Lactnetters, Because there have been a couple of posts asking for more information, I have decided to post some quotes from the books that are being circulated so that everyone can get a flavor of the authority of the text and advice. The following is from the third edition, and though the fourth and fifth have modified the teachings, this information has not been revoked and is still being quoted and taught widely- Lisa M -------------------------------------------------- The following info. is from Preparation for Parenting: A Biblical Perspective. Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo. 3rd edition, c.1990. Re:How often to feed the baby and how to time the feedings. "When we speak of breast stimulation, we are referring to the intensity of the suck. A consistent influence on the sucking reflex is the hunger drive. The hunger drive is associated with the time it takes for an infant to digest and absorb the milk. The infant that feeds on a three-to-four hour routine and whose digestive metabolism has been stabilized will demand more, thereby stimulating greater milk production as compared to the child that feeds often but demands less. "For example, the newborn that feeds every one-and-a-half hours will stimulate only enough milk to meet that need. That is why demand-fed babies feed more orten--they're hungry more often. It is also the reason so many new mothers get discouraged and give up breast-feeding so quickly: it's practically all they are doing. "On the other hand, an infant that nurses every three hours will signal for greater milk production. Since the need is greater, the supply is increased. Because the supply is increased, the baby goes longer between feedings. "As a general rule, you will not feed less than every three hours or more than every four. Anything less than three hours ultimately wears Mom down, often decreasing milk production. Anything over four hours fails to produce the stimulation needed for a sufficient quantity of milk. The right balance between time and stimulation is already worked out for you in the parent-controlled feeding plan." (pg.87) "From the point of birth onwards, infant hunger patterns will become either stable and regular or unstable and inconsistent. The determining factor is the routine or non-routine of feedings, and a minimum of three hours between feedings. When infants are fed on the PCF plan, hunger patterns stabilize. "The reason is the hunger mechanism (digestion and absorption) operates as if it has a metabolic memory that is reinforced by routine. The child with feeding periods that cycle with regularity throughout the day will establish a hunger metabolism that is stable and predictable. For example, if you feed at approximate times of 7:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m., your child's hunger metabolism will begin to line up to those times. But that happens only when the feeding periods are routine." (pg76) "During the first days of nursing, find a comfortable position and begin with a time period of three to five minutes on each breast. [The footnote here states, "As a general rule, you should not feed your baby while he or she is lying completely flat, such as when the mother herself lies down to nurse. If the infant's head is not tilted up, it is possible for milk to collect where the ear opens into the Eustachian tube, causing a build-up of bacteria, leading to an ear infection."] "That time frame will allow for sufficient stimulation and you are more apt to avoid the soreness commonly associated with early nursing." (pg.89) "Once your milk is established, you should be nursing ten minutes a side for a total of twenty minutes or use the 5-5-5-5 method, which is to alternate each breast after five minutes with burping in between. That is especially helpful when you have a sleepy baby to assure that both breasts are stimulated. Maximum time per side should not exceed fifteen minutes. Studies show that in established lactation, the breasts are usually emptied in seven to ten minutes per side, providing the infant is sucking vigorously. "If you are spending thirty minutes to an hour nursing or feeding, then there is too much playing taking place. Use a pacifier for extra sucking, not yourself. You are setting eating habits now. Mealtime is not playtime; do extended cuddling before or after the feeding, not during." (pg.90) From Sleep Patterns table--pg 78 Week # of feedings/day Hrs. between feedings Sleep hrs. 1,2 6-7 3 5 3 6-7 3 1/2 5-6 4 6-7 3 1/2 6 5 5-6 3 1/2 7 6 5 4 7-8 7 5 4 8 8 4-5 4 8 9,10 4-5 4 8-9 11 4-5 4 10 12 4 4 10-12 I will be posting quotes from Babywise, the secular edition of the fifth edition of Prep, later.