Breastfeeding Doesn’t Need to Suck
Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
2022
Overview:
In Breastfeeding Doesn't Need to Suck, health psychologist and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett offers a compassionate, evidence-based guide that addresses both the physical and emotional challenges of breastfeeding. The book delves into topics often overlooked in traditional breastfeeding literature, such as the impact of breastfeeding on sleep, safe (and unsafe) bedsharing, and how infant sleep locations affect maternal mental health.
Why It’s Included:
This book stands out for its holistic approach, intertwining lactation science with maternal mental health. It provides practical advice on common breastfeeding issues like nipple pain and low milk supply, while also addressing deeper emotional experiences, including postpartum depression, anxiety, and the effects of traumatic birth or past abuse. Kendall-Tackett introduces the concept of the "five I's" of new motherhood—idleness, isolation, incompetence, identity, and intensity—offering strategies to navigate these challenges.
Who It’s For:
Ideal for new and expectant mothers, as well as their support networks, this book is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the intersection of breastfeeding and mental health. Healthcare providers, lactation consultants, and mental health professionals will also find it beneficial for supporting their clients through the postpartum period.
“I first met Kathleen Kendall-Tackett in 2008 at a breastfeeding conference in Melbourne but have been reading her books for much longer. This latest addition is an excellent resource for mothers and those who support. Breastfeeding is not a task on a tod-do list, it is a relationship between mother and child. Challenges with establishing or maintaining breastfeeding can have a huge impact of maternal self-esteem and mental health yet these feelings are too often brushed aside with reassurance the baby “will be fine if breastfeeding isn’t possible. This book looks at how women experience breastfeeding and what emotional impact “success” or “failure” can have in the post-partum period.”
Further Reading:
Breastfeeding Made Simple – Nancy Mohrbacher & Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
Why Breastfeeding Grief and Trauma Matter – Amy Brown
