Not only do we have to deal with PARENTS, and Ezzo afficianados (the "new"
edition of Babywise I & II is out -- beware -- it's dreadful, but the
dreadfulness is more subtle.  Please note that all their "studies" are
"convenience" studies.  how convenient!!)

I encountered an Ezzoed Mom this week.  It was most distressing.  Her baby
had begun to refuse to latch on to the breast at 4 weeks, after 1 week of
Babywise control and a lot of crying (both baby and mom).  All of my
"tricks" to get a baby to breast: Skin to skin, sleeping with baby, feeding
before he is too hungry, on and on, were not with the program. He was, at
best, feeding for 10 minutes or so then going back to sleep for 3-4 hours.
" He sleeps when he is not eating. He never has wake times. When will he
begin to smile?"

He had gained a lot of weight before he was Ezzoed, so FTT didn't seem to
be a problem (yet).  He was very hard to awaken for me to see how he was
doing, because it had been "only 2 3/4 hours."  I was with them for about 1
1/2 hours and I did a lot of "sharing" of my views on nurturing babies to
be healthy self-and other-respecting adults. Her comments were of a very
detached nature.

I tried to be gentle and to find things to compliment Mom on.  The visit
was quite a challenge, I must say. I was walking a fine line.

Then for the next 2 days she wouldn't return my calls.  I was quite
concerned.  Just today she called to say that yesterday she fed him
whenever he wanted, which was about every 1 1/2 hours, also she found that
if she lies down with him he feeds better.

Today he is being more awake after he feeds and is more responsive to her.
My prayer is that she has changed her mind and wants to build a trust
relationship with her little boy.

The Babywise book was a gift from her parents when she wasn't getting
"enough" sleep in the first couple of weeks.

This is all so BIG!

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee
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