Laura,

You are fortunate that scheduled feedings such as in B___W___ has worked for
you and your child.  You have a cooperative, easy baby who nursed well.  My
first also fell into an every 3-4 hours schedule and slept from 11-6 at 2
weeks(lucky me!).  Not everyone is that lucky(my 2nd didn't know what sleep
was!).   Many babies need to nurse frequently for any number on reasons.
 Many babies are not *good* sleepers and that is just the way they are.  I am
a night person, I was born a night person, and will always be a night person
and my mom still talks about all the sleep she didn't get.  INHO, some babies
sleep through the night at an early age in spite of a feeding schedule and
not because of it and simply because that is the way they are.  My concerns
are with the babies that can be harmed from scheduled feedings.  A baby with
a weak suck or a sleepy jaundiced baby needs to nurse frequently to be sure
they are getting enough and to *practice* getting it right.  I am concerned
about the mom who will stick to the schedule and be unaware that there is a
problem until baby is in trouble.  Each nursing couple is different,  with
different values, customs, needs, desires and goals.  We need to keep that in
mind when counselling but still look out for the baby's health needs. My
feeling is that *God's way* is not always in the best interest of the baby.

Diane Karnbach, LLL Leader
Va Beach, VA