Breastfeeding is undoubtedly the best source of nutrition for infants. It is one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival. It also reduces the risks of certain health complications for both mothers and infants. Health organizations, including WHO, recommend that infants are breastfed exclusively for at least the first 6 months of their life. However, many women such as new moms and working mothers face lots of challenges in breastfeeding. Below we are going to share our list of the 17 Best Breastfeeding Books that can help mothers understand how to succeed in breastfeeding, overcome challenges, and ensure better health and growth for their babies.
The List of 17 Best Breastfeeding Books
Below we shared our list of 17 best breastfeeding books that can be of great help to expectant mothers, nursing mothers, first-time moms, and working moms. These books cover all most all aspects of breastfeeding and overcoming the challenges associated with it, ranging from preparing for breastfeeding, and feeding position to all the way to weaning.
1. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Completely Revised and Updated 8th Edition By Diane Wiessinger
This updated classic best-selling guide by La Leche League has been educating and empowering mothers in the art of breastfeeding for generations. The book is full of nursing advice, stories, and information that will benefit working mothers, stay-at-home moms, single moms, and mothers of multiples alike. This breastfeeding bible discusses numerous aspects such as preparing for breastfeeding during pregnancy, nursing positions, storing breast milk, avoiding sore nipples, insights into latching and attaching, nursing after a C-section or delivery complications, nursing special-needs infants, premies, multiples, postpartum depression, food allergies, and medications, and many more. This book is an excellent beginning if you want your child to blossom and thrive in sustainable, healthy, positive ways.
2. Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers By Nancy Mohrbacher
Some mothers face doubts and difficulties regarding breastfeeding such as struggling with the first few feedings and finding a comfortable way to wean from the breast. Once you understand the seven natural laws of breastfeeding described in this book, you will be able to overcome challenges such as low milk production, breast refusal, weaning difficulties, etc. The book also helps you find comfortable, relaxing breastfeeding positions, and use a breast pump to express and store milk. Overall, this is a comprehensive resource for new and expectant mothers, that helps overcome discomfort and mastitis, and offers an easy transition for babies into solid foods.
3. Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding: From the Nation’s Leading Midwife By Ina May Gaskin
This book by Ina May Gaskin explores the health and psychological benefits of breastfeeding and provides practical advice that helps you nurse your baby in a joyful, natural, and richly fulfilling way. It addresses all the important questions you have about breastfeeding such as nursing challenges, pumps and other nursing products, nursing and work, nursing multiples,
weaning, etc. The book is full of helpful advice, medical facts, and real-life stories that will help you use breastfeeding to connect more deeply with your baby and your own body. This is an invaluable book if you are a first-time nursing mother or looking for the most recent expert advice available.
5. Breastfeeding and Human Lactation 6th Edition By Karen Wambuch
This book is the ultimate reference with the latest clinical techniques and research findings for lactation consultants and specialists. It is extremely useful for a nurse, lactation consultant, midwife, women’s health nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or Ob/Gyn who wants to know about lactation care and science. The book explores topics such as the historical context of breastfeeding, workplace-related issues, anatomical and biological understandings of lactation, the prenatal and perinatal periods and concerns during the postpartum period, the mother’s health, sociocultural issues, and other vital information. The updated version of the book contains additional case studies, expanded cultural content, the inclusion of new regulations and guidelines, information on alternative medicine, and gender-inclusive language. The book is also an excellent resource for those who want to prepare for certification and practice as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®).
6. Work. Pump. Repeat.: The New Mom’s Survival Guide to Breastfeeding and Going Back to Work By Jessica Shortall
Breastfeeding is a real challenge for working moms. Mothers need to find out ways to produce milk while returning to demanding jobs. This book shares the ways to survive the working world as a breastfeeding mom. It provides guidelines on negotiating the pumping schedule with colleagues, navigating business travel, and ways to pump in undesired places. The book includes real stories, tips, and humor from working moms, and also draws on inspiration from the author’s own struggles as a breastfeeding mom. Breastfeeding mothers will find moral support to deal with the stress and guilt associated with working and breastfeeding at the same time.
7. Mother Food: A Breastfeeding Diet Guide with Lactogenic Foods and Herbs – Build Milk Supply, Boost Immunity, Lift Depression, Detox, Lose Weight, Optimize a Baby’s IQ, and Reduce Colic and Allergies By Hilary Jacobson
This book provides easy-fast recipes and remedies that promote milk production, and the emotional support and wisdom that mothers need through the weeks after childbirth. Better food choices for mothers’ can improve issues such as colic, fussiness, allergies, fatigue, depression, feelings of failure, auto-immune disease, food cravings, and weight issues. The book is endorsed by different organizations such as La Leche League, midwives, doulas, CLCs, and IBCLCs. Mother Food is a comprehensive and easy-to-read book that can help parents find better health, better intelligence, and focus, and ultimately a healthy and happy family.
8. The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk: Foreword by Martha Sears, RN By Diana West
This book can help if you are concerned about a low milk supply for your baby. It incorporates the latest research and discoveries about the causes of low milk supply, how your body makes milk, and how babies contribute to milk production. The book suggests ways to maximize your milk production, and discusses how pumping, herbs, medications, foods, and alternative therapies can help. It also talks about making more milk when you return to your job, having premies or multiples, inducing lactation, etc.
