Finish the first breast...here is a direct quote from the Revised Edition
of the 1997 BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK PAGE 25.

"Allowing the baby to finish the first breast first is preferable to
switching the baby from the first breast to the second after A SPECIFIED
LENGTH OF TIME.  This is because the composition of the milk changes during
a feeding and only the baby knows when he has received the right balance of
fluid and calories."

Further..."Studies have demonstrated that whether babies nurse from one or
two breasts at a feeding they take in similar amounts of milk over
twenty-four hours, although a baby may nurse slightly longer when he nurses
from one breast at a feeding (Righard 1993; Woolridge 1990). A mother will
know when her baby has finished the first breast when he comes off the
breast or falls asleep."
They go on to say that there are exceptions such as the sleepy baby, weak
suck, etc.

I have found from personal and professional experience that babies come in
all types of nursing patterns just as adults do.  While I respect Jack
Newman, I have to say that I had one baby who never nursed less than 45
minutes (the putterer) and one who got right down to business and finished
in 15 min total.  Both grew by leaps and bounds.  I've heard Dr. Newman say
that if babies are properly latched on and milking the breast that this
won't happen, and it makes sense; however...We need to remember the classic
LLL saying of "watch your baby, not the clock."  Babies nurse not only for
nutrition, but for many other reasons.  There's a lot to be said for
trusting instincts, provided they haven't been totally corrupted/tainted to
the point where we can't even recognize them.
WarmLLLy,

: )Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC  email: [log in to unmask]  : )
: )HSR & Health Educational Consultant        voice/fax: 541 753 7340   : )
: )             **CHANGE THE WORLD, NURTURE A CHILD!**
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