By: Brendan C – CC BY 2.0 I’m pregnant, and hoping to buy a book for our little boy about what’s going to happen. I’m struggling to find what I’m looking for, and was hoping the Offbeat Families community might be able to suggest something!
I’m hoping for something simple enough for a toddler, that shows the basic baby stuff — baby sleeping, crying, breastfeeding, having a nappy change and so on. I keep coming across books where the baby has a bottle — and while that’s a valid choice, I’d really like my son to see pictures of a baby breastfeeding, as that’s what we hope our new baby will do!
So tell me: what breastfeeding-friendly toddler books have you seen out, and which are your favorites? — Lauren
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Comments on Do you know of any toddler-friendly books that talk about breastfeeding a baby?
I just want to say: “Me too!”
I’m pregnant and trying to wean my son, but I’m afraid he will want to start nursing after he sees his new sibling doing it. I wonder if images of little babies nursing will get him used to the idea that it’s for the BABY, not for little boys. He’ll probably want to anyway…. ha!
I haven’t actually been through this as a parent, but my mom breast-fed my brother up until she got pregnant with me, and then he basically weaned himself as her breastmilk changed in preparation for another baby — he didn’t like the taste. Your mileage may vary, but he might not want to nurse anymore when the milk is different (probably it’s especially different when it’s collagen, right after the baby is born… Maybe that’s what turned my brother off when Mom was pregnant? Who knows…)
My turning-two year old pretty much stopped toward the end of my pregnancy, but then when my milk came in after the new baby was born he started nursing again. And now they are both nursing (although the toddler nurses once every few days while the baby nurses all the time).
First off, I’m totally in the same boat as you Jessi! But a little further in the process. My little one weaned herself once I hit 6 months in pregnancy because the milk changes back to colostum around then. She would detach herself and look at me funny and then my boob like I was making something off. 🙂 It was an easy wean because it was all baby led. My second is due next month and from my research, older ones can go back to breastfeeding and tandem breastfeeding is completely possible and not weird. Just not talked about as much.
I wrote my whole experience on breastfeeding while pregnant here -http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/badass-breastfeeder/something-to-say-about-breastfeeding-while-pregnant-by-guest-blogger-ashleymarie-sey-lively
I wish I knew too! Maybe one day I’ll have to tackle making one myself. I’m not against the bottle in books or toys, but there really have been much out there to promote breastfeeding through books or toys. Sesame Street used to teach about it when my parents were little, but they have since nixed the breastfeeding thing.
Edit:
Thank you Lauren for posting this question! I looked below to see the responses and all the suggested book titles and some look great! I think my daughter would love some of them. <3
My mom switched my older little brother to bottles with regular milk in them when she was pregnant with the younger one, this let him still suck things but was much easier than formula bottles and left the boobs for the new baby.
Baby’s Catalogue by Janet and Allan Ahlberg features images of babies breastfeeding, as does The Bare Naked Book by Kathy Stinson and Heather Collins. Kisses Kisses, Baby-O! by Sheree Fitch and HildaRose also includes an image of a baby nursing. I recently saw a beautiful picture book about babies and children at my local women’s sex shop-I can’t recall the name, but if you can get to a local store with a good sex ed/parenting section, you might be able to find some good selections!
I really love The New Baby by Mister Rogers. They show a nice, clear photo of a baby breastfeeding. Next to it is a photo of the father bottle feeding the baby. I like that it shows both. I’ve explained to my toddler that Mama will give the baby milk from her breast and other people will give the baby milk from a bottle. She seems to understand that the baby can be fed both ways. She, herself, lets me know when she wants “mama milk” or “cup milk”.
I just ordered My New Baby By Rachel Fuller for my 2-year old, I’m expecting in July. In the comments on Amazon it says that it shows “discreet” breastfeeding. Also, we recently took out Big Sister Now: A Story about Me and Our New Baby by Annette Sheldon from our local library and that was great, it did show breastfeeding and the message is about how things change when the new baby comes,and deals with the negative feelings the older sibling can feel. My daughter loved it, and it looks like according to Amazon there is a “Big Brother” version of the book too!
I don’t know where we got a copy of it, but my daughter has My New Baby on her shelf and it was the first book I thought of in answer to this question. I think the kid and the dad are making dinner while mom & baby nurse, not too discreetly, in the background.
Topsy & Tim and the New Baby. They visit a friend who has a new brother. His mum says he’s hungry and breast feeds him. There’s s lovely picture. It’s a great book all round. 🙂
The Runaway Hug by Nick Bland. The last page shows a drawing of all the kids in bed and the baby breastfeeding. Although that’s not what the book is about we tend to linger on that page longer than all the rest talking about how babies drink milk from their mommies.
