Start Here: Breastfeeding and Infant Care with Humor and Common Sense

Most new parents want to do everything they can to ensure their baby has the best chance of having a great life. After reading all the books, talking to all the friends, and eating all the right foods, parents quickly learn, however, that taking care of their baby is not formulaic. Everybody seems to have a different answer. According to author Kathleen McCue, a nurse practitioner and lactation consultant, there is no ONE right way to do it. She suggests you should take everybody's advice, stir it up in a big pot, and pull out the pieces that work for you and your baby. In a humorous way, McCue shows you that you already have all the tools you need to do this parenting thing, and to do it well. McCue compares breastfeeding to falling in love; it's not a thinking thing. It's something that evolves and takes on a life of its own. Too often, people try to intellectualize breastfeeding and make it an activity that is a learned skill. McCue contends there IS no right way--there's your way and your baby's way. You and your baby will find your way to successful breastfeeding if you just trust your instincts. With more than 37 years of practice, the author has learned that helping parents with breastfeeding is a careful balance of giving opinions, citing research, supporting, listening to, and learning from infants and their parents. Often, the help she gives has little to do with breastfeeding and a lot to do with reassuring and providing parents with general hints at parenting newborns. McCue has designed this book to provide new parents with hints on how to do all this, and remind them that they already have the knowledge, strength, and skills to be a successful parent. She presents this information with humor and good common sense, making this book a fun and informative read.