Breastfeeding - La Leche League New Zealand

Feed Yourself, Feed Your Family

Post category:Book Reviews Nutrition Books
Reading time:2 mins read

Feed Yourself, Feed Your Family

This is the new nutrition and cookbook from LLLI – the old favourite, Whole Foods for the Whole
Family is now looking rather old, battered and dated. This isn’t just a cookbook – in fact there are
only 75 recipes in the whole book, it also gives vital information about nutritional needs (and what
foods to avoid) at various stages of life. It is divided into sections which cover the gamut of
nutrition, looking after yourself, solids, family foods and weaning in a lovely ‘conversation’ style,
punctuated with some delicious and nutritious recipes. One reviewer really wishes it had been
around when she was a new mum as it would have been a handy kitchen manual.
It generally has a relaxed approach, full of great ideas, like ‘foods you can eat with one hand’,
meals that give you more nutritional value, child-pleasing recipes, make-ahead and no-cook meals
as well as ideas for if you don’t eat meat. It has a good discussion about solids readiness and
baby-led introduction of solids and weaning. A few old favourites from Whole Foods for the Whole
Family are included, along with many new recipes. It often refers to the Womanly Art of
Breastfeeding and other LLLI books, but it doesn’t really talk about breastfeeding itself, except in
terms of stages and lifestyle and looking after yourself while breastfeeding.
The recipes use imperial measurements rather than metric, although there are conversion charts
at the back of the book. A few of the ingredients may be unfamiliar to some New Zealand readers,
but LLLNZ is inserting a glossary into each book to clear up any possible confusion.
The photos are lovely – although some may find them staged, and a little unreal. This is not a
cookbook with a photo for each recipe, although those that have been photographed look very
tempting. It is a very contemporary looking book and will appeal widely.

Original review, printed in Aroha Volume 14 Number 3

Feed Yourself, Feed Your Family
Good Nutrition and Healthy Cooking for New Moms and
Growing Families
LLLI, Ballantine Books, USA, 2012
Reviewed by Lorraine Taylor and Rosemary Gordon, LLLNZ

Eat Well, Lose Weight, While Breastfeeding

Post category:Book Reviews Nutrition Books
Reading time:2 mins read

Eat Well, Lose Weight, While Breastfeeding

This is a revised edition of the book first published in 1992 and previously reviewed in New
Beginnings, Volume 13, Number 1, Jan-Feb 1997. There are not a great many changes, apart from
some more emphasis on the obesity epidemic sweeping the Western world. Some concerns were
expressed in the original review and these probably still stand, together with the fact that the
author hasn’t updated all references to starting solids at around six months rather than the older
standard of four months or four to six months. Some of the ideas about good healthy foods seem
a bit strange, although maybe they constitute a relatively good diet compared with many
Americans’ food choices!
However, the reasons for the original recommendation of this book for Group Libraries are also
still relevant. The author, a registered dietician, provides a lot of good advice on eating well and
losing weight slowly while breastfeeding – no diet fads or large weight loss here. She includes
weekly meal suggestions, recipes from her own kitchen, and information about what to avoid or
take only in moderation. Special situations like colic, food allergies, diabetes etc are also covered.
This book is easy to read and you can dip in and out of it as the need arises for specific
information. Some of the references and suggested resources are now out-of-date, for example,
the latest Womanly Art of Breastfeeding mentioned is the 2004 edition. However, the book fills a
niche on a subject that often arises among breastfeeding mothers.

Original review, printed in Aroha Volume 15 Number 2

Eat Well, Lose Weight, While Breastfeeding
Revised Edition
By Eileen Behan
Ballantine Books, USA, 2006

Children’s Health A to Z for New Zealand Parents

Post category:Book Reviews Parenting Books
Reading time:3 mins read

Children’s Health A to Z for New Zealand Parents

This book by paediatrician, Dr Leila Masson, a member of LLLNZ’s Professional Advisory
Group, provides extremely comprehensive information about how to help our children get
better and stay well naturally.
The first section focuses on lifestyle choices that will help keep everyone healthy, identifying
the four steps parents can take towards optimal health for their child/children. These steps
are: nutrition, sleep, healthy lifestyle and avoiding environmental toxins. The author’s dislike
for sugar is portrayed in the nutrition page; however, there are a few nutritional ideas other
well researched nutritionists would disagree on. Having said that, compromises sometimes
need to be made, and the nutritional and other lifestyle advice is great for the novice to a
healthy way of living. On page 26, ‘What about co-sleeping?’, the author mentions that it is
safe from three months of age to co-sleep if certain measures are in place. This contradicts
some of the advice in the LLLI book, Sweet Sleep. However the author does recommend this
book for further reading.
In the next part (Part 2), she groups the information in alphabetical order under 20 common
health issues experienced by children as they are growing up. Each chapter includes a
diagnostic ‘Questions to Ask’ section that helps parents decide about the significance of the
symptoms displayed and the type of action needed, from getting medical help immediately
to reading the information she provides. There are plenty of suggestions for natural athome
treatments, as well as some suggestions for prescribed and OTC medications.
In the final part (Part 3,) Dr Masson includes a diverse range of subjects (in no particular
order) that range from mineral-rich foods through how to teach your child to swallow
capsules and finishes with ‘5 steps towards positive parenting.’
The design of the book is superb: the layout, with use of headings, bullet points, cute
photos, caution icons and the uncrowded pages makes it an easy read. The book includes
Endnotes listing scientific references and a comprehensive index that also includes subheadings.
Dr Masson also includes many useful websites throughout the book where
parents can source additional information from reliable sources.
Caution: Don’t try to read this book straight thought as you would a novel you could be
overwhelmed with all that could go wrong – but rarely wouldn’t. Far better to treat is as a
reference book or dictionary and use the index to look up only what you need when you
need it.
With the plethora of childrearing books available here from overseas it is refreshing to have
a book written in our ‘heart’ language (New Zealand English) that also reflects the medical
system we have here rather than the unfamiliar and different systems in other countries.
The book will be helpful to and appeal to parents and caregivers. Children’s Health is
approved for Group Libraries, but please note that there are contradictions in the sleep
section with other LLL material, and there are numerous recommendations for certain
branded supplements and medicines (LLLNZ does not usually make such recommendations).

