with formula but the book didn’t bother me too much. From the intro, I knew what I was getting into and was able to learn more about breastfeeding without letting the authors’ opinions affect me. Breastfeeding really is an amazing ability women’s bodies are capable of and it was fascinating to learn about the mechanics of it and expand on my googling. Anecdotally, my mother’s generation appears to have mostly formula-fed so prior to becoming pregnant, I really had no idea how any of it worked. I would definitely recommend this book to other clueless pregnant/breastfeeding women as a good basics overview (and advise them to ignore the authors’ opinions if it doesn’t suit them).

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is a really helpful book with the basics of breastfeeding (getting started, maintaining and troubleshooting), I wish the authors had just stuck to that. It seems like a book where they would be addressing women who've decided to breastfeed or at least make a solid attempt at it. Yet I found them constantly trying to convince the reader this is the best method of supplying nutrition to babies.

Also, they slam the reader in the first few dozen pages about the importance of breastfeeding and how it makes the child's life SO much better, then randomly say something about not feeling like a failure if you can't make it work. I'm sorry, most of this book basically says there isn't anything that should stop you from breastfeeding, and if there is, you can fix it.

And don't even get me started about them barely mentioning tongue-ties and not even bringing up lip-ties...

Overall, it has good information that I'm sure I'll use with Baby #2, but I wish the authors would have just stuck with writing this book angled towards women who don't need convincing to breastfeed.

[Marieke · Rating 5 out of 5]

My five stars are based entirely on my first reading of this. I have yet to apply anything I've learned or try out any trouble-shooting. But I like the way it is organized and I liked that it keeps reiterating that most problems can be solved in most cases, which I find encouraging...the acknowledgement that this probably won't always be easy or fun, but is important, and here are solutions so don't be too quick to give up.

I'll likely have other sources of help along the way, but I do feel empowered by this book already. It was recommended to me by a lactation consultant friend who is far from being the scary over-the-top type of "lactivist." I was pleased that the tone of the book struck me as kind, but very firm in its resolve that I get the hang of this and meet my goals. It also helped me figure out what my goals will be...my mind has been blown lately by all the amazing things the female human body is capable of.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a MUST HAVE for your breastfeeding library. It is positive in tone and filled with pertinent information. This book promotes the necessity of a good latch and how that latch can have an effect on the length of breastfeeding and other problematic issues. While this book accentuates the positives (for child) of breastfeeding, it doesn't make you feel like dirt for choosing to wean early. It gives clear information on the health risks of sudden and abrupt weaning but it discusses ALL of the information FULLY. The main point throughout the whole book is that some/any breastmilk is better than NO breastmilk.

Love this book! What a resource!

[Maggie Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall a fantastic book. A very helpful overview of breastfeeding with a lot of helpful tips and tricks for special circumstances in the back.
The only chapter I struggled with was chapter four--it felt repetitive and like I kept losing my spot. I think that's because they have to deal with what's normal in the first few days, then the first week, etc. If I were to re-read that chapter, I'm sure it would make more sense.

[Esther Louw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally the best book I could have possibly read while pregnant. I finished most of this before my baby was born and was able to successfully establish a solid supply quickly and easily. If you or your partner are pregnant read this book before you read anything else related either to breastfeeding or sleep training. It’s packed with the latest research, and everything that is presented is science and evidence based. Seriously though, don’t assume breastfeeding will just happen. Do yourself a favor and give yourself the best chance to succeed.

[Hope M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative yet simple to understand. I listened to the audiobook and found it easy to follow along/find the videos that were discussed that I wanted to watch. I feel like it does push breastfeeding which isn’t necessary because I doubt someone would read if they weren’t interested in breastfeeding.

[Emilia Kemeza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful advice for the mechanics of breastfeeding. I didn’t like that the introduction and some other chapters felt a little judgmental towards formula feeding.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

At the beginning of the book there is a recommendation to "not overthink" breastfeeding. They encourage mamas to go with their instincts or use "body knowledge" over "head knowledge". I found the intro and first two chapters largely skippable.

Rule # 1 - Babies and mothers are hardwired to breastfeed.
This is a true statement, but breastfeeding also takes practice and maybe some education from someone who knows how. Just because humans are biologically prone to something doesn't they will do it well. For instance, sex. No one is born knowing how to have sex in a way that is fun and comfortable for both people - they learn through practice. Breastfeeding is similar in one way: both baby and mama might need practice to make breastfeeding comfortably "work" for both.

