{"id":2075,"date":"2015-12-05T19:13:22","date_gmt":"2015-12-05T19:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thealphaparent.com\/?p=2075"},"modified":"2018-07-21T22:13:46","modified_gmt":"2018-07-21T22:13:46","slug":"images-of-breastfeeding-in-childrens-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thealphaparent.com\/images-of-breastfeeding-in-childrens-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Images of Breastfeeding in Children’s Books: Part Six"},"content":{"rendered":"
(Catch up with\u00a0Part One,\u00a0Part Two,\u00a0Part Three,\u00a0Part Four\u00a0and\u00a0Part Five).<\/p>\n
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This is an epic review for an epic book. I grew up with this book in the 80s and have fond, pervy memories of it. I say \u2018pervy\u2019 because it features copulation is all its glory. I\u2019m talking full-on penetration including an erect penis that would make John Holmes blush. As a child I felt devilishly naughty looking through its pages and would take great pride in \u2018shocking\u2019 my friends with the contents. The characters have cheesy 70s hairdos and facial hair, as well as a reluctance to use anatomically correct terms. For instance, a vagina is a \u2018baby-making place\u2019, an anus is a \u2018little hole\u2019, testacies are \u2018little round balls\u2019, and yet curiously a penis is still called a penis. The book covers all aspects of the human body, from boring aspects such as the skeleton, muscles and blood cells, to yucky aspects like bodily excretions and farts, and then of course the interesting well-thumbed part of the book: \u201cGrowing and Changing and Making New People\u201d. In this chapter a conservative text explains that: \u201cWhen a man and a woman want to make a baby, the man\u2019s penis stops being floppy and stands to attention\u201d. We are promptly treated to a close-up illustration of a penis saluting.<\/p>\n
After the usual timeline of pregnancy, the process of birth is depicted vaguely and somewhat bizarrely: \u201cIt is hard work for a mother to help her baby get out. She has to stretch her baby-making place very wide, and that takes a lot of time. But it is worth the hard work, because a new baby is a very happy person to have in a family\u201d. Is the stretching referring to the vagina or cervix? We will never know as this book seems to have a fear of reproductive terminology. Also the assumption that \u2018a baby is a very happy person to have in a family\u2019 is amusingly nonsensical considering how much of a baby\u2019s first year it spends crying.<\/p>\n
After birth the book features a brief nod to breastfeeding. The text describes that: \u201cAfter the baby is born, his mother holds him close to her breasts and puts the soft tip of one of them in his mouth. Then he can suck, and get the milk the breasts are making\u201d. Although the word \u2018breast\u2019 is used correctly, there\u2019s no mention that \u2018the soft tip\u2019 is called a nipple. Refreshingly however the mutual pleasure of breastfeeding is described: \u201cMothers like doing this. It feels nice for them. Babies like doing this. It feels nice for them, too\u201d. Also skin to skin is championed: \u201cBreasts are for making milk to feed the baby with. They are also to help cuddle the baby. Being cuddled by a mother with warm soft breasts is very nice for babies and children\u201d. In all I would recommend this book for its nostalgic quirky value.<\/p>\n
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Each page in this bubbly light-hearted book focuses on a different body part. Hair, eyes, nose, shoulders, tongue, and so on. It acts as a charming introduction to the human body for inquisitive toddlers. The text is shy on detail so as not to be overbearing, and serves as a simple bedfellow for the stunning illustrations. For instance, on the page titled \u2018Hair\u2019 the detailed illustration shows a bustling family in their bathroom. The text simply and eloquently reads: \u201cDripping hair. Straight hair. Tangled hair. Curly hair. Where is your hair?\u201d Unlike \u2018The Body Book\u2019 (reviewed above), this book features the correct anatomical labels for each body part (including penis and vagina). On the page titled \u2018Nipples\u2019 the text reads: \u201cLittle nipples. Hairy nipples. Milky nipples.\u201d An accompanying illustration shows a multitasking mother breastfeeding her infant whilst reading with an older child. A miscellany of body shapes are celebrated throughout the book – double chins, mutton tops, fat rolls, short people, tall people, old people, and of course, children. However for a book that purports to \u201cplay tribute to the wonderful diversity of our marvellous bodies\u201d there is one flaw \u2013 everyone is white.<\/p>\n
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From the same author-illustrator that brought us \u2018Sophie and the New Baby\u2019 and \u2018Aren\u2019t You Lucky\u2019 (both reviewed in\u00a0Part One) here is another story featuring a young girl learning about babies. The familiar felt-tipped illustrations that Catherine Anholt is famous for are plentiful, however this time, instead of preparing for the arrival of a new sibling, the little girl is reflecting on her own babyhood. Together with her Mum, they discuss the various milestones of her infancy, starting with her arrival home from hospital, then discussing babycare tasks such as bathing and nappy changing, and ending with her first birthday party. There is an eclectic mix of parenting styles depicted in the book. Breastfeeding and cosleeping are shown at the start. An illustration shows Mum nursing her daughter in bed, with moses basket close by, whilst Dad delivers breakfast to them. In the accompanying text the little girl asks \u201cWhat did I eat when I was a baby?\u201d to which her mother responds: \u201cFor a long while you only drank milk\u201d. No more is said regarding breastfeeding and later in the book a bottle is shown. There is no babywearing. Instead the baby is transported in a pram. However the baby does appear to be wearing cloth nappies rather than disposables, and babyled weaning is hinted at. So as I said, an eclectic mix.<\/p>\n
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I dislike this book. Why would I dislike a book which features breastfeeding and was created by the same author who brought us the pro-breastfeeding books \u2018Happy Birth Day!\u2019 and \u2018Hi New Baby!\u2019 (reviewed in\u00a0Part Four) you may be wondering. I dislike this book because of the clumsy way it describes breast milk and formula. After announcing the birth of baby Benny the text inform us that: \u201cThe only food new babies need is milk from their mother\u2019s breasts or from a bottle filled with special milk for babies. This special milk is made from cow\u2019s milk or soybeans. Breast milk and the special milk taste different from the milk we drink. The special milk has a stronger taste because extra vitamins, salt, sugar, and fat have been added to it\u201d. Firstly, why use the word \u2018special\u2019 to describe formula? Why not just call it formula? Secondly, why mention that \u2018special milk\u2019 has vitamins added but neglect to mention that breast milk already contains those vitamins and a host more? None of the attributes of breast milk are mentioned. These oversights are a real shame considering that the book contains a wonderful full-page illustration of a happy mother nursing her newborn with proud father on looking.<\/p>\n
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(Catch up with\u00a0Part One,\u00a0Part Two,\u00a0Part Three,\u00a0Part Four\u00a0and\u00a0Part Five). The Body Book Claire Rayner This is an epic review for an epic book. I grew up with this book in the 80s and have fond, pervy memories of it. I say \u2018pervy\u2019 because it features copulation is all its glory. I\u2019m talking full-on penetration including an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2095,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n