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The Nursing Mother's Guide to Weaning
Everything a nursing mother needs to know about weaning by breastfeeding expert, Kathleen Huggins.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 1994
8 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Huggins
20 books15 followersFor more than twenty-five years, Kathleen Huggins, R.N., M.S., I.B.C.L.C., has dedicated her medical career to helping mothers care more effectively for their newborn babies. A registered nurse with an M.A. in perinatal care from the University of California at San Francisco, Huggins has spent the past two decades as a perinatal clinical specialist and board-certified lactation consultant at San Luis Obispo General Hospital in California. During this time she co-directed Breastfeeding Warmline, a telephone counseling service for nursing mothers. Huggins has also worked as a college instructor of fetal-newborn development, and has lead seminars on a variety of topics related to perinatal care and breastfeeding.
Huggins is owner of the maternity store Simply Mama. She is the author of several books on breastfeeding and has sold more than one million copies. She lives in California with her husband and youngest child.
Huggins is owner of the maternity store Simply Mama. She is the author of several books on breastfeeding and has sold more than one million copies. She lives in California with her husband and youngest child.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
October 11, 2010
Its hard to rate this one. I learned a lot of interesting information about nursing in general, but learned pretty much nothing that is going to help me wean. I read the chapter on weaning 1-2 year olds because that is what I am currently doing. More than half of the chapter discussed the reasons you may want to wean, but I felt that more often than not, the book was giving ways to wait to wean. While that's reassuring for women who aren't sure if they should wean, it isn't helpful if you have made up your mind and are looking for advice. The section on how to actually wean was pretty intuitive. There were four methods for gradual weaning: substitution, distraction, postponement, and shortening nursings. There were also methods for abrupt weaning, but all of them were pretty harsh. If you go by the books descrpitions, then Natalie and I are nearing the end of the weaning process, since it mostly talked about women who are still co-sleeping and nursing all night or who nurse many times during the day. The author was behind nursing to sleep and against thumb sucking, both opinions I disagree with. While we used to nurse Natalie to sleep, I was very glad when she gradually learned to drop off to sleep by herself and her thumb sucking was a huge part of that. So, this book wasn't very useful to me for the purpose I checked it out.
However, I went back and read the first chapter about nursing through history in the Western world. That was interesting. The things we've put poor babies through! No wonder death rates used to be so much higher. Most shocking to me was the idea that babies should be underfed!
The only really useful bit of information I got was a piece of insight into Natalie's behavior. After reading the description of other children in the book, I've noticed that Natalie does do things like sticking her hand down my shirt or playing with my belly button as a nursing substitution . This helps me to feel a little more tenderly toward her when she does them.
However, I went back and read the first chapter about nursing through history in the Western world. That was interesting. The things we've put poor babies through! No wonder death rates used to be so much higher. Most shocking to me was the idea that babies should be underfed!
The only really useful bit of information I got was a piece of insight into Natalie's behavior. After reading the description of other children in the book, I've noticed that Natalie does do things like sticking her hand down my shirt or playing with my belly button as a nursing substitution . This helps me to feel a little more tenderly toward her when she does them.
April 29, 2011
The subtitle of this book is "How to Bring Breastfeeding to a Gentle Close, and How to Decide When the Time is Right." But I would say that this book shares anything but that! Every solution seems fraught with dour results and unhappy, insecure children. I really can't tell if the goal is to encourage nursing forever or just to say that there really are no good weaning solutions. Either way, I didn't find this very helpful. I read through all the applicable parts and decided on my own course of action apart from the contained suggestions. So maybe it was useful in that way, but I wouldn't really recommend it based on that.
One particularly irritating part of the book is the assumption that a mother is going from nursing on demand - as in, at least every hour, it seems - to just total weaning. What about slow and gradual and gentle? I was looking for answers to go from a little bit to nothing. I don't know, I guess it might be helpful for some, but it wasn't helpful for me. (I'd be glad to share my own solution with other nursing moms who are interested, though.)
One particularly irritating part of the book is the assumption that a mother is going from nursing on demand - as in, at least every hour, it seems - to just total weaning. What about slow and gradual and gentle? I was looking for answers to go from a little bit to nothing. I don't know, I guess it might be helpful for some, but it wasn't helpful for me. (I'd be glad to share my own solution with other nursing moms who are interested, though.)
March 2, 2010
I'm taking this back to the library today and I guess I should preface my review by saying I didn't finish. I did read the first few chapters and skimmed the chapter on weaning after a year. I'm a HUGE advocate for breastfeeding but this book made me feel guilty about even thinking about weaning. (giving you that feeling like if you wean your child before they are 5 you are one bad momma). I can definitely appreciate encouragement to continue as long as possible but in my opinion Ms. Huggins could've found a gentler way to encourage extended nursing while actually doing what the book says- being a guide to weaning.
If you are on the fence about weaning, you may find it inspiring to continue nursing.
All that said- I guess her approach works, still nursing my 12+ month little guy
If you are on the fence about weaning, you may find it inspiring to continue nursing.
All that said- I guess her approach works, still nursing my 12+ month little guy
April 15, 2008
This book is pretty preachy and did not give a lot of practical information on weaning. The best and most interesting part of this book was the historical information on breastfeeding and weaning as well as how the process is viewed and practiced by different cultures.
May 20, 2011
Mostly discussed why NOT to wean rather than how to wean. Waste of time unless you want a guilt trip.
September 3, 2024
I thought I wanted a book with practical how tos for weaning, but what this book contained was actually much more helpful. The practical advice was fine, nothing revolutionary, but the empathetic understanding of the many emotions mothers go through with weaning was invaluable. It helped me process my own emotions and feel at peace with my own decisions about how I wanted to wean.
I only read the first couple chapters and then the one about weaning 1-2 year olds. The others were about weaning older or younger babies and not relevant to me at this time.
I only read the first couple chapters and then the one about weaning 1-2 year olds. The others were about weaning older or younger babies and not relevant to me at this time.
April 9, 2009
I did like the ideas for gentle weaning. I just have to strongly disagree with the author and wonder where her research comes from.
She states that a child NEVER initiates weaning (which may or may not be true) and says that weaning a child before they self wean can have lifelong psychological effects that negatively impact there life. I just can't believe this is true. I do wish more women would put more effort into have a successful nursing relationship with their child, but the only way I can see weaning as being negative is if the mother doesn't do it gently and over a period of time.
Also, I think this book seems mostly for women who nurse on demand regardless of age. In my opinion, nursing on demand isn't necessary or healthy for a child over the age of 1 (or even once they start eating other foods.) If you nurse an 18 month old 8 times a day and suddenly try to wean, that could cause problems. But most children are down to 3 or fewer nursing by the age of 1. Because of that, weaning doesn't seem to cause much problem for women who DON'T nurse on demand.
Anyway, a good book. I like that she gives reasons why you don't necessarily HAVE to wean due to things like pregnancy, a child's age, etc... I also like that she encourages mothers who enjoy the nursing relationship but feel pressured by others to wean (my own mother is APPALLED that I would nurse a baby after the age of 1, why do so many people think turning 1 suddenly means if you are still "mommy" then the apron strings need to be cut?). But I also feel the book was a little TOO biased and focused on "what is best" when really that should be left to the nursing mother to decide.
She states that a child NEVER initiates weaning (which may or may not be true) and says that weaning a child before they self wean can have lifelong psychological effects that negatively impact there life. I just can't believe this is true. I do wish more women would put more effort into have a successful nursing relationship with their child, but the only way I can see weaning as being negative is if the mother doesn't do it gently and over a period of time.
Also, I think this book seems mostly for women who nurse on demand regardless of age. In my opinion, nursing on demand isn't necessary or healthy for a child over the age of 1 (or even once they start eating other foods.) If you nurse an 18 month old 8 times a day and suddenly try to wean, that could cause problems. But most children are down to 3 or fewer nursing by the age of 1. Because of that, weaning doesn't seem to cause much problem for women who DON'T nurse on demand.
