The disenchanted "Ezzo mom" from our support group brought in the current
issue of her newsletter to share with us.  The following article was so
full of misinformation and half-truths that I thought some of you might be
interested.  I had several of the articles they refer to in my files so I
reread them--how they can link these tragedies to "attachment parenting" is
way beyond my logic.

For those of you that haven't read _Babywise_, the "Healthy Baby Growth
Chart" they refer to discusses these signs of adequate nutrition:  5-7 wet
diapers/day with clear urine, audible swallows when feeding, not acting
hungry after feedings, alert & responsive, and gaining weight.  This is
admirable that the Ezzos have added this to the latest addition of the
book, but the best indicator of adequate nutrition--frequent bowel
movements--is not even listed!  I'll bet most of us have seen babies who
were having 5-7 wet diapers (small amounts), swallowing audibly (can you
judge amounts without a scale? I can't), content after feeds, and alert at
times, who were steadily losing weight.  I know I have!

*****************

Just Feed More Often!  The American Press Questions This Advice

ONE REASON WHY THE EZZOS DO NOT SUPPORT ATTACHMENT PARENTING


The American press is not known for going after permissive parenting
theories, so when they do, there is usally something to the story.  On
January 20, 1995, ABC's "20/20" aired a story dealing with demand-fed,
dehydrated infants.  This piece showed the American public one child with
an amputated leg.  The leg was taken because gangrene had set in due to the
lack of proper assessment of the real need--adequate nutrition.  The
parents in this piece followed the La Leche League/attachment parenting
panacea that to increase milk production and thus, your baby's caloric
intake, "just feed more often."  Too often, tragedies like this result from
mothers being told that following this advice will correct all nutritional
problems.  Obviously it doesn't.  This story was so significant, ABC ran it
twice.

ABC is not the only major media source that voiced concern.  In a front
page article in _The Wall Street Journal_ on July 22, 1994, reporter Kevin
Helliker told the story of an infant who by the end of the first week, had
taken in so little food that he suffered irreversible brain damage.  The
mother kept trying to nurse her newborn on demand, despite initial
difficulties.  Other cases were documented, including two that resulted in
death as a result of mothers not recognizing the signs of inadequate milk
production.

Similar reports appeared in _Time_ magazine, August 22, 1994, _U.S. News &
World Report_ on December 5, 1994, and on the television news magazine
"Primetime Live," August 4, 1994.  According to _The Wall Street Journal_
article above, nearly 200,000 infants a year are diagnosed with "failure to
thrive" -- most of which were encouraged to feed on the cry-cue and not
necessarily on need.

La Leche League International responded to the _The Wall Street Journal_
article on August 2, 1994.  In effect they refused to accept any
responsibility for the "just feed more often" advice, but charged the
mothers wiht "mismanagement," citing the problem to be a lack of guidance
from trained La Leche League leaders.  Yet, follow-up interviews confirmed
that mothers had contacted La Leche League counselors and lactation
consultants, and had explicitly followed the advice they received.

On December 12, 1995, _USA Today_ reported another near tragedy.  A
Leesburg, Va., mother said she came very close to disaster with the
youngest of her four children, blaming breast-feeding pressure and bad
advice given by La Leche League counselors.

"For six agonizing days I tried to feed him . . . and he just screamed and
screamed without getting much milk," she reported.  She called five or six
different La Leche League counselors, all who insisted she "just keep
nursing him more often."  "They would intimate that I just wasn't trying
hard enough or didn't know enough."  (She successfully breast-fed her first
three children.)  She said "deep inside I knew their advice was wrong."
Fortunately, her son survived the ordeal only because this mother
recognized the errors in the advice given in time to save her son.

Taking Precautions
Such tragedies can be avoided by parents who have been properly educated on
the importance of monitoring their babies for signs of adequate nutrition.
The advice, "just feed more often" should not be the method of assessment.
That is why in _Preparation for Patrenting_ and _On Becoming Babywise_,
mothers are trained to assess needs, and not just respond without thought.
They learn to take advantage of the "Healthy Baby Growth Chart."  This
simple tool helps parents to quickly recognize signs of inadequate
nutrition and encourages them to make immediate contact with their baby's
pediatrician.

We believe one of the reasons that 88% of _PFP_ and _Babywise_ mothers
breast-feed, and do so successfully, is in part due to their confidence in
knowing how to properly assess their baby's needs.  We are thrilled to
receive testimonies from so many of our mothers and hear how the "Healthy
Baby Growth Chart" played such a big part in their confidence.

(Taken from "The Community Perspective, Vol. 3, No. 1, Winter of 1998)


Becky Krumwiede, RN, IBCLC, Appleton, Wisconsin
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