Latch: A Handbook for Breastfeeding with Confidence at Every Stage

by Robin Kaplan M Ed IBCLC

Latch is a judgment-free guide to breastfeeding that will teach you exactly what you need to know to meet your own personal breastfeeding goals.

Early motherhood is a time of great joy. It can also be filled with new stressors—chief among breastfeeding. In A Handbook for Breastfeeding with Confidence at Every Stage, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, Robin Kaplan, addresses specific breastfeeding concerns, allowing you to feel empowered while breastfeeding and overcome challenges as they arise. After working with countless mothers who have felt unique in their breastfeeding challenges, and as the mother of two who overcame breastfeeding challenges of her own, she knows how deeply personal breastfeeding is.

Compassionate and supportive, Latch covers the most pressing topics at each stage of breastfeeding and will teach you

Establish successful breastfeeding early on with attention to breastfeeding positions, latch, mom's wellbeing, milk supply, supplementation, and pumpingBreastfeed through lifestyle changes such as returning to work, transitioning to bottle-feeding, supplementation, reducing nighttime feedings, and introducing solidsWean your baby/toddler from breastfeeding including emotional preparation, reducing feedings, and guidance for when your child tries to nurse againComplete with breastfeeding stories from new moms, breastmilk storage guidelines, and resources for additional breastfeeding support Latch will be there for you, holding your hand, every step of the way.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Audiobook

177 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 27, 2018

Reviews

[Lex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great non-judgmental, informative book that I purchased as a reference.

[Lex Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down one of THE MOST helpful books for me during pregnancy and postpartum. I still met with an IBCLC for needs specific to me but this was a great reference guide. It was clear to read and refer back to, and REALISTIC. This is now my go to gift to any new parent wanting to breastfeed.

[Shelby Bethke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that covers all the different routes breastfeeding can take without judgment. I had a rough start myself and I greatly appreciated the multi-angled support

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good info for various stages (before delivery, first few weeks post-partum, going back to work, etc.) with references that are easy to access. Not repetitive or overly complicated. Helpful guide that I'm sure I'll come back to!

[Friendly Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book overall but very top line. Some interesting additional links to explore. The breastfeeding stories felt very donor breast milk heavy would have liked to have more variety and details to how they resolved issues.

[Bice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this particular book for my daughter in law because I did not want to overwhelm her with a huge book on breastfeeding. Very concise, well written and the right size. ( Did give her Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League as a reference book in addition)

[Delaney Reilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a good resource but seems to have outdated or incorrect information on prenatal vitamins and which form of folate to look for. The book suggests folate and methylfolate as natural sources though folic acid (which it denigrates for being synthetic but is also the form most readily uptaken by the body) is the only form of folate that is clinically shown to prevent neural tube deformities. Also it can get a bit preachy.

[Kathleen Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good primer but would have appreciated a lot more detail on latching techniques and less fluff on going back to work.

[Leah E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this little book, it’s the perfect length and organized so well that it will be easy to reference in the next part of my journey!

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book while I was pregnant and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I knew breastfeeding would have its challenges and having read this book before my baby was born helped me tremendously. Simply reading facts and other moms stories before embarking on your own breastfeeding journey makes you feel a little more prepared. Not to mention your doctors and nurses don’t really educate or prepare you for everything breastfeeding involves. I also really like to use it as a reference now, even with my exclusively breastfed 5 month old who didn’t latch until he was about a week old. You always have a different picture in your mind how certain things will go and they always seem to go the exact opposite, so having some information under your belt will help with all the learning curves. Also, reading this book has allowed me to help friends and fellow breastfeeding moms with issues I haven’t even experienced myself. I Highly recommend if you are a new mom planning to breastfeed your baby! If you are already a mama who has breastfed before or currently breastfeeding for the first time, every journey is different and always remember that even small amounts of breastmilk is better than no breastmilk at all. You’re doing a phenomenal job just for trying and your baby will thank you for it! Our bodies are truly amazing and there is no one that will appreciate it more than your sweet baby! Keep up the good work and go buy this book!

[Kasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book demystifies breastfeeding, which is really important as I am two weeks from my due date as a first time mom. Everything is laid out clearly, simply, and accessibly. I feel like Robin really breaks down a lot of fears and anxiety that someone might have about breastfeeding. This is an easy read and laid out nicely so you are overburdened with only text. There are separate chapters that you can flip through easily to find what you want quickly and easily. I will be keeping this book in my baby's nursery so I can access it when I need to as my go-to reference - because that's exactly what it will be.

[Tiffany Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book got straight to the point. Moms often have a lot on their plate and it’s helpful to have concise information on these type of topics. Although fairly short, I found this book to be comprehensive in its content on breastfeeding. It addressed common myths, how breastfeeding works, troubleshooting, tips, nutrition, schedule options, pumping and other product recommendations, breastfeeding through lifestyle and developmental changes (growth spurts, etc.), stories from breastfeeding moms, a glossary with definitions of common vocabulary, and further resources. Highly recommend!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a rough start with breastfeeding and had to see a lactation consultant the first week. That helped a lot, but there were still plenty of growing pains (keyword pain) for several more weeks as my nipples healed and my baby learned wtf she needed to do—new skills take time!

We were on a good trajectory when I got this book, but it cleared up questions I didn't even know I had and got us the rest of the way.

Highly recommend you pick this one up BEFORE you start breastfeeding so you're more prepared than I was.

[Kali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was helpful to me for late stage breastfeeding. There's not a lot of information out there on breastfeeding kiddos past 6 months, at least not that I've found yet. This was pretty basic, but it did help reassure me a little. I would have still liked to have more information, but this seemed to cover just about every stage in a very straightforward way. I appreciate that, because as a mom of a little I didn't have time to really sit and dig for the information, I was able to skim through and find what I needed right away.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read & has good information. I am getting really tired of the binary gendered language that’s used in this type of book- not everyone who nurses is a woman or mama, and it’s really *not* hard to use inclusive language. As a non-binary nursing parent I feel very excluded from the “mom club” kind of language that’s used almost exclusively in this book.

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book that is filled with information but gets to the point! It’s the type of book I couldn’t put down and one I will continue to read over and over.
Was very relatable for me as a breastfeeding mom and doula.

[Laura Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my go to gift for friends and coworkers preparing to breastfeed. It is easy to read, realistic, and to the point. I love it because it prepares the reader for the whole breastfeeding journey from before birth, to weaning!

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t actually FINISH this because I didn’t feel the need to read the weaning section at this time, but I will definitely reference this book again when I do. Very straightforward and extremely helpful.

[Shida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read and understand for first time mummies. Covers the basic of breastfeeding. A great book to start off your research on your breastfeeding journey.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so informative! I really wish I’d read this instead of What to Expect. I got a lot more useful information out of this. I only regret not reading it BEFORE my daughter was born.

[Rebecca Shedd · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT RESOURCE!

I loved how the book talked about breastfeeding, weaning, when to wean, etc.! Highly recommend if you haven’t read this book yet!

[Laura Vogt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Valarie Scholte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written

Loved this. Very informative. Non judgmental. Lists a lot of resources as well as other helpful tips and tricks. Would recommend to any moms who plan on breastfeeding.

[Karen Morenz Korol · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't imagine a more condescending or useless book. "Oh women, make sure you have friends! Then you can complain to them when things are hard! Also, join a facebook group!" Thanks, book.

[River · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book and very easy to read. I am so thankful that I have added this to my birth work shelf. I will definitely add this book to my referrals to my clients.

[Abi Mackay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Concise guide. With imagery to aid understanding. Worth noting that this book is American.

[Katherine R · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has a lot of advice that is not evidence-based or is even dangerous. She makes a positive mention of bedsharing, for example.

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite of all breastfeeding books but it is very simple and straight to the point with all the facts anew breastfeeding individual needs.

[Sarah Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is my favorite basic go-to for every mama considering breastfeeding, or anyone that wants to learn more about lactation in general!

[Meghan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent, not perfect. Good tone. Some iffy info.