Book Reviews
Yvette O’Dowd has been a passionate reader since childhood. Her first pregnancy in the early 1980s saw her consuming the local library collection of books about pregnancy, childbirth, child development and child care. Having ignited a life-long interest in these subjects, Yvette went on to work at Merrily Merrily Enterprises [the retail arm of the Nursing Mothers’ Association of Australia (now known as The Australian Breastfeeding Association)] from 1995 - 2000. This included the recommendation and sale of books on breastfeeding and human lactation, parenting and related titles to both parents and health professionals.
From 2008 - 2013, Yvette ran The Breastfeeding Centre In Dandenong, Victoria - the Victorian Branch Office of the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Here she curated and maintained an extensive library of books available to both members and volunteers. When establishing the Southern Natural Parenting Network in 2014, Yvette had a vision of a collection of books available to members and the wider community, establishing a community library on wheels available at meets and events. Yvette’ family are resigned to her extensive personal collection! (Thank goodness for the digital revolution!)
Yvette also has a passion for children’s books - particularly picture books - and her collection expanded as her family has. Books for children about babies are of particular interest. Stay tuned for review soon!
Browse Yvette’s recommendations:
Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk: A Guide to Providing Expressed Breast Milk for Your Baby
Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk is a practical, comprehensive guide by Stephanie Casemore, born of her firsthand experiences pumping breast milk for her premature infant and continuing through toddlerhood. In this second edition, Casemore—clearly noting she’s not a medical professional, but a well-informed mother—offers a compassionate roadmap for families choosing to feed via exclusively expressed breast milk. The book covers every stage: from starting pumping, choosing the right equipment, and overcoming common challenges like low supply or physical discomfort, to storing milk, navigating life with a pump, and eventually weaning. Special attention is given to parents with babies in NICU, offering targeted support for their unique situation .
Work. Pump. Repeat: The New Mom’s Survival Guide to Breastfeeding and Going Back to Work
Work. Pump. Repeat is a candid and practical guide for parents navigating the challenges of expressing breast milk while returning to paid employment. Drawing on hundreds of real-life stories, author and working mother Jessica Shortall offers a refreshingly honest look at the realities of pumping at work—logistics, awkward encounters, emotional upheaval, and small triumphs. Rather than idealising breastfeeding, the book embraces the messy middle ground many parents occupy, and provides practical advice on everything from setting up a pumping routine to managing business travel with a breast pump in tow. It’s a rallying cry for working parents who are trying to do it all—and a reminder that they’re not alone.