Anyway, a good book. I like that she gives reasons why you don't necessarily HAVE to wean due to things like pregnancy, a child's age, etc... I also like that she encourages mothers who enjoy the nursing relationship but feel pressured by others to wean (my own mother is APPALLED that I would nurse a baby after the age of 1, why do so many people think turning 1 suddenly means if you are still "mommy" then the apron strings need to be cut?). But I also feel the book was a little TOO biased and focused on "what is best" when really that should be left to the nursing mother to decide.
January 10, 2012
This book was an excellent guide into the process of weaning - detailing reasons for and against weaning at various ages - and also techniques on how to initiate at each of the stages. I felt it to be a comprehensive guide on the subject and if in the future I am once again a nursing mother looking to wean I would definitely refer to this book. I would recommend it to all nursing mothers. The author is very matter of fact and gives reasons why you may want to prolong nursing at each stage but also very usable advice on ways to wean if you choose to at each age.
As a first time nursing mother who had no experience with nursing whatsoever before it was an invaluable guide.
As a first time nursing mother who had no experience with nursing whatsoever before it was an invaluable guide.
June 17, 2022
I have such mixed feelings about this book. I don't plan on weaning yet but I always like to be prepared. The most annoying part of this book was the STRONG anti-formula tone of it. The history of breastfeeding in various eras and societies was very interesting, but you can tell the author is like "Well if they hadn't done this, then breastfeeding would have worked out." My annoyance comes from the perspective of a mom who most definitely could NOT create a full breastmilk supply and NEEDED formula in order for my child not to die. I would have appreciated if the author could talk about physical differences in breast anatomy that actually do cause moms to need formula, even if all other circumstances are ignored (like, maybe a mom just doesn't WANT to breastfeed...) sometimes moms like myself just can't! It's only now that my child is past 1 year old that I actually have an adequate micro-supply for him. I get it, there isn't a lot of data or research on moms like me. But c'mon, at least mention it instead of going on and on and ON about the "dangers of formula" ~ooooooh~ (eyeroll).
Far more annoying than the anti-formula first half of the book is the sections based on which age you plan to wean. Each of these sections begin with page upon page of "please don't wean don't do it, here's why you have to keep going" and then follows it up with a section of green pages that are like "fine, here's how you do it." LOL are you serious!
Those green pages are the meat of the book in my opinion. If you're looking for information on how to wean before 4 months old, 4-12 months old, 1-2yo, and past toddler age, don't even read anything else. Don't get tempted to read any of her anti-formula rhetoric. Thumb through until you find the green pages for the age that your child is that and stick to those - they ACTUALLY have advice on weaning. i.e. at 4 months old she gives advice on how to wean behaviorally and then information on how to sanitize bottles, prepare formula, etc.
I initially gave this 3 stars and then when I remembered one more part that I wanted to mention in my review, I knocked off another star because WHY did you even need to write this out, Kathleen. Why God oh why, did Kathleen include a section that details sexual arousal from nursing sections for both mom and baby/toddler. Why. Why. Why. I wish I can unsee what I just read.
Far more annoying than the anti-formula first half of the book is the sections based on which age you plan to wean. Each of these sections begin with page upon page of "please don't wean don't do it, here's why you have to keep going" and then follows it up with a section of green pages that are like "fine, here's how you do it." LOL are you serious!
Those green pages are the meat of the book in my opinion. If you're looking for information on how to wean before 4 months old, 4-12 months old, 1-2yo, and past toddler age, don't even read anything else. Don't get tempted to read any of her anti-formula rhetoric. Thumb through until you find the green pages for the age that your child is that and stick to those - they ACTUALLY have advice on weaning. i.e. at 4 months old she gives advice on how to wean behaviorally and then information on how to sanitize bottles, prepare formula, etc.
I initially gave this 3 stars and then when I remembered one more part that I wanted to mention in my review, I knocked off another star because WHY did you even need to write this out, Kathleen. Why God oh why, did Kathleen include a section that details sexual arousal from nursing sections for both mom and baby/toddler. Why. Why. Why. I wish I can unsee what I just read.
