ANSWER:
For pleasure, and at times in desperation, I've read quite a bit about babies over the past two years. When I was pregnant with Roscoe I read up on parenting philosophy. After he was born, I gravitated toward sources covering breastfeeding, and sleep--mostly because these two areas were the ones I was least prepared for and which ultimately gave me the most trouble!
PARENTING:
Here are the five books that have most shaped our parenting philosophy:
Baby-Proofing Your Marriage: recommended reading before the baby is born!!
Web Resource: www.attachmentparenting.org
SLEEP:
Remember this? We were desperate for a solution and we found one!
BREASTFEEDING:
I wasn't as proactive about breastfeeding as I should have been the first time around. I assumed that the relationship would flourish without a lot of effort on my part. Breastfeeding is natural, right!!?? Postpartum, I practically lived on the La Leche League's website troubleshooting and searching for affirmation that what I was experiencing was common, if not normal.
Kelly Mom is a great site for all types of questions related to breastfeeding. The web author is a lactation consultant. This article on latch was particularly useful--the animation explained a lot!
I recently ordered Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding in prep for Little Sears--I really do hope to avoid all the problems I experienced last time! To address your question about nursing on demand, Ina's book and the attachment parenting philosophy in general, as well as La Leche League, are all very supportive of nursing on demand.
Here is a "nursing on demand" article posted on the La Leche League website.
Disclaimer: I don't endorse every concept offered by these resources--take from them what works for you, and leave what doesn't! That's what I did. As with all sources of information, a healthy dose of skepticism is well justified.
This is fun! Have you thought of any more questions since last month? Post em' below!!
Hey J,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you posted on the above books esp the ones on Attachment parenting. I need to do a little more research for the future! I did most my research online after being pregnant. I feel like I need more breastfeeding info related to toddler self-weaning so I'd like to know what Ina May has to say. Also, I just bought the No-Cry discipline solution...I'll let you know the verdict. I intend to pick up the No-Cry Toddler Sleep Solution soon too!
All great books! I have not read Ina's breastfeeding book but I will have to give it a look. After reading your post months ago about Rosco's sleep issues I went out and bought NCSS as well in prep for after Madame was born and putting good principles into practice.
ReplyDeleteAmazing how "hard" breastfeeding is, I had the benifit of seeing my Mum BF 5 kids and had always known it was what I was going to do but at 3am when Madame would not latch on the second night I felt helpless with a screaming baby. I also read "So That's What They're For" which I found good because she inserts a lot of humour in her writing so it was fun and quick to read.
If it is not too personal of a question do you plan to have Roscoe totally weaned before Little Sears comes or will you tandem feed?