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Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:04:18 -0500 |
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Dear all:
Perhaps practices are different in your subcultures, but I always have to remind myself to
check how often mothers are breastfeeding or draining their breasts when I get the call
with "my baby is four months old and I'm losing my supply". I still can't quite wrap my
mind around how abnormal infant feeding practices are here in Manhattan. There are at
least two lay books that suggestion feeding 3-6 month olds only 4 times per day. There
is one pediatrician who recommends 12 hours per night sleeping --- which gives you only
12 hours to get in the 8-12 feeds per day that would be normal. Even if a baby is taking
only 6 feeds -- that means feeding every 2 hours within that 12 hour stretch. Yes, in
most of the literature I ever read that was admittedly developing country data 8-12 feeds
per day was STILL NORMAL. I've been plenty of babies who, in Manhattan culture, will
appear to drop down to 6-8 feeds per day in the 3-6 month range with no apparent
adverse effects, but once it dips down below that --- I see the milk supply crash.
I've become so tired of the "oh, but I read such and such and my baby seems fine on 4
feeds a day" that I now explain in the prenatal breastfeeding class why no baby should
ever eat less than 5 times a day --- by comparing it to toddlers who need three meals
and two snacks and how toddlers have bigger stomachs than babies. And I explain that
while you can stretch a stomach (like the Japanese guy who mostly wins the Nathan's
hotdog eating contest in Coney Island) it is not a healthy way to eat --- opening the door
for later eating disorders.
So, while working with the 4 month milk supply crash, I highly recommend you
investigate whether or not it is due to an abnormally infrequent feeding schedule first.
While I have seen other causes --- I'd say that 95% of the time it is the feeding schedule.
Best, Susan Burger
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