Book review
101 Boobilicious Moments

By Valentina Attanasio – BT Managing Editor

Michelle F. Creeden, 101 Boobilicious Moments, Dorrance Publishing Co: Pittsburgh. 2018. ISBN 9781480958500. Paperback, 121 pages.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you thought would only happen to you, only to discover that it happens to others too? And that the support of others in the same situation can be the best way to deal with it?

That’s exactly what Michelle F. Creeden had in mind when she wrote 101 Boobilicious Moments: “When she breastfed her children, she felt very alone and noticed no one really talked about it. And when people did talk, it was rainbows and butterflies.” [1]
Michelle found that humor could help her get through some difficult times and that she could use it to help other mothers and families as well.

101 Boobilicious Moments offers a unique and different insight into the world of breastfeeding, depicting it in a spontaneous and simple way. Page by page, the book presents situations that are common and familiar to many mothers and parents dealing with babies from their very first days.

101 Moments… For any situation!

Enclosed in a handy format – perfect for holding in one hand! – we find twelve chapters organized by theme. 

Sleep, breastfeeding positions, going back to work, pumping, partner support, sore nipples, baby love, weaning and self-love are just some of the topics Michelle has collected in her book, accompanied by Kaitlin Rim’s humorous and very realistic illustrations. 

Each of the 101 drawn moments has an immediate impact, allowing the readers to see themselves in it, and relate to the emotions the image and words convey.
You laugh, reflect, cry, and realize how some scenarios, even the most hilarious and absurd ones, can be so true!

Why recommend it?

I posed this question to Judy Canahuati, a La Leche League Leader from Columbia, USA, and I liked what she shared with me:

“I enjoyed all 101 moments and they brought back many memories. I think for the mother who is going through her breastfeeding experience, seeing these cartoons and reading the short captions will help to feel that she isn’t alone or abnormal. Some of the chapters made me chuckle and some made me very nostalgic about those wonderful magic moments that will never come again.”

Obviously, each of us lives a unique and different experience and some situations may not reflect ours, as Judy confirmed: “The chapter that was the farthest from my experience were those on working and the pump. I was able to bring my babies to work or stay home, so I didn’t have to deal with those challenges, but I can certainly understand them from the situations the moms in my group face.” 

As with any book, there may also be some parts that we imagine could have been written differently, as Judy also shared with me: “I think my least favorite part was the chapter on sleep. I guess that sleeping with the baby would have mitigated some of the drawn moments such as sleep deprivation and frequent night feedings.”

Quoting Michelle’s words: “There is no one right way to feed a baby” or to be a parent, I might add. So, why not do it with a little humor and a good laugh?

Michelle F. Creeden is a fulltime working mom. She loves to sing and dance with her family – the louder and crazier, the better. She enjoys finding shapes in the clouds. Chocolate is her favorite food group. And in her free time, she clips coupons.

 

References

1. Michelle F. Creeden, 101 Boobilicious Moments, Dorrance Publishing Co: Pittsburgh. 2018. Back cover.