Bravo Lisa for your thoughts on ways to counter the Ezzo parenting methods.
It occurs to me that if we knew nothing about this program we might
pussy-foot around it a little less and be a little more forthright in giving
parents an honest opinion about the likely effects of the Ezzo teachings on
their breastfeeding success.  But we've been sensitized now, and as soon as
we hear "Ezzo" we prick up our ears and think "Uh-oh, careful .."

My personal feelings are that whether a mother's religious background is
Muslim, Bhuddist, or Ezzo, she comes to us primarily for help with
*breastfeeding*.  The lovely thing about this job is that motherhood cuts
across all racial, cultural and religious boundaries.  If we focus on this
mother and this baby and how *breastfeeding* is being managed then we can
offer the mother the most up-to-date information we have (e g how it works,
why it works, what is required for it to work, and how it *doesn't* work, in
specific terms).  I see my task as providing the mother with sufficient
information, based on all the up-to-date research that we have, so that she
can make her own decisions.  I truly believe that every mother wants to do
the very best for her baby, so I allow myself to tell her honestly about the
consequences of her plans to follow a rigid "routine" which is based on
adults' perceptions of convenience rather than the baby's need for food and
comfort.  This mother may never hear the information I give from any other
source.  I think sometimes it's okay to express a little honest emotion, a
little indignation, that she may have been misinformed about lactation and
breastfeeding as I explain the most likely reason for the low weight gain,
or the baby's crying, or whatever reason it was that brought her into my
office in the first place.  It's not necessary to condemn the book, or the
program as a whole, or to get into what she believes is God's plan for
babies etc. - only to deal with the specific reasons why how she's currently
managing breastfeeding is not working for her baby at this point in time. I
think we need to confine ourselves to *facts*.  I cannot comment on her
religious aspirations, because that's not my specialty, but lactation is, so
I can tell her about *that*.

Whew!  Off my soapbox now.

Pamela, Zimbabwe