Nursing Your Baby: Revised

by Karen Pryor

Discusses the physiological, emotional, and nutritional aspects of breast-feeding and provides practical advice for the nursing mother, updated for the nineties family

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Karen Pryor was an American author who specialized in behavioral psychology and marine mammal biology. She was the founder and proponent of clicker training. She was formerly a Marine Mammal Commissioner to the U.S. government.

Reviews

[Asho · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mother recommended this book to me as it was what she used as her advice manual to successfully breastfeed me and my two siblings in the 1980s. The book was originally written in the 1960s and the book my mother gave me was the 1970s non-revised version, so the book is admittedly very dated on many points (one that immediately pops to mind "And of course it's fine to nurse the baby in the car," referring to pulling the baby out of the carseat and nursing him/her in a moving vehicle!). I actually enjoyed reading the dated parts of the book, though. It made me realize how much women had to overcome in the past to have a healthy breastfeeding relationship and it inspired me because if they could get past the sexism of husbands and doctors and a medical institution that discouraged breastfeeding, I can surely do my best to nurse my baby in today's culture that is much more supportive of breastfeeding.
The most useful chapters were the ones that discussed establishing the breastfeeding relationship and changes the relationship will undergo as the baby grows. There were a ton of practical tips, the most important of which seemed to be REST. I'm not sure that this book itself is completely sufficient for a first-time mother with no experience at all who would like to feel as prepared as possible. I also have another book on breastfeeding that I will probably read at some point before the baby arrives. However, this book did have many tips that seem like they will be helpful.
The best thing this book did for me was make me excited about breastfeeding my baby. It made the mother/baby bond created through breastfeeding sound incredibly appealing, and although I was committed to attempting to breastfeed before reading this book, I'm now not planning to grit my teeth and just deal with it, I'm actually looking forward to it.

[Kileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are having your first or fifth, this is the BEST book ever created to help with breastfeeding! New is not always better. In our society, breastfeeding has been so warped by society and doctors that getting back to when nursing was normal will be more beneficial. I go to used book stores and buy all of the copies they have of this book to hand out to friends and family. It's that good!

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so positive, which was such a refreshing change from the other baby books I read. It made me feel like a rockstar. I think it is essential for first-time breastfeeding moms. It saved me in the hospital and the first month of nursing. Basically, I thought the advice was magical and empowering and made me feel like I can do this (even though it can be challenging).

[A.L. Sowards]

I think this book was written during the dark ages. OK, maybe just the 60's. Anyway, a time when doctors and nurses conspired against breast-feeding mothers, when car seats were optional, honey was fine for infants, alcohol didn't pass through breast milk, sids research was non-existent, and men didn't cook. Does anyone else have a problem with the statement that you should have friends bring dinner in when you get home from the hospital so your husband has dinner? Help is great, but a) men can cook, and b) moms need to have dinner too.

Apparently the author didn't know how to write objectively. When she got off her soapbox long enough to talk about tips and suggestions, I actually learned something. Still, if someone were to ask me what to read to prepare for breastfeeding, I'd photocopy some magazine articles I've clipped or point out a few chapters in other books. This book was mostly one woman's rant on why you should breastfeed. Though I agree with her, her book was annoying.

[Leslie Lamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the updated 2005 version for the 2nd time. If anyone is wondering about whether they should breast feed, it's a wonderful book and shows you all the benefits to your baby and yourself. I read it again since my second baby is coming soon!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and re-read this books over 30 years ago, during my first pregnancy and while attempting to learn how to breast feed at a time when breastfeeding was definitely not in vogue. It was a life- saver for me.

[Nessa Borealis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through four pregnancies and breastfeeding relationships, this book was my best friend and personal lactation guide. My edition was gloriously unrevised, with 1960s line drawings and unfussy ideas.

[Nick Skelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the tone of Karen's books. She has an opinion and doesn't apologise for it. After reading the third non-fiction book on pregnancy, birth and babies, you come to realise that all books on babies are just someone's opinions wrapped up in factual linguistics, and spend most of your time skim reading for something that either directly applies or is practical.

The start of this book is slow though. Like many books that explore new ideas, it outlines the benefits of breastfeeding, but it comes off sounding like a brochure - attempting to persuade you with a plethora of too good to be true facts and figures. That said, she does explore the main reasons that women give up on breastfeeding, which gives it a credible balance.

I prefer the last two-thirds where the actual tips and strategies are. This is the fruit of the book and it is full of excellent info as well as practical tips and tricks.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A seemingly excellent manual on breastfeeding, although I don't have experience to see if it is actually helpful.
It does seem that the index in the back could be useful when you're looking for help with specific issues. It also provides a nice template for a letter to your office if you need a space for pumping at work. It's a lot of information to take in at once, and I'm not sure how it could have been improved in order to help with retention, but it does seem a bit bulky and repetitive in some respects.

[Lo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the 1973 edition of this book while nursing my son in his early months of life. I enjoyed it a lot. The only parts I didn't like were outdated. But I did like learning about the climate of breastfeeding back then. It was not the norm to breastfeed, and this is a lovely encouraging guide to doing what is likely best for your baby. It offers a wonderful perspective, and a community of support through La Leche League, which endorses this book.

