In a message dated 11/26/00 1:55:23 PM Pacific Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< some babies really enjoy
 them in the early months and if they  did all that sucking at the breast
 they'd be enormous (gain tons of weight). >>


You think?  I have a large circle of friend's who's babies have all of their
sucking needs met at the breast....some of us have babies who are constantly
nursing....some of use have babies who nurse 5 mins every hour....some every
2-3 hours or less.  All of the babies are in the same general range....the
ones who are constantly nursing don't seem to be any bigger than the ones who
nurse at less frequent intervals.

While *purely* anecdotal here are some other interesting tidbits - one friend
has two children -her first was screaming if he wasn't latched.  His sister,
the second baby wasn't a big nurser....hourly at first, but very quickly
settled into huge  intervals even though mom would offer more frequently.
When adjusted for the sex difference, both babies were exactly the same size
at 3, 6,9 and 12 mos...which btw was teeny tiny.  Teeny teeny tiny.

Another interesting one.  Mom's first baby was 32 lbs at 8 mos.  Yes, you
read that correctly:)  Exclusively breastfed until about 9 mos.  Second baby
was 30 lbs at 8 mos. Both nursed 'all the time'.  Mom (a LLL leader) decided
to introduce a paci to baby number three.  Baby used paci 'all the time'
nursing about every 3 hours and once at night.  At six wks, baby weighed 14
lbs.  At 8 mos, baby weighed.....yup, 32 lbs.  All of the children are now
normal for their age/height.  Actually, on the trim side.

katherine in atl

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