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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!floyd!clyde!akgua!sb1!sb6!bpa!burdvax!bmcjmp
From: bmcjmp@burdvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: Demand versus scheduled feeding of infants
Message-ID: <1332@burdvax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 3-Dec-83 00:45:15 EST
Article-I.D.: burdvax.1332
Posted: Sat Dec  3 00:45:15 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 4-Dec-83 07:36:16 EST
References: <492@linus.UUCP>
Organization: SDC - a Burroughs Company, Paoli PA
Lines: 16

While I have no children of my own yet, I do have some experience with
newborns, and it seemed to me that a young baby will not cry unless there is
a good reason for it, such as wet diapers, feeling ill, or being hungry.
Crying is the only way a baby has of saying, "Something is wrong, please fix
it." Feeding on demand will not "teach" babies to cry -- they already know
how to do that! Not feeding on demand is more likely to upset the child and
result in long, irritating crying spells. Ignoring the child will not make
the crying stop, only fixing the problem will.

Of course, one cannot always feed the child the very moment they cry. Making
them wait a little won't hurt them.  But they should be fed as soon as
possible.  After all, they do know when they need food, and very few babies
will overeat if breast-fed. The happiest babies I've known were those
breast-fed on a demand basis.

Barb Puder, burdvax!bmcjmp (not burdvax!puder)