Book Review: Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding

Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding by Ina May Gaskin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such an excellent book! I highly recommend it to any pregnant woman (even if they aren't really considering breastfeeding), any new mother struggling with breastfeeding, and to anyone who is generally interested in breastfeeding or the incredible abilities of the female body (husbands, doulas, doctors, midwives, and everyone else).

As an expecting mother, I was excited to see this book at the bookstore after I had just finished reading Ina May's guide to childbirth. I love Ina May's writing style and her philosophies regarding pregnancy, birth and motherhood, and I knew she would be a great tool in learning about breastfeeding. I did not know much about breastfeeding before I read this book, just that it is good for you baby but that a lot of people have trouble with it. I feel much more confident about my decision to breastfeed now. Ina May covers a vast amount of material in this book ranging from how breastfeeding works, how to prepare for nursing while you are still pregnant, how to breastfeed, problems you might encounter and how to deal with them, and a discussion about breastfeeding culture.

There were many things I found interesting reading through this book and I would like to share just a couple things. First, I always hear that breastfeeding is painful and difficult. But Ina May talks about how pain comes from having a poor latch (which can lead to other problems) and discusses how to get a proper latch or how to find someone who can help you get a better latch. She said that nursing should be a wonderful feeling and experience, and that it is important to get it right at the beginning to have a good breastfeeding experience.

Second, I was really saddened by how breastfeeding is viewed in America. While it is a completely natural and wonderful thing for a mother to do for her babies (and what every other mammal does) so many women feel uncomfortable and/or are harassed while breastfeeding. Our culture associates breasts and nipples with sex to the point that it makes people uncomfortable to see breasts being used for what they are actually intended to be used for. I am only 6 months pregnant right now, and even before reading this book I have been nervous about how comfortable I will feel about breastfeeding my baby. I am scared to be exposed around my friends and family, even though I know I shouldn't be. This book really helped open my eyes to the huge dilemma we have in our culture (she terms it "nipplephobia") and it both saddened and inspired me. I believe that the more people who read this book, or learn about breastfeeding, the more comfortable people will become with the idea of it, and the better off we will all be.


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