My Mama Needs Me – Mildred Pitts Walter. A family of color, with pictures and words about breastfeeding and the older brother watching and helping mama out.
I don’t know if it has a breastfeeding specific picture, but Everywhere Babies has photos of babywearing, cloth diapering, multiracial families, families with single parents and same sex parents–we really like it. I would be surprised if it didn’t have a breastfeeding picture, but it’s not in front of me now so I can’t check.
http://www.amazon.com/Teeny-Tiny-Baby-Amy-Schwartz/dp/B005FOFYS4
A Teeny Tiny Baby by Amy Schwartz- this is an amazing charmer- at least 5 different instances of mom breastfeeding and one of dad bottlefeeding (expressed milk?). Also baby carrying, stroller pushing, and apartment city living 🙂
“Breastmilk Makes my Tummy Yummy” has kids of all ages breastfeeding. I think it’s out of print but there’s a YouTube video of someone reading it. My daughter still loves watching it at 5!
Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers and Marla Frazee is one of our favorites. It includes images of breastfeeding babies (alongside ones of babies eating other ways). It would be a great book for engaging toddlers about all aspects of babies. No second child for us yet, but my 22-month-old daughter loves the pictures. If we do have a second any time soon, I think this book will help.
What a great question with so many awesome responses…of course looking at these books on Amazon led me to look at books that explain pregnancy and birth. It may be more appropriate as a separate thread, but are there any books that explain pregnancy and birth for kids without assuming that everyone births in a hospital with a doctor? I don’t mind if a book doesn’t specifically talk about home births with midwives, but all the books I’m finding seem to really emphasize doctors and hospitals.
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I just want to say: “Me too!”
I’m pregnant and trying to wean my son, but I’m afraid he will want to start nursing after he sees his new sibling doing it. I wonder if images of little babies nursing will get him used to the idea that it’s for the BABY, not for little boys. He’ll probably want to anyway…. ha!
I haven’t actually been through this as a parent, but my mom breast-fed my brother up until she got pregnant with me, and then he basically weaned himself as her breastmilk changed in preparation for another baby — he didn’t like the taste. Your mileage may vary, but he might not want to nurse anymore when the milk is different (probably it’s especially different when it’s collagen, right after the baby is born… Maybe that’s what turned my brother off when Mom was pregnant? Who knows…)
My turning-two year old pretty much stopped toward the end of my pregnancy, but then when my milk came in after the new baby was born he started nursing again. And now they are both nursing (although the toddler nurses once every few days while the baby nurses all the time).
First off, I’m totally in the same boat as you Jessi! But a little further in the process. My little one weaned herself once I hit 6 months in pregnancy because the milk changes back to colostum around then. She would detach herself and look at me funny and then my boob like I was making something off. 🙂 It was an easy wean because it was all baby led. My second is due next month and from my research, older ones can go back to breastfeeding and tandem breastfeeding is completely possible and not weird. Just not talked about as much.
I wrote my whole experience on breastfeeding while pregnant here -http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/badass-breastfeeder/something-to-say-about-breastfeeding-while-pregnant-by-guest-blogger-ashleymarie-sey-lively
But… I just came across this other article that I found really helpful and interesting about the after parts that you and I probably don’t know about yet. 🙂 It’s about tandem breastfeeding the newborn and older one at the same time – http://dulcefamily.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-weaned-child-and-his-mother-story-of.html
AS FAR AS BREASTFEEDING BOOKS FOR TODDLERS…
I wish I knew too! Maybe one day I’ll have to tackle making one myself. I’m not against the bottle in books or toys, but there really have been much out there to promote breastfeeding through books or toys. Sesame Street used to teach about it when my parents were little, but they have since nixed the breastfeeding thing.
Edit:
Thank you Lauren for posting this question! I looked below to see the responses and all the suggested book titles and some look great! I think my daughter would love some of them. <3
My mom switched my older little brother to bottles with regular milk in them when she was pregnant with the younger one, this let him still suck things but was much easier than formula bottles and left the boobs for the new baby.
Baby’s Catalogue by Janet and Allan Ahlberg features images of babies breastfeeding, as does The Bare Naked Book by Kathy Stinson and Heather Collins. Kisses Kisses, Baby-O! by Sheree Fitch and HildaRose also includes an image of a baby nursing. I recently saw a beautiful picture book about babies and children at my local women’s sex shop-I can’t recall the name, but if you can get to a local store with a good sex ed/parenting section, you might be able to find some good selections!
