>1) Do you think this is a commonly perceived issue with breastfed babies (I am
>referring to older babies knowing that women sometimes choose formula for
>newborns because they won't have to feed them as often and they "get on a
>schedule")?

Yes, I think that many breastfed babies "snack and catnap" because this is
what is normal for the species.  It isn't always as convenient for western
moms because they want long stretches of time without having to deal with
the baby at all.  But this is normal for the species.  Three to four hours
between big feedings with long stretches of sleep in between is not normal
behavior for the species.  Some babies obviously do OK with a schedule like
this, whether breast or bottle-fed, but some obviously do not do OK (failure
to thrive, insufficient milk syndrome, demanding to be fed more often than
the mother wants).

The composition of human milk, like that of other primates, indicates a very
frequent, small meal pattern -- several times an hour, for 5-10 minutes at a
time.  Baby never gets very hungry, never nurses for very long, never has a
full distended tummy so conducive to long stretches of sleep.

>2) Other than being perceived as inconvenient for the mother, are there
>potential problems with this kind of sleeping/feeding behavior?

NO.

>What would you
>advise a mother who is contemplating weaning because of this kind of pattern?

I would tell her this is normal for humans, and help her understand why
formula is dangerous.

>3)How would you have responded to these comments (in a non-confrontational
>way)?

Well, don't ask me about that.  I'm not known for my diplomacy or tact.

Kathy Dettwyler