Rule # 2 - The mother is the baby's habitat.
Please, no. The mother is NOT the baby's habitat. The confusion seems to have come from excellent study that was so beneficial for premature babies in South Africa in the 1980's. It is now referred to as Kangaroo Care, which has apparently led some women to believe they are marsupials. For mamas who are spreading this catchphrase: Human babies are not kangaroos or any other marsupial. Marsupials do not have the complex type of placenta that humans do. Instead they have choriovitelline placenta which doesn't allow their young to develop as fully before birth as other mammals. And that is why their young live on their body at first. Yes, for humans, skin-to-skin contact is shown by various studies to be very beneficial for mom and baby. But no medical staff anywhere recommends skin to skin contact 24/7 for the first months of the baby's existence.

Most caregivers are likely trying to communicate that their newborns feel safest and most content in the arms of their caregiver when they say, "I am the baby's habitat." So even though the word habitat is misleading, the sentiment behind the statement is likely true.

Also, the authors of this chapter are likely trying to encourage as much skin-to-skin as possible, so hopefully they don't mean their rule literally.

Rule # 3 - Better feel and flow happen in the comfort zone.
Despite the unclearness of this chapter's "rule", this chapter has some of the best info regarding mom and baby positioning. Good tips for efficiently and comfortably feeding baby.

Rule # 4 - More breastfeeding at first means more milk later.
This chapter sites a few research studies and shares a few unfounded opinions about how to make sure the baby is getting enough, how long to feed, and some info about breastfed babies bowel movements.

This book recommends a lot of "baby-led" interaction, including when to eat, when to switch breasts etc...

Rule # 5 - Every breastfeeding couple has its own rhythm.
Breastfeeding may feel fairly random at first, but mama and baby develop a routine. The author suggests that the routine becomes apparent around the forty day mark.

Some repetition from chapter 4. More comparing humans to marsupials in this chapter.

Rule # 6 - More milk out equals more milk made.
Chapter about how milk production changes over time.

Rule #7 - Children wean naturally.
Tips for weaning. Some helpful info.


The final chapters discuss some problems that might occur while breastfeeding (mastitis, thrush).

Overall, I would weigh the information in this book against what healthcare professionals say. Some info was very helpful, but some was completely unsupported opinion statements.

[jacky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this on many people's parenting shelves so I got it through interlibrary loan through Lewiston.

Previously, I had read the first part of the Breastfeeding Companion as well as sections on breastfeeding in many the other books, magazines, and pamphlets. All those other sources repeated a lot of the same information. This book, however, gave me new information. It really did help me to understand how the mechanics of breastfeeding actually work - things like you naturally make less milk in the evening and the most milk in the middle of the night and that its not the baby's sucking that releases the milk, but a hormone.

One of the most important things for me at this point was that this book gave advice on what to do when the baby's hands are getting in the way of latching on because Natalie started to have a big problem with that. Lastly, even though the nurse at the hospital was all for teaching me the football hold, not a single picture in this book is of that hold and that made me switch to the cradle hold, which has been working out way better.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has got to be the best compendium of information just about breastfeeding. I've referred to this several times already during my daughter's first nine days. I found the details about the first week of breastfeeding, specifically how frequently to feed and how long feeds can take, to be of particular interest so far. I expect that the info on increasing milk supply and expressing will come in handy in the subsequent weeks.

[Rosely De · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked reading this book, it truly helped me prepare for all the challenges I could and would potentialky run into during breastfeeding. I am super glad I decided early on in my pregnancy to read this book rather than read up on my current state ( just being pregnant, week 35, lol!) it helped me separate fact from fiction as you hear a lot of opinions about breastfeeding, especially from those people that never made a concsious effort...

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently researched and unbiased. This book's information came from study after study about nursing and was presented in a way that encouraged readers to take the information and use it to make the best decisions they could to meet their personal breastfeeding goals. It's one of the few books of this type (birthing/nursing/parenting) that had no undertones of superiority or guilt. I would recommend it to any mother.

[Melanie Andrulewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, so many good things about it. I've seen some negative reviews about how it talks about bottle feeding, well this is a book about breastfeeding and more of natural lifestyle so yes that's what I expected and I'm ok with it. Loved how it talks about baby cues and the natural instincts.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely excellent book! I was given so much overly complicated and sometimes downright inaccurate advice with my first baby, and my breastfeeding experience ended earlier than intended as a result. I’m so thankful for the practical advice and simplification that this book has provided for me this time around!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad I read this book but there are some HUGE caveats.