Original review, printed in Aroha Volume 17 Number 5

Children’s Health A to Z for New Zealand Parents
Dr Leila Masson
David Bateman Ltd, NZ 2015
Reviewed by Jeannie McNaughton and Janette Busch

Complementary Feeding: Nutrition, Culture and Politics

Post category:Book Reviews Nutrition Books
Reading time:3 mins read

Complementary Feeding: Nutrition, Culture and Politics

Written by the well-known author of The Politics of Breastfeeding, this book is based on a paper
written for the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), which works to halt the unethical
marketing of baby foods.
Gabrielle Palmer pursues her interest in the political aspects of infant feeding practice with
regards to the specific topic of complementary foods, the influences of cultural practices, market
forces, and government policy. She touches on anthropological evidence, history and cross
cultural migration, spotlighting both healthy and not so healthy aspects in a range of countries and
cultures. Much of the book deals with the politics of access and entitlement to food and water
resources. In many areas of the world food is produced but is unsuitable, is too expensive or not
available for local consumption. Nutrition support for mothers in poor and rich countries can lead
to unforeseen complications and have negative effects.
The author explains that local foods, prepared in traditional ways are usually the best first foods
for babies. She writes that commercially marketed ‘baby foods’ are unnecessary as
complementary foods and that recommending a set age for introduction of complementary foods
is not necessary. Babies will reach for family food when ready. The author also shows evidence
that cereals may not be the best first food for babies because most lack key minerals and children
may not be physiologically ready to digest cereals until around two years of age. Gabrielle Palmer
also explains that most complementary foods given to older infants and young children replace a
superior food, breast milk, with a nutritionally inferior food. There is also a very interesting
appendix on iron and iron deficiency anaemia.
This compact book of just over 100 pages is easy to read with key points summarised at the end of
each section, additional notes at the bottom of each page, appendices for fuller explanations,
extensive references and an index. There are several multicultural photos of young children
exploring complementary foods.
Although maybe not a core issues read, this book will give La Leche League families additional
support for valuing breast milk as the continuing superior infant food beyond six months of age;
for following their own babies’ cues in starting complementary foods and for using simply
prepared, local, family foods. It will also be invaluable to those interested in the politics of infant
feeding.

Original review, printed in Aroha Volume 13 Number 6

Complementary Feeding: Nutrition, Culture and Politics
By Gabrielle Palmer
Pinter & Martin, UK, 2011
Reviewed by Isobel Fanshawe and Lorraine Taylor, LLLNZ

Working and Breastfeeding Made Simple

Post category:Book Reviews Parenting Books
Reading time:3 mins read

Working and Breastfeeding Made Simple

Nancy Mohrbacher is a star author amongst group library contributors in La Leche League.
This latest book continues her excellent work that started back in 2003 with her coauthorship
of The Breastfeeding Answer Book, which was designed to help mothers
breastfeed their babies.Whether the purpose of her books is to help others assist
breastfeeding women or they are directed towards mothers’ own self-help efforts (as this
new offering is), her style is always simple and direct in a way that is easily understood by
most readers.
The author commences with basic information on just why breastfeeding is so important
and why it’s worth the effort required to keep breastfeeding once you have returned to
work. She continues with a back to work overview dependent on the baby’s age and offers
specific suggestions on how to proceed at each stage. How to deal with employers is
covered and of course no book on this subject would be complete without comprehensive
information on pumps and pumping, milk supply, storage and handling, bottle use and
information to share with baby’s carer. The emotional issues involved in leaving your baby
with others are discussed as well as how the situation may change as your baby grows.
This is an easy to read book, chapters are set out in a clear fashion and it is not full of jargon.
There are few illustrations but the ones present are appropriate. There is an adequate
index, current references, a list of resources ranging from websites, books, smart phone
apps, videos and mother-to-mother support organisations. As is usual with an overseas
published book not all of the resources are useful to an NZ audience, but there is enough
there to provide a start for local mothers.
The table of contents is intelligently organised to allow browsing as needed; this is not a
book that has to be read from cover to cover to gain its full value. Appendices include
sample plans for different work schedules, milk storage guidelines and information for the
caregiver.
This book is highly recommended as suitable for LLLNZ group libraries and will make
valuable contribution for any women who are wanting or needing to return to paid
employment while still breastfeeding their babies. This book should also be read by partners
and support people so that they can understand the importance of their role in helping with
the maintenance of the breastfeeding relationship.

Original review, printed in Aroha Volume 16 Number 6

Working and Breastfeeding Made Simple
Nancy Mohrbacher
Praeclarus Press, USA, 2014
Reviewed by Averil Sheehan and Robin Jones