Best Breastfeeding Books for New Moms – My Top 5 Pick

This post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Read the full disclosure.

If you asked me what kind of special gift a new mom would love, I would answer: a breastfeeding book.

Why? Because having adequate resources and support is critical in breastfeeding journey (read more about this here). And breastfeeding books satisfy the first.

You may disagree: I can always Google it.

Yeah, that was what I did. and here are what I get:

• I spent my days (literally a lot of time )scrolling through Google search pages
• I got conflicting information on what to do

At the end, I feel tired of searching and did whatever I felt was right.

 

So which book you should choose? There are so many breastfeeding books, but the following five below are the ones that caught my attention. All of them are written by internationally-acknowledged lactation consultants or experienced moms, gaining more than hundreds positive reviews, and easy to read and follow. Let’s get to know each of them.

 

Top 5 Best Breastfeeding Books for New Moms

 

#1 The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, 8th edition

• Author: Diana Weissinger and Diana West
• Number of page: 576
• Size: 6.1 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
• Available in: Kindle and paperback

My thoughts:

This is a classic book with a classy title, published by La Leche League. But don’t get it wrong. The newest edition has been revamped a lot to meet the need of 21st centuries mama. The content is not that old anymore!

I love that the book has separate chapters for every stage of baby growth,  from womb to toddler phase. Definitely, challenges faced by a mom of 1 month old baby is different with those faced by mom of 1 year old.

I love to read other moms’ story, and I think you do, too. With stories, it is easier for us to relate to others. And this book is very smart by including mom stories in each of their chapters. Really refreshing.

I especially love the Tech Support chapter. This is one big chapter dedicated to answering various breastfeeding problems, including the common ones such as nipple soreness, blocked duct, and the more specific ones related to baby illnesses, such as hyperglycaemia.

Not to forget the Tear Cheat Sheets. They are very valuable.

With more than 1000 reviews, this book has become Amazon #1 bestseller breastfeeding book. Check out what other moms said about this.

 

#2 Breastfeeding Made Simple: 7 Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers

• Author: Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tacket
• No of page: 352
• Size: 1 x 6 x 8.8 inches
• Available in: Kindle and paperback

My thoughts:

This book is a refreshing read. Nancy has done a great job describing how NATURAL and EASY breastfeeding should be. The authors did a good job by not only describing the ideal condition which we are aiming to achieve (great for expectant mothers), but what happens when something goes wrong, what to do and how to deal with possible problems.

In this book, I found different recommended breastfeeding positions, which can be ENTIRELY different from typical positions that have been taught in typical breastfeeding book. Natural and laid-back. Breastfeeding needs not to be tiring, and they explain how. The illustration and photographs included in the book help us to visualize and practice this laid-back technique. I’m excited to try this method with my future newborn.

I also love that the authors are very reassuring. Here’s an example: If you miss skin-to-skin contact right after birth, does that mean you won’t be able to breastfeeding? Of course not. And they explain step by step what to do for giving breastfeeding a good start, even in a non-ideal situation.

And, lastly, even though, Nancy and Kathleen support 100% breastfeeding, they make it a point that it is fine to feed baby formula when no other options are available. I guess this is a reassuring mark for a lot of new moms there.

Trust me, you’ll LOVE this book. Otherwise, it won’t get 4.5 stars review on Amazon. You can check more reviews about this book here, or check my detailed review here.

 

---

#3 The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk

• Author: Diana West and Lisa Marasco
• No of page: 304
• Size: 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
• Available in: Kindle and paperback

My thoughts:

This book is dedicated to nursing mothers who want to increase milk supply. The book is very comprehensive and has a systematic flow.

I love that authors encourage us to identify the cause of milk supply problem in order to solve it more efficiently. Consuming a lot of milk- booster supplements blindly without addressing the root/cause of low milk supply will not work.

One outstanding chapter of this book is about supplementing while improving milk supply. There’s no doubt, that supplementing is usually necessary when there’s milk production issue. But if not done correctly, supplementing can even ruin your milk supply further. So how to avoid that? This book has ALL the necessary information on this, such as how much to supplement, the recommended ways how to do it, and how to wean from it.

Not to forget about a whole list of galactogogues, how much dosage to take, what it is for, and the side effects if any.

Really, having this book is like having a personal lactation consultant guiding you to go through your milk supply problem with step by step guidance.

You can read my very detailed review of this book here . Or take a peek at the first few pages here.

 

#4 Work. Pump. Repeat: The Newmom’s Survival Guide to Breastfeeding And Going Back To Work

• Author: Jessica Shortall
• No of page: 208
• Size: 6.2 x 0.8 x 9.4 inches
• Available in: Kindle and paperback

My thoughts:

Hilarious and fun! This book is a MUST-READ for any nursing moms who plan to return to work.

Clearly, this book is written by an experienced working mother who has done it all. As a working mom, I found myself nodding all along while reading this book, agree with tips and hacks presented, and some ‘Aha’ moments in finding new, practical hacks.

This is such a comprehensive and practical guide for mothers to prepare for returning to work. From first pumping trial, how to build up a freezer stash, tips, and hacks to pump faster at work, and how to negotiate with your HR personnel and boss to get your ‘pumping rights’, they are all covered.

What if your workplace does not have nursing room?  How to travel for work without your baby? What to do when you forgot to bring your milk bottle? No worries, find the answer in the book.

Not only that. This book also features real stories from hundreds of fellow working mothers!

You can read my detailed review  here or get a quick glance by reading the FREE chapter.

#4 So That’s What They’re for: The Definitive Breastfeeding Guide 3rd Edition

• Author: Janet Tamaro
• No of page: 336
• Size: 5.5 x 1.1 x 7.2 inches
• Available in: paperback

My thoughts:

This book is different. It is not like typical breastfeeding books that feels heavy and full of theories and research studies. It is light and full of sense of humor.

The author has done a great job providing solid breastfeeding advise and feels encouraging at the same time, with a friendly conversational tone.

This book makes a perfect gift for expectant mothers and new nursing moms navigating breastfeeding challenges in early days.

Take a peek inside the book or read what other mothers said about this book here.

 

Kindle vs Paperback

Now as you have decided on which book to get, you may be wondering what kind of format I should choose? Is Kindle better than paperback? Or is it the opposite?

Personally, I think each format has its own pros and cons.

Having it in Kindle format means you can read it on any device using Kindle App Reader, which I find very relevant for nowadays. It also means you don’t need to wait for shipment! The book is auto-delivered to your Kindle library instantly.

The drawback? Not easy to skim, especially if you are looking for a specific paragraph in a chapter in the middle of the book.

What about paperback format? You have it on your hand, easily flip through, and you can lend it to or borrow it from your friend.

The cons? It can be bulky. At least, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is –seriously– big and thick, just like a dictionary. Secondly, you don’t have access to it wherever you are.

So, which one to choose, is up to your preference, whichever format that will help you to absorb and digest the book easier.

 

So there you have it. My top pick of best breastfeeding books for new moms. I hope these reviews helps you to pick up your favorite breastfeeding books.

Now I want you to do me some favor. Go and read the sneak peek of each of these books in Amazon , and then tell me: which one would you choose if you’re going to buy it for yourself (or your spouse)?

I’m excited to read your opinions! Do share ya!