Book Review
How Weaning Happens by Diane Bengson is a book put out by La Leche League and has a very misleading title.
Before I decided that it wasn't yet time to wean Erik, I picked up a copy of this book at the library. I was sorely disappointed to find that it is definitely not of much help to moms who want to wean, but rather exhorts the reader not to wean on the mother's timetable at all. Every chapter extols the virtues of child-led weaning, to the point that the author is judgmental about other choices. I was just stunned, however, that the author highly discourages mother-led weaning even for medical reasons with very few exceptions, claiming that most of the time the doctors are wrong when they tell moms to wean or alternately that moms should just put off medical procedures and the like so that they won't traumatize the child with weaning before s/he is ready.
ONE example of a mother-led weaning that went well was included, but every other anecdote the author included that involved mother-led weaning was a big ordeal story filled with maternal regret. I'm sorry, but I really don't think mothers need that kind of pressure and guilt-tripping for their own choices regarding when is right to wean, no matter when they choose. I also find it ironic that she would take such a stance when she condemns public pressure to wean before the toddler stage and states over and over that it's up to the mom and baby to determine what is right for themselves; of course by this she means it's for the kid to decide, not the mom. So yeah, she's a bit hypocritical in just pressuring from the other side.
If you're doing or considering extended breastfeeding and want to read a book that is supportive of that choice, this one would definitely be good for that. I would NOT recommend it for mothers who have decided it's time to wean, though.
Before I decided that it wasn't yet time to wean Erik, I picked up a copy of this book at the library. I was sorely disappointed to find that it is definitely not of much help to moms who want to wean, but rather exhorts the reader not to wean on the mother's timetable at all. Every chapter extols the virtues of child-led weaning, to the point that the author is judgmental about other choices. I was just stunned, however, that the author highly discourages mother-led weaning even for medical reasons with very few exceptions, claiming that most of the time the doctors are wrong when they tell moms to wean or alternately that moms should just put off medical procedures and the like so that they won't traumatize the child with weaning before s/he is ready.
ONE example of a mother-led weaning that went well was included, but every other anecdote the author included that involved mother-led weaning was a big ordeal story filled with maternal regret. I'm sorry, but I really don't think mothers need that kind of pressure and guilt-tripping for their own choices regarding when is right to wean, no matter when they choose. I also find it ironic that she would take such a stance when she condemns public pressure to wean before the toddler stage and states over and over that it's up to the mom and baby to determine what is right for themselves; of course by this she means it's for the kid to decide, not the mom. So yeah, she's a bit hypocritical in just pressuring from the other side.
If you're doing or considering extended breastfeeding and want to read a book that is supportive of that choice, this one would definitely be good for that. I would NOT recommend it for mothers who have decided it's time to wean, though.