Cathy writes with the good news of her non-nursing baby: "Plus now she's
turned into a regular little baby -
parents now worried because she's "demanding" to eat every 2 hours -
sometimes even more often!"

 This happens, doesn't it? I have noticed it happens with mothers who have
struggled to feed a tiny prem baby and go through all the emotions invoved
in watching a  little life battle through...they get the baby home...and
then it's total panic because the baby starts waking up for feeds,  and
asking for feeds at unpredictable and frequent times.  They are used to a
baby who  for weeks has had to be roused to feed and who sleeps and sleeps
and sleeps...it is very difficult for them to accept that the wakeful,
demanding, hungry, emotionally-needy baby they have now is *normal* and
*healthy*. Confidence is eaten away when you have a struggling baby, and
you get so afraid you are not doing the best for him.

That's when these mothers are most at risk of switching to formula, IME.

What can we do? *Tell*  them it may happen,  and *celebrate* it happening
as a good sign - because there will be many people around them who will
criticise them for continuing to bf through it.

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK