The Nursing Mother's Companion

by Kathleen Huggins

Book Overview

The International Lactation Consultant Association named Kathleen Huggins' The Nursing Mother's Companion "the best possible choice among breastfeeding guides for prospective mothers.". Lamaze... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1558321527
• ISBN13: 9781558321526
• Release Date: July 1999
• Publisher: Harvard Common Press
• Length: 284 Pages
• Weight: 1.09 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Super outdated

There is tons of information in this book that is outdated. Even information down to how to know if you’re making enough milk to car seat information is inaccurate. This book is also highly medicalized and not at all natural minded.

Invaluable resource for breastfeeding moms

I am a nurse practitioner, but I admit I didn't know much about breastfeeding prior to my son's birth. I bought this book a few months before my due date and would flip through it periodically when I had a topic or question I wanted more information on...and this book always had an answer. When my son was born via C-section, the book had tips on positioning for successful breastfeeding. He was also born "tongue-tied"...again the book addressed this issue. There is a section on breastfeeding an adopted baby or baby born to a surrogate which would be informative to women who this applies to. The book is well organized in a chronological order from the prenatal period to nursing an older child and eventual weaning. There is an in depth section on medications and herbal drugs and their safety during lactation. This book is just so helpful to me, and I can't imagine a better book on this topic out there.. I agree with the previous posters that this is the Nursing Mother's Bible.

great gift for nursing mothers

I was given this book by a friend when I nursed my daughter and it was the only help I needed. The lactation consultant in the hospital never nursed her children, she was no help. I used this book so much and loved it, that everytime I've had a freind that was expecting and going to nurse I purchased another book for them. It has been a lifesaver for all of them as well. Very helpful wording and illustrations.

I owe a lot ot this book!

Having received an sampling of this book in my hospital goody bag, I ordered the full copy. It was so informative, and enlightening. A lot of information is not available to new mother's on breastfeeding, and support is not always readily available. Many times new mothers give up. But this book will give you the courage to go on. It is technical, and provides answers to the most commonly asked questions, as well as information on obscure problems and drug interactions. I highly recommend this book!

Excellent resource - good compliment to nursing class!

I am a first time mother, and took nursing classes while in the hospital after giving birth. They were a big help, but it was easy to forget specifics after going home. This book was a life saver! Especially when I had to face the questioning/criticism of my mother in law and other well meaning friends who told me not to nurse my baby every two hours, to let her sleep, etc. After 11 weeks of exclusively and very successfully nursing my daughter, I am happy to have had this book to refer to!! Because I followed the advice in this book, my milk came in right away, and has been plentiful since! The book also helped me deduce that my newborn's "colic" was possibly a reaction to cow's milk protein (which my pediatrician said was unlikely), as well as her awful facial rash (which my pediatrician labled excema). This book suggested eliminating dairy from my diet for 2 weeks, and then reintroducing it; sure enough the symtoms went away and then reappeared briefly until I eliminated dairy again. My baby has clear skin and does not cry for hours, and hasn't for weeks! I'm buying 2 copies of this book for pregnant friends!

Handy reference for use throughout breastfeeding your child

This book is a wonderful tool to use if breastfeeding your child. It breaks down the breastfeeding experience into specific time periods (first week, first two weeks, first two months, months 2 to 6, etc.) and details problems and solutions specific to that time period. I found the solutions to be incredibly helpful- clogged ducts and latching-on difficulties were two problems I had with my first child, and the book's step by step method for correction was right on target. The author provides help in developing your child's diet as they start to eat solid food and continue nursing, and helps in the weaning process, all the while never making you feel guilty if you don't nurse until your child is four years old, but not making you feel guilty if you nurse that long either. The book is especially useful for first-time breastfeeding, although I did refer back to it a few times with my second child. Highly recommended.