Rating: 
Summary: A LaLeche Book, NOT a Breastfeeding Book
Review: Twenty-five or so years ago, there were only a scant handful of breastfeeding books available, and even less support and practical advice from doctors. At that time, a book like "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" was a Godsend to mothers who wanted to breastfeed their babies. It not only offered them emotional support, and the knowlege that they were doing right by their babies, but it gave them some basic, practical advice on how to nurse. (And how to fight a medical and social establishment that would assume formula-feeding at every turn.)The advice wasn't extensive, but it was better than nothing. It let women know that it was ok (indeed, even desirable) to feed babies on demand, and that most babies would want to eat more than every 3-4 hours in the early weeks. It let women know that it was ok to nurse for more than a few weeks or months. It let women know that it was ok to delay solids past 6 weeks... or even 4 months. Oh yes, and the book also introduced readers to LaLeche League, a hands-on, personal, mother-to-mother support group where women could meet other women who were also nursing their babies.Today, bookstore shelves are overflowing with breastfeeding books. Most general babycare books offer tolerably good breastfeeding advice. Most doctors and hospitals are reasonably supportive and knowlegable about breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for a minimum of one year. And... unfortunately, as a general breastfeeding book, Womanly Art has outlived its usefulness. Its general breastfeeding advice remains minimal and, sometimes, dated. Its tone has become far too strident for many mothers. If you are interested in a book about LaLeche League, and are already committed to, or at least very open to, its particular mothering philosophy, the book is worth a read. But it is very much a book about LLL's philosophy (which extends far beyond breastfeeding), NOT a book about how to breastfeed. For breastfeeding books there are many, many better choices available.
Women who just want breastfeeding advice/information are likely to be offended and turned off by the book's tone and, and minimum, will be frustrated at having to wade through the philosophy in order to find the practical advice.
Rating: 
Summary: The Breastfeeding Bible, No Excuses
Review: The Womanly Art has been considered the ultimate guide for the breastfeeding mother since the 1950s. In those days there was little medical research, most data was anecdotal and there were only a few mothers, and very few medical professionals who knew what breastfeeding was really like. The breastfeeding rates in the USA at that point were abysmal (As was infant health,) and LLL and this book changed all that. Breastfeeding rates rose and continue to rise in the USA and Europe, babies became healthier and breastfeeding became the norm, as it should be, this book and LLL are responsible. If the information in this book wasn't working and hadn't worked, breastfeeding wouldn't be as workable as it is for so many women for more than a generation, and have the record numbers of women now doing what is BEST for themselves and their babies. This book WORKS! This book is comprehensive. It covers most aspects of breastfeeding, BUT it pulls NO punches. Having a baby is in no way a convenience, and caring for that baby properly is not convenient either. Breastfeeding is not always simple, but this book makes it direct, and gives you the power and knowlege on how to be successful. Some may be offended by this book's frankness, it's dedication to the fact that BABIES are what this is all about (not convenience) and some are threatened by the facts which prove the absoluteness that breastfeeding has no peer in infant feeding and there is simply NO substitute for Human Milk. But this book is honest, it gives the needed answers and it has thousands, if not milllions, of women and babies to vouch for it. The 2004 Edition (soon to be released) has even more medical benefits (including 47 studies on reduction of breast cancer and the most important IQ studies,) as well as even more information for women who choose to return to the workplace and require expressing milk for their babies while they are gone. (Wait for the new book, it is great!) Parenting is not for the weak, the complaining, or the excuse makers. That goes double for breastfeeding parents. Breastfeeding CAN be done, and this book ELIMINATES the excuses and leaves the reader with ONE choice, that breastfeeding can be done and should be done. Through it's gentle manner, interesting case studies and medical fact, excuses why "I couldn't breastfeed...." are explained, dealt with and then eliminated by this book. That might makes it *difficult* for some to read. But that is the reason why it is the BEST book on the market for parents. You can do this, and the Womanly Art will give you the ability to do so, if you are willing. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." The same can be said for making one feel "Guilty." No one can make an other feel guilty, one can only tell the truth, which is what this book does. Read this book, and perhaps speak with a local La Leche League leader, and you WILL be able to breastfeed. It may take some courage, but that is what parenting is all about.
Rating:
Summary: Pass on this one.
Review: I bought this book at my local LLL meeting. I've read several breastfeeding books and this one was by far the least helpful. I found it to be very negative towards moms who want to return to work, yet this is a group who needs a lot of support to continue breastfeeding! It is also not a good problem solving book. I've been nursing my son for nearly five months now and whenever I've hit stumbing blocks along the way, this book has been of no help. I feel that if you don't have the LLL's ideal arrangement, you might not get the best help from this book. There is some good information in this book, however not enough for its size. The good information it does have is also contained in pretty much all of the other books I've read on this subject, so if you are on a tight budget, you might get more bang for your buck elsewhere. Books I found more helpful and more supportive include "Nursing Mother Working Mother" by Gale Pryor and "Breastfeeding: A Mother's Gift" by Pamela Wiggins and Katherine Dettwyler.