Mama’s Milk/Mama Me Alimenta
By Michael Elsohn Ross
I really love The New Baby by Mister Rogers. They show a nice, clear photo of a baby breastfeeding. Next to it is a photo of the father bottle feeding the baby. I like that it shows both. I’ve explained to my toddler that Mama will give the baby milk from her breast and other people will give the baby milk from a bottle. She seems to understand that the baby can be fed both ways. She, herself, lets me know when she wants “mama milk” or “cup milk”.
What Baby Needs by dr sears. It’s awesome and my son loved it before his sister was born.
I just ordered My New Baby By Rachel Fuller for my 2-year old, I’m expecting in July. In the comments on Amazon it says that it shows “discreet” breastfeeding. Also, we recently took out Big Sister Now: A Story about Me and Our New Baby by Annette Sheldon from our local library and that was great, it did show breastfeeding and the message is about how things change when the new baby comes,and deals with the negative feelings the older sibling can feel. My daughter loved it, and it looks like according to Amazon there is a “Big Brother” version of the book too!
I don’t know where we got a copy of it, but my daughter has My New Baby on her shelf and it was the first book I thought of in answer to this question. I think the kid and the dad are making dinner while mom & baby nurse, not too discreetly, in the background.
Will There Be a Lap for Me? by Dorothy Corey and We Like to Nurse by Chia Martin.
Topsy & Tim and the New Baby. They visit a friend who has a new brother. His mum says he’s hungry and breast feeds him. There’s s lovely picture. It’s a great book all round. 🙂
The Runaway Hug by Nick Bland. The last page shows a drawing of all the kids in bed and the baby breastfeeding. Although that’s not what the book is about we tend to linger on that page longer than all the rest talking about how babies drink milk from their mommies.
My Mama Needs Me – Mildred Pitts Walter. A family of color, with pictures and words about breastfeeding and the older brother watching and helping mama out.
I don’t know if it has a breastfeeding specific picture, but Everywhere Babies has photos of babywearing, cloth diapering, multiracial families, families with single parents and same sex parents–we really like it. I would be surprised if it didn’t have a breastfeeding picture, but it’s not in front of me now so I can’t check.
There is a breastfeeding picture! I was just coming to recommend that book.
I love that book! And yes, there is definitely a breastfeeding photo (“Everyday, everywhere, babies are fed! By bottle, by breast…etc”).
This is the book I was thinking of! Thank you!
Here’s also a Sesame Street video that’s very sweet:
There’s an older one, too, where Maria nurses her new baby.
Hello Baby! by Lizzy Rockwell
http://www.amazon.com/Teeny-Tiny-Baby-Amy-Schwartz/dp/B005FOFYS4
A Teeny Tiny Baby by Amy Schwartz- this is an amazing charmer- at least 5 different instances of mom breastfeeding and one of dad bottlefeeding (expressed milk?). Also baby carrying, stroller pushing, and apartment city living 🙂
“Saturday with Mez” by Lauren Serafin, Jason Rohrer and Mez
I don’t know if it is still available. Also, on their website they had this link to other books with breastfeeding:
http://www.northcountrynotes.org/laurenserafin/saturdayWithMez/links.html
When You Were Inside Mommy is more about pregnancy than baby but shows breastfeeding. Here’s the page — https://twitter.com/thejaninefowler/status/294487100701671424
We bought 3 baby-preparation books and that one is my 2 year old’s favorite.
“Breastmilk Makes my Tummy Yummy” has kids of all ages breastfeeding. I think it’s out of print but there’s a YouTube video of someone reading it. My daughter still loves watching it at 5!
there is a booklet you can download on this site, but there are also a lot of breastfeeding images that are awesome!
http://www.amadori.org/breastfeedingart/html/frames/framesetall.htm
Actually, if you look at any one of these books in Amazon, it will start to suggest a large number of other books about breastfeeding.
This is the 7th installment of The Alpha Parent’s blog on children’s books with breastfeeding images. There’s a lot! http://www.thealphaparent.com/2012_04_01_archive.html
I recommend “The New Baby Calf” by Barbara Reid. Okay, so the kid is actually a calf, and he eats from his mom’s udder. But it is sweet.
Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers and Marla Frazee is one of our favorites. It includes images of breastfeeding babies (alongside ones of babies eating other ways). It would be a great book for engaging toddlers about all aspects of babies. No second child for us yet, but my 22-month-old daughter loves the pictures. If we do have a second any time soon, I think this book will help.
What a great question with so many awesome responses…of course looking at these books on Amazon led me to look at books that explain pregnancy and birth. It may be more appropriate as a separate thread, but are there any books that explain pregnancy and birth for kids without assuming that everyone births in a hospital with a doctor? I don’t mind if a book doesn’t specifically talk about home births with midwives, but all the books I’m finding seem to really emphasize doctors and hospitals.