"Nursing may [..] be a frequent prelude to sex with a mate."
July 10, 2017
As my husband noted, this is a great book if your goal is to convince yourself that you should basically not wean until your child is at least 3 years old. I came close to throwing the book across the room at a few points.
I have been pretty dedicated to nursing my 2 year old, but am looking to wind that down. What I wanted was sort of a combo of best practices and case studies to figure out how to do this with my mommy-milk lovin kid. And I also know that, had I not been able to work a four days/week schedule, with nursing lunch breaks most work days, I would have needed to supplement during his first year with the dreaded formula.
The author/editor divide strategies by age of child, which seemed promising, and there is some interesting history of nursing and weaning trends through the ages and in different cultures.
There's also a lot of obnoxious value judgement going on:
"An educated few may go on nursing for years" and references to studies about breastfed babies being smarter, stronger, and less prone to allergies. And yes, there's probably some validity to those studies, and the formula industry and medical professionals have some seriously spotty history in terms promoting formula over breastfeeding. But still, let's just say it loud: FED is BEST!
Once you get past the "are you sure you really want to do this" sections of the two younger kid chapters, they do provide some useful tips on formula preparation (with a side of judgement about how you're likely to mix the formula wrong, etc) and snuggling your kiddo/bottle feeding in a manner similar to nursing.
When you hit the 2+ age range, the judgement becomes less pronounced, and you get some useful tips on distraction, limiting nursing, and the difficulty of convincing a stubborn toddler to give up something they love.
When you get to the authors 3+/whenever they decide to wean preferred age range? You get a link to a letter to help you if you have legal trouble because you're still nursing a 5 year old, a few pages of happy anecdotes, and a suggestion from a couple of parents to buy your kids fancy toys...or a kitten. A kitten. This section is a scant handful of pages in a 200 page (including appendices) book. It's like they just phoned in the last chapter. The one that they pretty clearly indicate is their preferred scenario. Oy.
I have been pretty dedicated to nursing my 2 year old, but am looking to wind that down. What I wanted was sort of a combo of best practices and case studies to figure out how to do this with my mommy-milk lovin kid. And I also know that, had I not been able to work a four days/week schedule, with nursing lunch breaks most work days, I would have needed to supplement during his first year with the dreaded formula.
The author/editor divide strategies by age of child, which seemed promising, and there is some interesting history of nursing and weaning trends through the ages and in different cultures.
There's also a lot of obnoxious value judgement going on:
"An educated few may go on nursing for years" and references to studies about breastfed babies being smarter, stronger, and less prone to allergies. And yes, there's probably some validity to those studies, and the formula industry and medical professionals have some seriously spotty history in terms promoting formula over breastfeeding. But still, let's just say it loud: FED is BEST!
Once you get past the "are you sure you really want to do this" sections of the two younger kid chapters, they do provide some useful tips on formula preparation (with a side of judgement about how you're likely to mix the formula wrong, etc) and snuggling your kiddo/bottle feeding in a manner similar to nursing.
When you hit the 2+ age range, the judgement becomes less pronounced, and you get some useful tips on distraction, limiting nursing, and the difficulty of convincing a stubborn toddler to give up something they love.
When you get to the authors 3+/whenever they decide to wean preferred age range? You get a link to a letter to help you if you have legal trouble because you're still nursing a 5 year old, a few pages of happy anecdotes, and a suggestion from a couple of parents to buy your kids fancy toys...or a kitten. A kitten. This section is a scant handful of pages in a 200 page (including appendices) book. It's like they just phoned in the last chapter. The one that they pretty clearly indicate is their preferred scenario. Oy.
June 28, 2017
I skipped around and only read the parts relevant to me. My daughter is 14 months, so I read the 1-2 year old section and did not read the younger than 1 year old chapter. I don't know...After reading some other things, maybe I will try to night wean first, instead of weaning altogether. I do enjoy our close time together. And one thing this book taught me is that 18 months is a good time to try weaning. If your baby cries when you leave a room (separation anxiety), which my daughter definitely does a lot, then it is not a good time to wean. Overall, the book was against weaning, but then offered some advice. The advice didn't stick with me so much as the feelings about weaning and nursing. It seems so hard. I think I will wean eventually. I don't have as much resolve about it now as I did when I started reading the book. Interesting. I have to remind myself that this is just a small portion of my life that won't last forever.
