Bottled Up: How the Way We Feed Babies Has Come to Define Motherhood, and Why It Shouldn't
Blogger/editor Barston had every intention of breastfeeding her newborn son, but the baby's severe intolerance to breast milk along with other factors thwarted her efforts. Feeling conflicted, defensive, and guilty, she spent two years researching the ups and downs of bottle and breastfeeding. Her text interweaves memoir and reporting as she scouts recent medical literature, interviews experts, and recounts her own tale as a  lactation-challenged Hester Prynne.  Barston makes clear that she is not antibreastfeeding; rather, her goal is to lay out the facts and examine the research so that each mother can decide for herself. Breastfeeding, she asserts, is not for every woman, whether for medical, psychological, professional, or many other reasons. She advocates a  new outlook on infant feeding: one that refuses to embrace a one-size-fits-all strategy.  While much has been done to support the breastfeeding mother, Barston argues, formula feeders have often been judged unfairly, without due attention to each woman's individual circumstances. Society's goal, she contends, should be to support all mothers in their right to choose what is best for themselves, their babies, and their families. Formula-feeding parents will find support, information, and encouragement in this well-researched and compassionate text, and breastfeeding moms and advocates will benefit from Barston's authentic experience and perspective as well. (Oct.)