Lactation for the Rest of Us: A Guide for Queer and Trans Parents and Helpers

by Jacob Engelsman, Dr Izzy Lowell (Foreword by)

Overview

Can I lactate if I've had top surgery?
When can I restart taking testosterone?
Where do I start with donor milk?
Finally, a book about lactation not geared exclusively towards cisgender women! Lactation for the Rest of Us is an early addition to the literature for queer and trans people who have seen themselves left out of previous informative books on chestfeeding and lactation. Useful information is included for transmasculine parents, transfeminine parents, non-binary parents, queer parents, helpers, adoptive parents, and even cisgender male parents. Covering the induction of lactation, difficulties one may encounter with chestfeeding, expert advice, and first-person testimonials, this is the book the queer parenting community has been waiting for.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781805011910
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	02/21/2025
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.43(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.71(d)

About the Author

Jacob Engelsman is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and licensed as a lactation consultant in the state of Georgia. Jacob has written for Trans Bodies, Trans Selves (2nd ed.), Everyday Birth Magazine, Q Mag, and Birthing Advocacy Doula Training on lactation and lactation support.

Editorial Reviews

Finally, a lactation guide written just for us! No longer must LGBTQ+ folks mentally change pronouns and wince at assumptions while we learn about feeding our babies- this book speaks directly to our communities and our lives. It teaches both lactation basics and more complex topics with clear and easy to understand language, and presents an inclusive array of options for queer lactation issues. This is the lactation book our community deserves!

Kristin Cavuto

Finally - a book about lactation for those of us who do not identify as women or mothers - and partners of all genders.

Dr. Izzy Lowell

A much needed complement to such titles as "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding." As an inclusive and queer midwife, I like to say that lactation is for mammals, and this book does the job of expanding on the practical aspects of this. I appreciate that it includes guidance for transgender individuals and the various concerns they may have when it comes to infant feeding. I would recommend this for any gender diverse individuals planning on, curious about, or currently body feeding.

Anissa Sartini LM CPM of Metroplex Midwifery

The book the lactation community has been waiting for! Engelsman provides evidence-based information and guidance to navigate the process through the weaving together of narratives and research. Written for the lactating, or potentially lactating, person, clinicians are also invited to challenge preconceived notions and embrace the incredible diversity among those for whom we care (I am making this required reading for my students).

Dr. Angela Lober

In relation to chest binding, the information offered around blocked ducts, massage and lymphatic drainage was useful. The advice for those who have had top surgery was useful especially in relation to when feeding may or may not be possible. There was useful information for those who have had breast removal or reduction surgery, and the case studies offered were very honest, giving a clear picture of some of the challenges which may present themselves. It's set out in a Q & A format so people reading the book could find answers to questions quite easily. Overall, advice focused on issues directly relevant to people of diverse gender.

Karen Henry