October 12, 2021
Loves the book especially for the history of breastfeeding, artificial feeding and weaning. It also corroborated a lot of my experience breastfeeding reducing feedings for our toddler, now 21 months. He’s still nursing, though I’m not sure there’s any milk at all.
I’m not sure the book would have actually helped much with strategies to wean… I got more of that from my wonderful lactation consultant and mama instinct, but I still really liked the book.
I’m not sure the book would have actually helped much with strategies to wean… I got more of that from my wonderful lactation consultant and mama instinct, but I still really liked the book.
April 18, 2023
Overall helpful, but there's a lot of outdated information.
April 7, 2009
so far I LOVE the intro & forward & chapter one. I am not weaning Max until he weans himself but these chapters have given me a history on what weaning really means, educated me on our history & how some other cultures do in terms of breastfeeding. I am thankful I have used my boobs for what they are for, have confidence in my body & baby & have lasted as long as we have in nursing. I think this will be a good book.
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I read what I needed to read in this book. It will be a great reference. I loved how it went over the history of nursing/weaning. I love other cultures & how they do things. I think it gives me a good perspective that what I'm doing is totally normal. I loved the chapter on weaning 1-2 year olds & some "normal" things to expect during nursing this year. I feel that I am doing a normal thing in our lives & listening to Max instead of the clock or an MD. I do know the benefits of nursing a toddler & now have the book to prove it to naysayers in my family.
I also really liked the chapter on dental caries & how breastfeeding at night is so different than propping a bottle filled with milk for a baby to nurse at night. It explains how BM doesn't leak from a the nipple or pool in the mouth when nursing, how its properties help protect the teeth.
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I read what I needed to read in this book. It will be a great reference. I loved how it went over the history of nursing/weaning. I love other cultures & how they do things. I think it gives me a good perspective that what I'm doing is totally normal. I loved the chapter on weaning 1-2 year olds & some "normal" things to expect during nursing this year. I feel that I am doing a normal thing in our lives & listening to Max instead of the clock or an MD. I do know the benefits of nursing a toddler & now have the book to prove it to naysayers in my family.
I also really liked the chapter on dental caries & how breastfeeding at night is so different than propping a bottle filled with milk for a baby to nurse at night. It explains how BM doesn't leak from a the nipple or pool in the mouth when nursing, how its properties help protect the teeth.
January 22, 2011
I couldn't help comparing this book to the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (which I just finished reading). For that reason, I felt that it lacked many times in comprehensiveness. It was also not as laid-back and easy a read as the WAB. I felt that the author often contradicted herself to some extent, for example: on one hand virgorously touting extended nursing, but on the other, seemingly encouraging formula supplements as no big deal for babies. That being said, the book is for the most part on the right track, and has lots of helpful information. It could be espeically helpful in the case of a mother needing to wean a child fairly quickly for her own reasons (medications, surgery, vacations, etc). I thought it was also good that the author gave several ideas for getting around these problems that many mothers see as necessitating weaning, when that may not be necessary. However, I could see how some mothers might find the "guilt trip" (not-so-subtle reminders from the author about the emotional and physical effects on the child) to be off-putting. I particularly enjoyed reading the chapter on weaning a 1-2 year old because it offered less difficult and "emotionally-scarring" (for lack of a better term) ways to wean. Reading the chapters about weaning a baby under 1 were more sad.
April 6, 2010
This is the best book on infant nutrition I've read yet... not that I've looked into that many, but it answered a lot of questions I'd had about how to best manage the transition from breastfeeding to solid foods.
