Robin said <<According to this topic we have been mislead by folks who
write books like "the baby whisperer" and "baby wise".  I couldn't agree
more.  We are a selfish society in general.  Think about it.  We need to
slow down and not try to get a million things done during the day. >>

I just had this conversation with a client today; I have it often (I'm
sure we all do.)  Sleep - what a huge issue! As Jaye said sleep
deprivation can be a very bad thing and absolutely needs to be addressed
but it's being addressed in ways that are not healthy for the babies.

In my neck of the woods (heavily Hispanic) we refer to the Hispanic
version of perceived milk insufficiency by the name of "the no se llena
story".  "No se llena" is spanish for "the baby never fills up" - his
stomach is never full.  Very common phrasing by Spanish moms in Miami,
and after years of talking to mothers about it I have come to realize
that one of the deciding factors in it is this issue of sleep (the
baby's as well as mom's), and of how busy new moms have to be (or want
to be or whatever.) Sometimes I'll facetiously say: a "full" baby is a
baby who has been rendered unconscious for a minimum of 3, preferably 4,
hours. If he wakes up prior to that time, he was not "full" when fed.
What defines "having eaten enough" is not "did he get enough calories"
or "did his stomach fill" or "was his hunger satisfied" or any other
variation on that theme. What defines "full" to many moms (at least in
my end of the clinical woods) is "how often does he need me to do
something for him?"  He is "allowed" to need me every 3-4 hours. If he
needs me more often than that then he's not getting fed enough.

Why? Because the only legitimate infant needs (in this school of
thought) are physiological. This is why telling them to count diapers or
explaining supply/demand doesn't work - because the actual issue is how
demanding they are finding new motherhood to be, the intensity and
frequency with which this little person needs HER, and only her - NOT
whether or not she's actually making enough milk.  The "I don't make
enough milk" thing is often, actually, just a function of that. It
manifests itself as perceived milk insufficiency  but at its root is
about all of baby's other, non-caloric, needs.

That's why one of my favorite things to say to them lately in a new baby
class is, "The reason he woke up is because you put him down."  Talk
about a conversation starter! LOL....

  

Regina M. Roig-Romero, BS IBCLC 
Senior Lactation Consultant 
Miami-Dade County Health Dept WIC/Nutrition 
Breastfeeding Program 
7785 NW 48 ST, Suite 300 
Miami FL 33166 

(786) 336-1333 x162 
(786) 336-1345 fax 
(786) 336-1336 Breastfeeding Helpline 

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