Unlatched - by Jennifer Grayson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Since the rise of artificial formula, we have turned a biological process into a never-ending controversy: A mother breastfeeding her three-year-old son on the cover of Time magazine sets off a firestorm. Facebook takes down photos of women nursing, citing the content as "offensive." The pope weighs in, urging mothers to nurse their children in church or elsewhere "without thinking twice."

So how did we get here? What are the consequences of surrendering eons of human evolution for a mode of feeding so alien? Growing up, journalist Jennifer Grayson thought nothing of the fact that she was bottle-fed. But when she became a mother, Grayson considered the impact of missing out on this profound connection. Her book is a worldwide search for answers about the first, most fundamental experience of newborn life.

From biblical times to eighteenth-century France, from modern-day Mongolia to inner-city Los Angeles--Unlatched uncovers astonishing cultural, corporate, political, and technological factors at the heart of our contemporary breastfeeding disconnection.

Why did we trade a biological imperative for a corporate product, and what is the true science of human milk?

• The Science of Human Milk: A deep dive into the thousands of unique components in breast milk--from immune factors to newly discovered oligosaccharides--that infant formula can't replicate.
• A Surprising Cultural History: Journey from the wet-nurses of eighteenth-century France to the formula-marketing boom of the 1950s to understand how corporations and doctors reshaped motherhood.
• The Politics of Infant Formula: An investigation into the cozy relationship between formula companies and government programs like WIC that shape how millions of babies are fed.
• Motherhood Reclaimed: Follows the author's personal transformation from a bottle-fed skeptic to a mother practicing tandem and extended breastfeeding, offering an intimate look at today's parenting choices.

From the Back Cover

Since the rise of artificial formula, we have turned a biological process into a never-ending controversy: A mother breastfeeding her three-year-old son on the cover of Time magazine sets off a firestorm. Facebook takes down photos of women nursing, citing the content as "offensive." The pope weighs in, urging mothers to nurse their children in church or elsewhere "without thinking twice."

So how did we get here? What are the consequences of surrendering eons of human evolution for a mode of feeding so alien? Growing up, journalist Jennifer Grayson thought nothing of the fact that she was bottle-fed. But when she became a mother, Grayson considered the impact of missing out on this profound connection. Her book is a worldwide search for answers about the first, most fundamental experience of newborn life.

Review Quotes

"Why can American women expose their breasts to sell magazines, cars, and beer, but not publicly nurse their children? It is time for an unflinching look at the breastfeeding obstacles women face in our society and in Unlatched, we have it. This is a must-read book for every mother and mother-to-be." - --Alyssa Milano

"Unlatched is an intelligent, often funny, deftly written page-turner. Honestly, I'm surprised at how enthusiastically I find myself recommending a book about breastfeeding. Perfect not just for new parents, but for anyone who loves a good read." - -Anne Hathaway

"Unlatched is an essential book, not only for every parent to-be, but for physicians as well. Jennifer Grayson asks all the right questions, and it is clear that we must stop letting politics, money, and societal expectations trump good science." - -Marion Nestle is professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University and author of, among other books, What to Eat.

"Grayson's book beautifully explains how we got to the breastfeeding brouhaha that exists in America today. This book is recommended reading for anyone who has breasts or loves them." - -Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein

"I'm hearing more and more that the root of much evil in our bad health is formula-feeding instead of breastfeeding, and with terrific investigative chops Jennifer Grayson nails the most insidious part of this: the government's role in hocking formula to the most vulnerable among us." - -Michael Moss, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and New York Times bestselling author of Salt, Sugar, Fat

"As an Ob-Gyn I have been guilty of speaking to new mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding instead of warning them of the risks of not breastfeeding. Unlatched is an essential book, not only for every parent to-be, but for physicians as well. It is not controversial that breast-fed babies are less likely to be obese adults, and less likely to have immunologic and other medical problems. Jennifer Grayson asks all the right questions, and it is clear that we must stop letting politics, money, and societal expectations trump good science." - -Dr. Lauren Streicher, renowned women's health expert, clinical associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, and author of Sex Rx: Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever

"Unlatched is a deeply engaging, highly personal, well researched, and thoughtfully balanced account of how modern society has denormalized breastfeeding." - -Marion Nestle is professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University and author of, among other books, What to Eat.

"Unlatched is an essential book, not only for every parent to-be, but for physicians as well. Jennifer Grayson asks all the right questions, and it is clear that we must stop letting politics, money, and societal expectations trump good science." - -Dr. Lauren Streicher, renowned women's health expert, clinical associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, and author of Sex Rx: Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever

"Why can American women expose their breasts to sell magazines, cars, and beer, but not publicly nurse their children? It is a sad fact of our hypersexualized world that we've become squeamish about what Jennifer Grayson reminds us is not merely "natural" but a biological process as pivotal to our health and well-being as birthing, eating, or sleeping. It is time for an unflinching look at the breastfeeding obstacles women face in our society and in UNLATCHED, we have it. This is a must-read book for every mother and mother-to-be." - --Alyssa Milano

In UNLATCHED, Jennifer Grayson beautifully weaves together a fascinating personal memoir with a revealing account of the little-known cultural history of breastfeeding. Connecting the dots between women's health, women's work, and public policy, Grayson sheds new light on the origins of America's breastfeeding controversies and points to a way beyond the mommy wars. As a mother, I would recommend this book to all new parents-to-be for its practical advice and moving meditations on parenting. But this is not just a book for parents. Anyone who cares about women's well-being and rights in 21st century America should read UNLATCHED. - -- Nancy L. Cohen, historian and author of Breakthrough: The Making of America's First Woman President

"Grayson's personal journey into the world of breastfeeding is fresh, accessible, and infused with humor-a must read for anyone embarking on the path to parenthood." - --Dana Ben-Ari, filmmaker, BREASTMILK