The authors are strongly biased towards longer-term breastfeeding whenever possible, which might bother some people, but it was helpful to me because that means they actually deal with the issues of older nurslings, which is what I have. Most advice on weaning amounts to: "Oh, just drop a feed every week/few days and replace it with a meal or formula." That doesn't work so well with a vocal, single-minded toddler who knows what she wants!
I also really enjoyed the first chapter which includes an overview of the history of breastfeeding and its substitutes in "the West." It's a wonder anyone in Europe or North America survived infancy in the last few centuries! I would highly recommend this book to anyone breastfeeding, regardless of how long they plan to continue it.
The authors are strongly biased towards longer-term breastfeeding whenever possible, which might bother some people, but it was helpful to me because that means they actually deal with the issues of older nurslings, which is what I have. Most advice on weaning amounts to: "Oh, just drop a feed every week/few days and replace it with a meal or formula." That doesn't work so well with a vocal, single-minded toddler who knows what she wants!
I also really enjoyed the first chapter which includes an overview of the history of breastfeeding and its substitutes in "the West." It's a wonder anyone in Europe or North America survived infancy in the last few centuries! I would highly recommend this book to anyone breastfeeding, regardless of how long they plan to continue it.
December 1, 2012
This book includes a very interesting discussion on the habits of breastfeeding both in other cultures as well as in different historical times. What I found most shocking was the early 1900's move in America towards formula feeding with subsequent nutritional deficiencies and the tendancy to always leave a child hungry so as to not promote laziness and glutony of the child. Its as though the American culture forgot that mother nature already knew the best way to feed its young, with mother's milk regardless of species, and instead turned it into a medical problem with all of the entanglements of emotional failure to properly feed a baby.
Several of the chapters on how to wean at different ages were interesting and provided helpful suggestions. Overall, however, this book does read much more along the lines of nursing until children are much older (3-5 years old) to prevent emotional distress. I feel weaning, if done lovingly, can easily be accomplished much earlier.
Several of the chapters on how to wean at different ages were interesting and provided helpful suggestions. Overall, however, this book does read much more along the lines of nursing until children are much older (3-5 years old) to prevent emotional distress. I feel weaning, if done lovingly, can easily be accomplished much earlier.
July 18, 2011
I picked up this book to try to decide about how long to nurse. It didn't really help me with that. The book spends a lot of time talking about letting kids wean themselves as the best option and then quickly trying to reassure that this doesn't work for everyone. There was not much discussion of the pros and cons of weaning at different times. I would give it 2 stars on this topic.
I was reminded too that this book would be best for a family that feeds on demand, co-sleeps and is more into attachment parenting than I am. This book was helpful in some ways. It gave a good history of nursing and weaning. It discussed reasons for weaning and how to work through issues if you are not quite ready to be finished. For these sections I would give four stars.
I was reminded too that this book would be best for a family that feeds on demand, co-sleeps and is more into attachment parenting than I am. This book was helpful in some ways. It gave a good history of nursing and weaning. It discussed reasons for weaning and how to work through issues if you are not quite ready to be finished. For these sections I would give four stars.
May 13, 2011
This was a nice reminder of all of the benefits of breastfeeding. It offered helpful insights into the process of weaning, and how to observe and decide when a baby might be ready for such a transition. The author seemed biased in favor of a longer span of breastfeeding, but since she supplied so much data that supported her opinion, I didn't mind. It read a bit more like a 'Guide to Breastfeeding' book, than it's actual title, however, and that I did mind. I don't feel much more equipped to tackle the weaning process in terms of actions, than I did before reading, though I do know a bit more of the philosophy I will follow.
July 28, 2013
This is very La Leche, and the undercurrent is... just don't wean until 3! It's easier then! Hmm... sure.
Some good info here, but I certainly wouldn't read it if I had to wean for medical reasons early on, and even reading it after 9 months of successful breastfeeding it's a bit strong. I have no immediate plans to wean anyways, but thought it might be useful for advice on how to go about it when the time comes. I would have been better off surfing the web. Also, very little discussion of the emotional issues many women face after weaning, which is something I wanted to read about. So, meh.
