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April 2011 Moms
"The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding"
Has anyone else read this/currently reading this? I'm almost all the way through, and while I've found it very informational and helpful, I can't help but feel like I'm a jerk for even considering using medication during birth. The book makes it seem so BAD for the baby and that I'd be a horrible mother for even trying to have an IV for fluids or, God forbid, an epidural. Anyone else get this vibe?
I have a hard time with books/authors that are super judgey/one-sided. Any other breastfeeding books that might be a little more in the 'middle'?
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Re: "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding"
this
I'm reading it right now, too. I just started yesterday. I agree with what Sarah said. I'm going to *try* to go med-free, but if I can't, I can't. I've had lots of goals in my life that I haven't accomplished, and I'm still trucking on, you know?
By the way, so cool you used to live in Bend! :-)
Mac and cheese lover!
This. My sister had two med-free child births (one of them was at home) and she has a hard time not pushing her ways onto other people..so all of the books she gave me with my first pregnancy were totally one sided on the medication issue.
I personally was against any IV narcotic pain meds during labor, but I was induced and I did end up getting an epidural after 10.5 hrs of labor. Bottom line is my sister wasn't induced and her birth experiences were totally different than mine and I did what was right for me. I successfully nursed my DD for 13 months..she has never had a drop of formula in her life, so while being educated on BFing is important it doesn't mean that you fail for not going totally natural for you birth.
My IL's still live there, and have for years... I can't wait to go back and visit! I just love the high desert in the summer. Winter is a totally different story. I hate snow.
According to the book (and I'm writing this from memory since it's in the other room) it can make mom swell, which can make her breasts swell, which can make it harder to nurse at first - and also, baby retains the fluid so when they weigh him/her for the first time, he/she will weigh HEAVIER than they actually are, and then after they lose that fluid and then the normal weight a baby loses, they'll seem underweight and the doctor is more likely to suggest supplementing with formula - which apparently increases their risk for food allergies and jacks up their digestive tract for life.
Interesting. Would have never thought of all that.
I personally found that all BFing books that I read were anti-medication (and I 100% plan on getting an epidural). But they also suggest nursing until the baby self weans, talk about nursing a 2-year-old, neither of which I think I'm going to do, etc. I take the information away that I need and file the rest away for now. I read this one, So That's What They're For and The Nursing Mother's Companion (hated it). Womanly Art was my favorite.
In general that's the philosophy I take away from most parenting books. I love the Baby Book by Dr Sears, but I don't intend to have my baby sleeping with me until he's 2+. But I like a lot of his principles and plan to parent based on that.
All authors are biased on every issue, no matter how much they try not to be. The only book I really feel like presented both sides of the issue was "Coming Home With Your Newborn." Humans are biased and you have to research the issues from both sides and decide what works for you. I know plenty of women who got epidurals and had no problem breastfeeding. I'm not worried about it.