I suppose it would be impolitic to ask Mr. Ezzo whether he sleeps through the night, alone, with none of his needs, other than sleep, met between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., except for perhaps someone saying "shh, shh, it's all right," while patting his back? Or maybe that's the problem -- maybe he has to, and thinks that therefore everyone else must as well....
Sorry if someone has already mentioned this, I still have most of the last nine months of digests to catch up on....
Chanita, San Francisco
BSc,RN,IBCLC
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From: Margaret and Stewart Wills[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 1998 8:48 PM
Subject: educating Ezzo/"trained night feeders"
Two related threads under discussion seem to have merged. The quote
being attributed to Ezzo, about stretching the time between daytime
feedings, so the baby will sleep through the night, was part of a post I
wrote about a "trained night feeders" hand-out written by Barton D.
Schmitt, MD. This is just to set the record straight -- there seems to
be some common ground between these two experts.
The commentaries on both threads have been thought-provoking. Anne
Montgomery makes an excellent, good-natured devil's advocate. I agree
that a baby who's nursing all night can press a mother into weaning,
starting solids early, leaving for the weekend, or questioning her whole
approach to parenting. I'm sure that's why my HMO had this reprint on
hand -- so they would have something to hand all the parents who ask
"what do I do." My doctor there would never say something that suggests
taking a longer, larger view.
Nighttime issues are big at our meetings, and mothers sometimes seem
relieved to feel they're not the only ones dealing with them. We might
try to brainstorm offer suggestions for gentle, individualized ways to
encourage some longer sleep stretches. (Anne and anyone else -- if you
have some good ideas, please pass them along.) I guess I was a just
ticked off by this author's high-handed, unsympathetic approach.
Margaret Wills
LLLL, New Jersey
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