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Subject:
From:
"katherine a. dettwyler" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 6 Jan 1996 08:50:18 -0600
Content-Type:
text/plain
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Joy Anderson writes:

>As long as baby is happy to take the less-preferred breast at all, it
>should still work. Two hours is not such a long time - many babies would
>not want to feed at all within this time period. In the case of a
>frequently-feeding baby with oversupply colic, remember that baby is
>actually *never* hungry. He cries to feed frequently for comfort from the
>pain of tummy ache, not for more food.

I have to add a caveat to this.  From my research, it seems that human
children are *designed* to be fed as often as 3-4 times per hour, and in
most parts of the world you will not find any babies willing to go two hours
between feedings in the early months, and many continue to nurse multiple
times per hour until they are 3 or 4 years of age.  If the problem is
oversupply colic, then the comment above may be true, but it cannot be
assumed that every baby who wants to feed frequently has a tummy ache.
Babies nurse for hunger, for thirst, for immunities, for regulation of their
temperature, heart beat, and blood pressure, for pain relief, and for the
emotional security.  Don't assume that if baby isn't hungry he doesn't have
a legitimate need to nurse.  Don't assume that it is normal for babies to go
two hours without feeding........


Kathy D.

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