I enjoyed Kathy's post about the rights of infants and using the term needs
to get a point across to the parents.  This whole issue really pushes my
button.  We all agree that an infant has a right to have his needs attended
to (semantics, semantics)  but so often we hear this plea of "but then my
baby won't become independent!"  My definition of independence is teaching
someone to care for themselves, WHEN THEY CLEARLY HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO DO
SO. (caps for emphasis)  A baby is a totally dependent creature.  Infants
do not have many capabilities to care for themselves.  We have 20 years or
so to teach them to do this, in the steps of normal human development.  Why
are we starting at 20 days?? 
I also feel that this is an issue of  trust and often tell the parents
this.  How would you feel if you were in great discomfort and your
caregiver said,  "Well, I know that you are uncomfortable and that you are
unable to give yourself this injection, but I am on my dinner break right
now, and I am going to put you in this nice dark room by yourself for an
hour or so and then I will come back and take care of your problem."  
Would you be forming a trusting and long-lasting relationship with this
caregiver??  (actually i think that I might see a law suit in this
scenario, if you live in America at least)  So my imput here is :
The baby is dependent, and he cannot get up and find food for himself.  He
must be able to trust his parents to do that for him/her in a timely
manner.  Then he will learn to trust them in many other ways as he grows
up.  Trust is such and intimate and caring thing.  It is vital to all human
relationships, and I think that parents can see this.  After all, our job
as parents is not just to feed our children physically, but emotionally as
well. 
Merilee Reeder  CLE