9. The Breastfeeding Book: Everything You Need to Know About Nursing Your Child from Birth Through Weaning By William Sears MD FRCP
This book by Dr. Sears is a favorite of parents for nearly two decades now. It provides important tips on topics such as latching for increased milk supply, breastfeeding for working mothers, the importance of omega-3 fatty acids and “milk-oriented microbiota”, nighttime breastfeeding, nutrition and fitness for moms, and many more. Through proper breastfeeding, health and happiness can be ensured for both mothers and babies. This book will help you in achieving this.
10. First-Time Mom’s Breastfeeding Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide from First Latch to Weaning (First-Time Moms) By Chrisie Rosenthal IBCLC
If you are a first-time parent, you will get the essential support you need from this book. This encouraging, nonjudgmental guide will take you week-by-week through the first year and beyond. You will find tons of fundamental knowledge and professional advice on latching, positioning, feeding routine, breast pumping and bottle feeding, weaning, and more. The book will also help you solve 21 of the most common issues step-by-step during your first year and beyond. It is a great nonjudgmental resource for working moms and others.
11. Eat to Feed: 80 Nourishing Recipes for Breastfeeding Moms By Eliza Larson
Eating well and getting proper nourishment is the key when breastfeeding mothers face shortages in their milk supply. In this book, you will find eighty simple, delicious recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, snacks, and beverages. You will get information about nutrient-dense whole foods, lactogenic ingredients, and different recipes. This book will help you increase help supply by improving your overall health.
12. The Nursing Mother’s Companion – 7th Edition: The Breastfeeding Book Mothers Trust, from Pregnancy through Weaning By Kathleen Huggins
This has been among the best-selling books on breastfeeding for more than 30 years and is recommended by professionals around the world. The book shares all the information breastfeeding mothers need to overcome potential challenges and nurse their babies successfully from the first week through the toddler years. You will find information on topics such as incorporating a nursing routine, postpartum headaches, nausea and depression, the risk of SIDs, reviews of breast pumps, the safety of various drugs during breastfeeding, and many more.
13. LACTIVATE!: A User’s Guide To Breastfeeding By Jill Krause
This is a judgment-free advice book that comes with the latest knowledge on breastfeeding. It solves everyday breastfeeding problems and helps you connect biologically with your children. The book answers breastfeeding questions related to pumping, latching, eating habits, etc. It will help you raise your baby with confidence.
14. Counseling the Nursing Mother: A Lactation Consultant’s Guide By Judith Lauwers
This book is written especially for teaching purposes. It is an invaluable resource for lactation consultants and an ideal study guide for International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification and practice. The book covers topics such as blood sugar protocols, changes in Baby-Friendly NICU and the Ten Steps, donor milk in the healthy newborn nursery and effects on exclusivity, and more. It also has expanded discussions on dominant culture, implicit bias, cultural humility, and health equity.
15. Latch: A Handbook for Breastfeeding with Confidence at Every Stage By Robin Kaplan M.Ed. IBCLC
This judgment-free breastfeeding guide addresses specific concerns and makes you feel empowered while overcoming breastfeeding challenges. The author Robin Kaplan, working with numerous mothers who had their unique sets of challenges, knows in-depth about breastfeeding. Her book guides you through every stage of breastfeeding such as early success in breastfeeding, lifestyle changes, and weaning. It discusses topics such as breastfeeding positions, latch, supplementation, pumping, transitioning to bottle-feeding, reducing nighttime feedings, and many more.
16. The Complete Book of Breastfeeding, 4th edition: The Classic Guide By Laura Marks M.D.
This classic book is the most accessible and authoritative book on breastfeeding. Breastfeeding in the first year of babies is extremely critical. This book can help you give your babies the healthiest start possible. It covers all most all the aspects of breastfeeding such as getting ready before the baby arrives, exclusive pumping, mixed feeding, breastfeeding in public, baby sleep, special situations such as multiples, breast cancer, etc., weaning, and more.
17. The Positive Breastfeeding Book: Everything You Need to Feed Your Baby with Confidence By Amy Brown
When you are a new mother, you might be overwhelmed with conflicting advice, myths, and exaggerated stories. This non-preachy, evidence-based book will give you clear directions about how to make the right decisions for you and your baby. It will help you understand how breastfeeding works how to cope with the early months, how to feed in public, how to go back to work, and so on. You will also find helpful information about formula and mixed feeding. The book will empower you with the knowledge and encouragement you need to feed your baby with confidence.
You may also read: The 50 Best Parenting Books Every Parent Needs
Conclusion
Breastfeeding is a vital source of nutrition and nourishment for infants. Medical experts strongly recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of your baby’s life. However, mothers often face many difficulties regarding breastfeeding. We have shared our list of 17 best breastfeeding books that can help mothers successfully nurse their babies from the first few weeks to toddler years. These books have answers to almost all questions nursing mothers can have regarding breastfeeding.