The positive: I came away from this book feeling like I had a good general working knowledge of breastfeeding with some good tips and tricks to try. I've known people who had a lot of trouble breastfeeding and ultimately gave up so my anxiety around this definitely feels eased by reading this book.

The negative: this book has a very dangerous anti-scientific bent, even while they cherry pick the worst pseudoscience to try to sound convincing when it serves their argument. Basically 90% of the studies and statistics referenced in this book are not given proper context and are fairly meaningless. Obviously the authors are not data scientists, and this obnoxiously pro-breastfeeding bias is to be expected from professional lactation specialists, but it really gives an unfair picture of the "benefits" of breastfeeding and blithely ignores the many real economic and practical barriers some face with breastfeeding in favor of paternalistic scolding. I *highly* recommend reading Cribsheet by Emily Oster BEFORE reading this so you understand the 60-70% of this book that can be completely ignored. I also listened to this audiobook in the car with my anthropologist husband and he pointed out logical fallacies that even I missed. (He found the "humans are carrying mammals" bit especially grating.) We were practically screaming at their suggestions for breastfeeding at night, for example recommending wrapping your baby in blankets to hold them to your body at night while you co-sleep, which is literally everything the AAP tells you not to do to avoid accidentally murdering your child in their sleep.

Bottom line: read this book for what the authors are actually experts at: tips to improve lactation and find success at breastfeeding. Ignore literally everything else.

I sincerely hope that one day someone will write a book on breastfeeding that is not anti-science or shaming of parents who supplement or use formula and just stick to how to make breastfeeding work for those who want to. At the end of the day, regardless of the method, a fed baby is a healthy baby and no one should feel forced into a monumental lifestyle choice like breastfeeding due to shame and pseudoscientific scare tactics.

[Leica · Rating 4 out of 5]

In comparing this book with "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" I recommend "Breastfeeding Made Simple" over the other for a few reasons. First, length, BMS is quite a bit shorter than WAB; it as also a lot more clear and easy to navigate. Second, it provides a more compassionate response to those who make the decision to not breastfeed or who find, after much struggle, that they cannot breastfeed. Don't get me wrong here though. I think you'll be hard pressed to find a book about breastfeeding that doesn't make strong arguments in favor of breastfeeding despite any factors running against you, and it may still feel a little guilt inducing, even if it isn't as bad as WAB.

The biggest issue I have with the book isn't actually about the book itself, but about the companion website that is referred to in the book as a place to find the research behind what the claims they make. When I went to the links for the research articles, I found that none of them are more recent than 2015. That's a little bit of a problem, not only because we want things to be up to date, but because I'm aware of at least one study that came out in 2017 that rippled the water quite a bit by suggesting that the higher IQ found in longitudinal studies of breastfed babies may not actually reflect the effects of breastfeeding but possibly other factors that often coincide with higher rates of breastfeeding (level of education, SES, etc...). I've seen arguments made that refute the conclusion of the 2017 study by questioning the length of time that a baby was exclusively breast feed (as there could be more significant differences between babies if a baby goes on to be breastfed exclusively (meaning no formula) for a year or more, as the study appeared to measure for exclusive breastfeeding at 1 month and 5 or 6 months, but BMS website was surprisingly silent on the matter. (They've do for some reason have you covered on what the celebrities are saying about breastfeeding so at least there's that. *EYE ROLLING SO HARD RIGHT NOW* If that had been referenced in the book itself as a reason or incentive to breastfeed, this would probably be a two star review.)

[Dr. Dena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative. A bit judgy. I hold a premise that breastfeeding is a partnership between baby and mother, and then the society that supports their breastfeeding relationship. More needs to be said in general about what strains or limits that relationship, such as abuse, lack of quality medical assessment and intervention, and cultural pushback to boobs for babies. Plus, that breastfeeding is not all or nothing as in by a certain time you should exclusively breastfeed, or nothing at all, or not formula feed at all, and whips shame on you if you don't manage you're not the survival of the fittest as outlined in the first chapter. For example the real concern is whether or not mothers and babies have ready access to clean drinking water for both mother and baby whether the mother breastfeeds cross feeds or formula feeds. Clean accessible fresh water for drinking is needed in every situation to stay hydrated and alive. Somehow we forget about this, and no worse than persons in the birth world who are attempting to consult or educate new mothers are those who end up being damaging and shaming. This happens when we push an ideology over a person, and judgment on mothers as though it's their responsibilities only to follow laws of breastfeeding. This Dynamic contributes to so much of the mommy wars, estrangements, and defensiveness between women and mothers overall. This kind of approach needs to transition to more women supporting women in a circle way. Needless to say, I found the language off-putting. However, I appreciated the book for a situational reference. I will still prefer a rewrite or another book written that gives similar helpful solutions or information to mothers yet with a situational and systems awareness of the pressure they are under and a non-judgmental tone.