Rating:
Summary: La Leche League Propaganda and Philosophy; Not A Lot of Help
Review: I was lucky enough to have friends who breastfed before I got pregnant, so I knew that was the road I wanted to follow. One of my friends loaned me this book, and while reading it, I alternated between laughing hysterically and wanted to scream back at the sanctimonious preaching within its pages. This book is full of La Leche League philosophy on breastfeeding, bonding and attachment, but you have to really dig into it to find the practical and helpful information. Information about storing breast milk, pumping, and introducing bottles was very light and hard to find. When located, it was presented in a fashion that suggested that any mother who needed to do any of these things wasn't a good mother and wasn't encouraging good attachment with her baby. Well, my daughter was in the NICU, so pumping and storage and bottles were a necessity when she was first born. Another problem I have this book is that it is not very supportive of working mothers. There is only one small chapter dedicated to working mothers, again implying that you do so at the peril of your child and your relationship with your child. There are better, more informative books on the market.
Rating: 
Summary: Fear tactics and Guilt at its best.
Review: The only use I got out of this book was as a doorstop. In the case of difficulties it makes it seem like all you need is determination. It preaches the 'evils' of supplementing and tries to be scientific but fails. Quoting research from the 1920s an 30s does nothing except try to instill the fear of your baby dying. I found much better information and non-judgemental support from my OBs office and my ped. This book was horrible! It didn't offer any useful advice on common breastfeeding problems like Mastitis .. at least nothing useful.
Rating:
Summary: With everything new mothers need to know about breastfeeding
Review: Now in its seventh revised and updated edition, The Womanly Art Of Breastfeeding is a straightforward and thoroughly dependable 480-page reference filled from cover to cover with everything new mothers need to know about breastfeeding. From coping with obstacles to breast feeding; to the advantages human milk has for babies; to suggested positioning techniques, and so much more, The Womanly Art Of Breastfeeding is an excellent, "user friendly" instructional and reference resource which has been skillfully and knowledgeably compiled by the La Leche League, an organization which has served to educate mothers for more than 50 years.
Rating:
Summary: Many more useful books out there
Review: The title just about says it all ... There are many more useful breastfeeding books out there. This book was much too anecdotal and not actually informative. I don't feel like I know anything more about breastfeeding because I read it.
Rating: 
Summary: Good info--if you can navigate through the nonsense
Review: This book is not for a working mother (or a mommy that MIGHT go back to work) because it pushes the opinion that there is no better mother than one who stays at home. And the tone of the writing is rather critical of a mother that would do anything else. I plan to be home, but I didn't appreciate the tone and critical way it was written. Plus, I don't really think I needed to read long diatribes of the joys of motherhood as opposed to getting instruction and help on breastfeeding--which is why I bought the book. I found other books that really dealt with instructing you on breastfeeding that were more supportive and informative--and dealt with current-day options and obstacles... not just returning to work, but schedules that get thrown off due to death in the family, etc. This book covers pumping for back to work in 10 pages--2 of which are dedicated to telling you that there is no substitute for nursing! True, but I didn't need 2 pages of condescension to get this through to me. Additionally, I really resented the CONSTANT push to your local LLL chapters--it was like CONSTANT advertising! At the same time, if you could get through the muckety-muck there actually WAS good information buried in there. I will certainly keep it as a reference (since you will never find one book that covers everything on a single subject) and I would recommend it for the same--but I would never recommend reading it cover to cover.
Rating:
Summary: AWFUL!!
Review: This is quite possibly the most frustrating, UNHELPFUL book I have read during my pregnancy and since my baby was born. I am a first-time mother and am committed to breastfeeding, but I want to do so in addition to being myself, so I need practical advice about clothing for nursing, tips for breastfeeding outside of the confines of my home, returing to the workforce, etc. Even the general guidelines that are offered by LLL about these things are overshadowed by qualifiers like "if you must leave your tiny baby for a short time -- and the shorter the time the better..." Obviously, anyone reading this book has already made a committment to breastfeeding, so that LLL only succeeds in CREATING GUILT AND ANXIETY about any minute a woman spends away from her child. Perhaps the most offensive part of this book is its treatment of the father's role in breastfeeding which is summed up by the index entries that refer to the husband's role. One of only two entries listed under "husband" is "uncooperative." The entry for "father" is a little more inclusive of his role, but not nearly enough. I find this book entirely COUNTERPRODUCTIVE and will not give it or recommend it to anyone, particularly a new mother who needs a book that offers both practical, modern advice and encouragement.
Rating:
Summary: SELF PROMOTION, PREACHING TO THE CHOIR
Review: This is my least favorite book on breastfeeding. It seems more concerned with tooting its own horn than with informing women how to get their babies nourished at the breast with their mother's milk. They dedicate pages to the benfits of breatsfeeding but nothing to giving readers a repetoire of things to try when easy doesn't work. This book is boring for the above reasons. Please read The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers : The Most Comprehensive Problem-Solution Guide to Breastfeeding from the Foremost Expert in North America to ensure much greater success. Interview all your local hospitals and ask what their initiation rates are for breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is not all a bed of roses. It can be maddening in the beginning when nature does not seem to be taking its course due to a variety of reasons. Threre are actually a variety of solutions and learning proper latch on is not nearly enough! visit:
http://home.onemain.com/~ct1008688/bfusa.htm
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