Some good info here, but I certainly wouldn't read it if I had to wean for medical reasons early on, and even reading it after 9 months of successful breastfeeding it's a bit strong. I have no immediate plans to wean anyways, but thought it might be useful for advice on how to go about it when the time comes. I would have been better off surfing the web. Also, very little discussion of the emotional issues many women face after weaning, which is something I wanted to read about. So, meh.
April 13, 2015
Amid the guilt trips, there were some decent tips embedded in this book, but they were not lengthy and they were not easy to find. First you must wade through the evils of formula and the lists of reasons why you should nurse your baby forever. OK, maybe not forever, but until they choose. I'm nursing a 20 month old, which is way different than weaning a 2 month old, so although there was some division in chapters, I think more delineation was needed. I also wish there was more specific information on night weaning a toddler. By far the best part of this book is the beginning - reading the history of nursing and weaning was really fascinating!
January 12, 2017
it was an ok book and had a good amount of information but not really helpful if you are just looking for general information about how to wean in general. it gives ways to wean for specific reasons and kind of tries to discourage you from weaning because of those specific reasons by giving you suggestions about how to continue despite x,y,and z. Over all it was not helpful for me at all really I am no more educated on how to wean or begin weaning my happy healthy child who is not a picky eater and doesn't have a sibling and is gaining weight healthily and sleeps through the night and is not explosive etc etc....
March 1, 2008
Really good book on reasons for weaning, reasons not to wean, gentle weaning, and how to wean quickly if you really have to. The foreword by William Sears is also a gem: "In ancient writings, the word "wean" meant "to ripen" --- like a fruit nourished to readiness, its time to leave the vine… Weaning was a joyous occasion because a weaned child was valued as a fulfilled child; a child was so filled with the basic tools of the earlier stages of development that she graduated to take on the next stage of development more independently." Isn't that a wonderful image?
September 20, 2008
I was thrown off by this book at first because I felt it was a little preachy - but what can you expect, it's a book about breast feeding. I did find some of the information interesting and helpful as I got further into the book. The book addresses issues/concerns and gives transition tips for both baby and Mom which is what I needed. I don't think my son will have a hard time weaning so I don't need tips for helping him adjust as much as I need tips for helping me adjust!
January 27, 2010
I skimmed this. I am not interested in weaning right now or in the foreseeable future. And in fact, this book does more to dissuade the reader from weaning than to offer helpful suggestions on how to wean, so I am glad I did not approach it actually wanting to wean!
I am still mulling over the book's statement that if your baby is breastfeeding enthusiastically at one year old, they will likely continue to do so until they are three. Uh oh.
I am still mulling over the book's statement that if your baby is breastfeeding enthusiastically at one year old, they will likely continue to do so until they are three. Uh oh.
August 25, 2009
I learned even more about the ebb and flow of breastfeeding throughout history and the cultural factors that played a part. My heart aches for the mothers who received misinformation (against maternal instinct at times) about the process of breastfeeding. In terms of weaning, some helpful suggestions, but a little repetitive.
June 6, 2009
A slightly more honest title would be "Why you should put off weaning until your child is six years old, and how to do it." I'm already nursing a toddler and as such, sold on "extended" breastfeeding, but I found this book's nearly evangelical approach a bit off-putting. There was relatively little practical advice on the subject I was looking for, which was how to gently wean a two-year-old.
March 27, 2009
Written from a perspective that extended breast-feeding is the gold-standard, despite its loss of value in modern Western society. It reminded me of my goals and suggested alternatives to weaning, thus dissuading me from weaning at this time.
March 5, 2011
I love Kathleen Huggins' book "The Nursing Mother's Companion" and think it is the best breastfeeding book I've read. I was a little disappointed in this book, though, and didn't find it as helpful as I had hoped.
June 16, 2016
Helpful
Very informative. The historical references from various cultures in comparison to standardized western practices was refreshing. I don't feel like such a freak anymore knowing how non western countries view nursing.
Very informative. The historical references from various cultures in comparison to standardized western practices was refreshing. I don't feel like such a freak anymore knowing how non western countries view nursing.
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