[Francisco Azevedo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very knowledgeable guide to breastfeeding
(with a couple of small flaws.)
The introduction kind of sums it up well, in that "western culture" has made one of the most natural things in the world into something way more complex and difficult than it should be. The book goes on to simplify it by giving us 7 general truths that replace other rules that doctors and society try to impose on breastfeeding mothers.
It also goes beyond that, into explaining the benefits of skin-to-skin contact and how important it is to nurture babies. And why humans are more like Kangaroos than, say, Cats and Cows.

These are the flaws it had for me, so you can make up your own mind about them:
1- The book definitely makes formula feeding sound like a tragic mistake. And, to be fair, I believe the authors about that, but at the same time wonder if it's possible that they're being too aggressive with that argument, when the focus implied by the title is "how to breastfeed" and not "why". But since my child is yet to be born and I don't have mistakes to defend yet, I wasn't as affected by this overarching judgement.
2- The natural laws are well defined and backed up, but the whole book felt a little repetitive and confusing at times. More than once, I felt like I was having a "déja vu" while reading and wondering if I was somehow reading the same page again.
3- There were only a couple of occasions where I felt like I disagreed with the authors in general education topics (maybe gender stuff, after having read Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue?), but I honestly can't recall what they were about.

In conclusion: Do breastfeed and nurture; this book will help you in doing both.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this while pregnant so will have to update my review once I've tried putting this in practice, but....

Things I liked:

I liked that it is grounded in biology, with reference to other cultures and examination of where Western (mainly American) cultural norms around breastfeeding come from. (That said, some of the language e.g. reference to "developing countries" is outdated.)

I liked that it focused on trusting baby's intuition, responding to baby's needs, and building a caring bond with baby. This made me feel more confident about breastfeeding and excited to learn from and with my baby, and it felt aligned with everything I've ever learned about attachment, trauma, etc.

It uses a lot of academic evidence. I didn't find it judgmental--it's offering evidence and saying what is healthiest for the baby, not making any value judgment on parents who cannot or don't breastfeed.

Some things I felt could be improved:

It repearedly says to sleep or nap while your baby breastfeeds but this isn't supported by external baby sleeping or safe co-sleeping guidance. I think the book is outdated here.

There's scant mention of the role of a non-breastfeeding parent, e.g. the section on pumping focuses on pumping at work, but I want to pump so baby's dad can also feed our baby with breastmilk and we are interested in strategies to support baby's bond with both of us.

It jumped around a lot and I couldn't always easily find things I wanted to look at again.

It refers to the website a lot, which hasn't been maintained well.

[Galadriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pros:
- informative
- detailed
- easy to read
- lots of references

Cons:
- breastfeeding is most definitely NOT made simple by this book. Easier, maybe. Possible, maybe. Remains to be seen. But multiple-step, multiple-page explanations just on how to, for example, lay the baby to the breast, does not fit my definition of "simple"
- I have an issue with the phrase "scientific mothering" and its negative connotation the authors are trying to push. I understand they refer to a specific phenomenon in time and place where mothers, and society as a whole, were trying to do things in a different way - presumably "scientific", except with insufficient evidence that ultimately defeated the point, BUT it makes it sound like science is some kind of evil that opposes everything "natural" and thereby "good"
- those same people, who have a problem with "scientific mothering", literally wrote:
"When warming milk, keep heat to a minimum, as high heat kills antibodies in the milk"
I'm sorry, who edited this book and where exactly did they get the idea that antibodies can be killed?
There were a number of other iffy medical statements and advice, a la (not actual quote) "this drug is banned by the FDA and not available in the US, but it is highly effective and you can get it from other countries!" which makes me take everything I read with a grain of salt.

All in all, for someone who didn't know anything about breastfeeding, I found the book to be very informative and a good starting point to educate myself, but more reading is definitely needed.