Breastfeeding Made Simple

The first 3 chapters are very helpful & informative for any new mom trying to learn the basics of breast feeding and how to approach the process. The rest of the book is very opinionated, and it feels like every other sentence is about how breast feeding is the best and only way and formula is terrible. I wish they would have stuck more to the facts and tried to be less persuasive (I'm already reading a book about breast feeding so I obviously have some interest and belief of the benefits). However, I ended up scanning most of the later chapters anyway, so the time spent reading was worth it.

This book had some useful information for breastfeeding and some controversial suggestions. The authors seem to be proponents of attachment parenting including co-sleeping. The idea of not fully waking up and rolling over to feed the baby, who is already sleeping in your bed, seems to fly in the face of AAP safety guidelines. Even the authors seem to acknowledge this. I felt like it pressured me to do something that I am not comfortable doing (co-sleeping) in order to make breastfeeding feasible.

The book also spent only part of one chapter addressing the challenges of breastfeeding as a working mom. I have no choice but to go back to work at 6 weeks postpartum, and this book did not help me feel prepared. I'm worried that I would not be able to follow all of their suggestions within a 6 week timeframe.

Overall, I think that the authors were primarily writing for attachment parenting stay-at-home moms. The sections for other situations seemed to be presented as poor second or third choice options. Some information was helpful, but some was unrealistic. I think that you should read this but keep in mind that the authors are suggesting recommendations for an ideal situation throughout most of the book.