Dear all:

Several people have suggested a sleep consultant in Manhattan.  I have to reluctantly say that I have not had the same experience with that particular person.  Before I would feel comfortable referring mothers to her I would want to see her:

a) stop telling mothers that they cannot allow the baby to fall asleep on the breast -- that they must take the baby off and let the baby fall asleep on his/her own.
b) attend conferences and interact more with lactation consultants and certified lactation counselors

I say this on the basis of having to reassure clients that it is OK to let the baby fall asleep on the breast.  This has happened with a number of clients who started taking their baby off when the baby was comfortable, only to have the baby scream, then struggle with the fact that their baby would not go back down again without nursing after attending one of her groups.  So, what had been a perfectly fine process became fraught with angst because the mother then feels it is wrong to go back to what had been working.  

On a relative scale, I would say this is minor compared to Ezzo, but I am now thinking I should really take my own advice and talk directly about the impact this advice is having on a subset of my clients.

I also am having some ethical dilemmas about sending anyone to the parenting center where she works because the pediatrician running that group is the same one that is telling mothers to shut the door on babies for 12 hours.  I know she doesn't necessarily abide by that advice, but if parents are going through the center where she is working, they may be exposed to that advice.  

While it is possible to overstuff a baby with bottles and have them gain weight, this leads to later problems in that these babies must drink so much in such a short period of time that they later cannot regulate their own appetites.  The data on bottle feeding does suggest that this is the case.  

Best regards, Susan Burger

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