Book Review:
Breastfeeding at a Glance:
Facts, Figures and Trivia about Lactation
By Dia L. Michels
and Cynthia Good Mojab, MS with Naomi Bromberg Bar-Yam, Ph.D
Platypus Media, LLC, 2001
Available from LLLI, 1119-7, $5.95
Reviewed by Sara D. Furr
Lincoln NE USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 38 No. 5, October-November 2002 p. 110.
Leaders are sometimes asked
to give short talks that give an overview of breastfeeding, including
relevant statistics such as breastfeeding rates around the world, the
cost of breastfeeding versus formula feeding, or the percentage of fat
in human milk. This great booklet provides these statistics at your
fingertips and includes more fascinating trivia as well.
Breastfeeding at a Glance
is a wonderful compendium of lactation data that could be useful to
Leaders when planning speeches, writing letters to the editor, or for
use in a Series Meeting (particularly Series Meeting #1). This booklet
would also make a good gift for a newly pregnant mother who is considering
breastfeeding. The information in the booklet is relevant, accurate,
and compelling, and would likely be appreciated most by women who are
logical and fact-oriented in their approach to decision-making. With
its concise format and brevity, it can be read in about an hour.
Breastfeeding at a Glance
begins with a brief summary of several policy statements regarding breastfeeding
from a variety of health care provider organizations. Other topics include
the monetary value of human milk; the history of breastfeeding; environmental
benefits of breastfeeding; the age of weaning; the differing costs of
formula and breastfeeding; a comprehensive summary of breastfeeding
benefits (for baby, mother, and the community); how to address breastfeeding
difficulties; contraindications to breastfeeding; lactation in other
mammals; legal issues; breastfeeding myths and facts; a list of breastfeeding
resources (including books, periodicals, and organizations); and a final
page devoted to quotes related to breastfeeding.
This booklet is supportive
of LLL philosophy, particularly the idea that human milk is the superior
infant food—the most natural and effective way of understanding
and satisfying the needs of the baby. Breastfeeding at a Glance
is such an accessible reference it would be appropriate both for use
in Group Libraries or for a Leader’s personal library.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:31:21 UTC 2007.