[Brianna Knutson · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were many great points in this book, and overall, it is very encouraging to the nursing mother. This book has just about anything you would want to know about breastfeeding.
Some of the information felt outdated, and other information I didn't agree with.
Because the newest edition is from 2005, I would recommend someone to read the newest edition of La Leche League's, "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" instead.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful.

[Emilie McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encouraged me on hard days. A great guide to all things breastfeeding.

[J.M. Brister · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Review of: Nursing Your Baby

Author: Karen Pryor

Rating: Four Stars

Genre: How To/Self Help/Medical

Date Published: 1973

Series: N/A

Nursing Your Baby is a great reference book for women who are thinking of breast-feeding or who already are breast-feeding. This particular edition is a bit outdated, but most of the advise still rings true. I believe that there is an updated version that probably has better hospital information. Gone are the days of staying in the hospital for four to five days after giving birth (and good riddance too). Also, gone are the days of the hospital nursery, where the mom and dad barely got to see their little one. However, there was still a lot of good information.

Chapters include:
1. The Nursing Couple
2. How the Breasts Function
3. Milk
4. What Happened to Mother Instinct?
5. Doctors Who Don't Help
6. Doctors Who Understand
7. Women Who Share
8. Attitudes Toward Breast Feeding
9. Before the Baby Comes
10. In the Hospital
11. One to Six Weeks: The Learning Period
12. The Reward Period Begins
13. Nursing Your Older Baby

Overall, I thought the book was very helpful. I learned some new things, even though I have other books on breast-feeding. I would recommend getting the updated version, though.

[Ginny Pennekamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, whoever thought I would pick up and read a whole book on this subject? Not me! But it did address and answer a lot of the questions I've had in the last three weeks as I've taken the job of nursing on myself. There's a lot of good advice and explanation and stuff in there, and I'm sure I'll use it as a reference book and consult it a ton in the next year.

Then there's a whole weird hippy La Leche League undertone to the whole book that I found absolutely hysterical. It goes a little far at times. Like, there was no need to slam the entire country of New Guinea for a whole page over one of their breastfeeding laws, and I'm not going to be taking their advice that when my husband does me a favor and mows the front yard, I should show my appreciation by going outside to watch him WHILE NURSING. Russell Ave does not need to see that.

But my sister recommended this book so that I would stop calling her every day this week, and it totally achieved it's purpose of teaching me all kinds of practical advice about a subject that turned out to be so mystical even though cavewomen used to do it without reading all kinds of books...

[Arlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The copy I have of this book is from 1972 - so it looks a bit outdated. However, the old maxim 'never judge a book by its cover' is proved true. Only Pryor's commentary on the times was less than relevant (not to mention appalling - most doctors at the time advised against breastfeeding for ludicrous reasons). Everything else in the book is as applicable today as when it was first written. I loved to read about the relationship between a nursing mother and her child - the nursing couple. The book is friendly, straight-forward, encouraging without downplaying challenges, and really quite inspiring. It is a blessing to be able to nurse my child.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book reassuring in that a lot of the practices it recommends that I look for in a hospital, my hospital is already doing. I am still unclear on how I nurse on both sides all the time (won't the baby get full?) but I guess I'll figure it out. It still assumes that women do most of the housework and childcare, but that is fairly typical for any parenting book. I feel like I learned more, and feel more confident that I'll make breastfeeding work one way or the other.

[Heather Murphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book because it was too dated for me (the best part is the first chapter, anyway). Although I didn't like it much overall, I believe I came away from reading it as a better nursing mother. I now take the time to really notice the relationship/bonding my infant and I are having during nursing. It means more to me now than just feeding him. So, that's great!

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was all about the wonderful bonding between mother and baby. The tips were good. Some of it is outdated, but if one can get past that, it is a wonderful, helpful book on breast feeding.

[Alissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read. I liked the first section on the science and history of breastfeeding and found the second section on how to actually do it be quite helpful.
Loved the extensive resource section in the back.

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent resource for the nursing mom. I'm assuming a lot of the other reviews are for editions prior to the 4th edition - I didn't feel the 4th edition was dated, but I'm guessing the older versions are still on many public library shelves.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great advocate for why women should breastfeed. I learned so much from this book from the benefits to the proper techniques. I look forward to having this special bond with my baby one day.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very thorough, informative, and helpful, but some parts were quite outdated (referring to physicians almost exclusively with male pronouns, suggesting that you teach your husband to clean and cook before the baby comes, etc.).

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a staple breastfeeding book along with The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding back in the day before there were a thousand other breastfeeding books.

[Willa Guadalupe Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot better than the La Leche League book even though I was a LLL leader-

[Lyn John]

This book, more than any other, helped me to master the art of breastfeeding

[Charissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully written, informative book on a loving mothering practice.

[Haley Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay seriously I devoured this book. Even though this is my second baby to nurse I still learned so much and wish I would have read it the first time around!

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outdated somewhat (especially with the parts about hospital practices) but the actual information on breastfeeding is very helpful and informative.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book on the basics of breastfeeding.