Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 stars"Simple" Means Basic
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2013
I found this book to be in the "just ok" category. Clearly, this book is pro-breastfeeding and the authors have no qualms about calling formula feeding inferior or even "risky." This didn't bother me particularly, but might make some moms feel uncomfortable or judged. The Seven Laws of Breastfeeding are general breastfeeding guidelines (feed often, good latch, etc) that are helpful if you're just starting out.
My main complaint about the book is that, in an effort to keep things "simple," the authors gloss over details that would actually be helpful. For example, when speaking of the mother's nutritional needs during breastfeeding they recommend drinking "to thirst" and eating "to hunger," instead of providing actual guidelines. They emphasize the proper sizing of flanges in the breastpumping section, but don't explain how a mother is to know whether she has achieved a good fit. Mother's intuition is a key concept throughout the book, but new mothers-to-be like myself may need a few more specifics. Many of these details were deferred to a local lactation consultant, leaving me to wonder if my money were better spent hiring a professional than reading this book.
Additionally, I was disappointed in the author's disregard for medical staff in the breastfeeding process. They argue that many doctors/nurses are severely under-trained in breastfeeding and don't really know how to help lactating mothers (or even actively try to keep them from breastfeeding). While it may be true that not all doctors are breastfeeding "experts," they are the ones who examine the living, breathing baby in front of them and it seems foolhardy to disregard their advice as being somehow uninformed.
On the whole, this book presents a decent overview of the breastfeeding process, but lacks practical details for newbies. It emphasizes that feeding from the breast can be easy and even less complicated than bottle feeding, but refers mothers to outside sources (but not doctors!) if they need a more in-depth explanation. In this case, Breastfeeding Made Simple means very basic; I was hoping for more straight-forward facts.