The Maternity Leave Breastfeeding Plan: How to Enjoy Nursing for Three Months and Go Back to Work Guilt-Free

This book is incredibly usable and full of common sense information and advice on breastfeeding in general, as well as infant care and ways to make the experience successful! I read this book, intending to wean once I went back to work and instead nursed for 1 yr!

I read this book, and I didn't get from it the message that others did at all. I think that the book suggests that many women don't nurse at all because they know their employers will be unsupportive of pumping, and Dr. Wilkoff suggests that nursing for 3 months is better than none. I'm personally a round-the-clock sort of breastfeeding mom and nurse my children into toddlerhood, but I was not offended by this book. I think some of the reviewers of this book were choosing to focus only on the parts of it that they disagreed with. There's a lot of good in this book too: he condemns having formula samples in the house for new mothers as he rightly thinks it sabotages breastfeeding, he thinks nursing until babies start solids would be preferable, and he does indeed offer several suggestions for getting employers to be supportive of pumping. But he also acknowledges the sad reality that some employers will not make it feasible enough for women to nurse.There's a lot of good in this book for women who want to breastfeed but know from the start that they won't do it long-term. I love the Sears and LLL books personally, but I'm also so strongly a believer in breastfeeding that I think 3 months of breastfeeding is better than none. If Dr. Wilkoff's book encourages some women to nurse for 3 months who otherwise wouldn't have nursed their babies at all, then I think it serves a useful function. I rated it only 4 stars though because I think the book makes nursing sound exhausting and in my experience it isn't. New motherhood is inherently exhausting whether you breastfeed or not.

Fortunately, I did not let some of the negative reviews discourage me from reading this book. I will be a new mom in the near future and I feel that Dr. Wilkoff's book offers lots of wonderful information on breastfeeding in today's fast-paced world. I like his honest commentary on what to expect from breastfeeding and encouragement to take one day at a time. Dr. Wilkoff does a good job of explaining how to create a nursing-friendly workplace and the tools that can help a mom continuing breastfeeding when she returns to work. What I really liked about this book, however, is that Dr. Wilkoff offers a plan for breastfeeding that is realistic in today's society. After reading this book, I have a better understanding of breastfeeding. I know that it will take some hard work but that it will have great rewards too. Dr. Wilkoff has encouraged me to start with a three-month plan with the hope that I can continue to breastfeed even after I return to work. Thank you!

I found this book to be very helpful during the first few months at home with my newborn. We had a difficult time breastfeeding, and Dr. Wilkoff's advice was invaluable - he covers everything from latching-on difficulties, flat/inverted nipples, sore and cracked nipples, to managing the incredible fatigue during those initial weeks. I am now back to work, and STILL breastfeeding! I liked the approach recommended by Dr. Wilkoff - take things a few months at a time and see how it goes. Thinking about nursing for the recommended 12 months when my baby was 2 weeks old and I was in tears each nursing session for various reasons was just too much. But even during those times I was able to stay motivated to make it at least through my maternity leave. Great advice for helping create a nursing friendly work place. I have been back to work for four months now - and haven't needed ANY supplements!Thanks Dr. Wilkoff!