Our Breastfeeding Library

Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (May).  This carnival is dedicated to all moms, celebrating Mother's Day today.  Participants will share various topics covering A Breastfeeding Mother's Top Ten List.  Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.

Our bookshelves are groaning and we are running out of space!  Thought of getting a Kindle and did a test run on Stan's iPad.  But nothing beats leafing through pages and the smell of new books - so I guess I just need to find space for more books!!

Bookaholics that Naima and I are, I thought of a perfect topic for this month's carnival - A Breastfeeding and Babywearing Family's Top Ten Must Have Books: 

N's books

My books

So what's the Top Ten on our list?


For children's books, top on the list be Mama's Milk.  This is a picture book showing mother animals nursing their babies - with interesting factual tidbits! Did you know that a baby platypus is called a puggle and that baby elephants nurse up to 5 years?!  We donated a copy of this book to N's school and N got another copy for her own.  Mama, Mama is also a great book for toddlers - with simple words with melodious rhythm.  Not really a nursing book but more of the general actions a mom shows in expressing her love for her child e.g. hugging, cuddling (in the animal kingdom!).  N also likes looking at the photos in A Ride on Mother's Back - a babywearing book showing how mothers wear their babies in different countries.  Then N proceeds to wear her own baby in her mini ring sling.  Maggie's Weaning is actually my choice of book.  N is beginning to understand what weaning is and when we get to the weaning party, she always get teary-eyed.   Honestly, this book is not very well-made (easy to rip paper, etc.) but it was the only book I could find about weaning - which could help me explain what weaning is to N.


For my books, the list includes a mix of reference and memoirs.   I'm glad I waited until this year to purchase LLLI The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.  A lot of moms found this book judgmental - after all LLLI discourages moms from returning to work.  What I do like about this book is the pull-out sheets summarizing xxx .  If you hate reading, the choose Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy a beautiful photographic guide to the basics of breastfeeding - including position, latch, nursing multiples.  I always try to bring this book to LATCH break-outs so I could better illustrate breastfeeding information to pregnant moms. 
Since I am a fan of Dr. Jack Newman, I couldn't NOT buy his book - Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers.  The book is in a question and answer format and contains most of the information found on his website.  Although you can opt to skip purchasing his book if you have constant access to internet, I still recommend that you buy since you will be helping to fund his breastfeeding clinic.  
If you are curious about the history of the milk formula industry marketing and breastfeeding activism, a good book to read would be Politics of Breastfeeding.  This book is quite an eye-opener and I used to wonder why several advocates I knew were against Nestle and really thought and firmly believed that formula marketing was evil.  After reading this book, I realized how subtle the anti-breastfeeding practices and marketing strategies were, undermining moms' chances, even without them realizing it.
Meanwhile, a gift from fellow advocate Jen - How My Breasts Saved the World was a fun read.  The author, Lisa Shapiro shared her experiences as a first time breastfeeding mom - which mirrored my own experiences.  Her experiences (and I'm sure that of most first time moms) emphasize the importance of signing up for breastfeeding classes while pregnant and making sure that you have a breastfeeding friend or counselor on speed dial during those early days!
Finally, not really a breastfeeding book but I highly recommend The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert Sears.  I vaccinated N and I liked this book because it explained the vaccines that were going into her body.  I made certain decisions which were contrary to my pediatrician's recommendations (e.g. spacing out vaccines, skipping flu vaccines) based on information in this book and further research.  I know some moms who totally chose not to vaccinate and I believe that this book helps each mom make their own informed choice on what is best for their family.


So how does your bookshelf look like?


Check out the posts of other carnival participants:
Mec's Top Ten Breastfeeding Partners
Ichel's Ten Things a Handy Mommy Can Do While Breastfeeding
Espie's Ten Life Altering Moments of a New Breastfeeding Mom
Dinna's Nurturing Rafael: A Breastfeeding Mother's Top 10 List
Frances' Ten Things I Now Know About Breastfeeding Because I Breastfed
Anthony's 10 Ways to Cheer Up a Breastfeeding Wife ---> our only dad participant!!
Em's Aria's Habits While Breastfeeding
Cai's Top Ten Tips for Pumping and Working Moms
Jenny's Our Breastfeeding Library
Nat's My Top 10 Favorite Foods for the Breastfeeding Mom
Tina's Tips on How to Breastfeed Your Baby in Public (1st of three parts)
Nyssa's Ten Reasons I still Breastfeed (Even as a Low Supply Mom)
Joey's Nursing Must haves and cheaper alternatives
Martine's 10 Things You Don't Say to a Breastfeeding Mom
Joyce's 10 Breastfeeding Nice to Have's