On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep

(Nora) #1

The PDF moms reveal an interesting twist on the breast-feeding story.
A retrospective sampling of over 240 mothers following the PDF
principles demonstrated that 88% of mothers who start with the program
breast-feed, and 80% of those moms breast-feed exclusively with no
formula supplement. And while the national average was 21.6% of
mothers breast-feeding into the fifth month, a full 70% of PDF mothers
continued into the fifth and six month. On the average, PDF moms breast-
feed 33.2 weeks. Add to these statistics the benefits of uninterrupted
nighttime sleep and you will better appreciate the wonderful benefits of a
flexible routine.
We wish everything in this book worked perfectly for each mom/baby
combination when it comes to lactation. But we know there will always
be statistical variances. We understand that different moms have
different reasons for choosing to breast-feed, and different goals with
regard to breastfeeding and length of time they intend to breast-feed.
The Babywise philosophy is not a single category philosophy. By that
we mean we do not believe the single categories of breast-feeding and
breast-milk production are the only categories of developmental concern
when it comes to infants, nor is it the highest ranking value for all new
parents. We respect those who do believe this. Ultimately, we believe
what really matters is what matters to you. Where you, the parent, places
breast-feeding and/or the establishment of healthy day and nighttime
sleep as a priority will direct you to the feeding philosophy that can best
accomplish your goals.
We advise moms and dads to be sure that they know before the baby
is born what their priorities are because in parenting there will always be
trade-offs. For example, are you willing to trade the establishment of
your baby’s nighttime sleep patterns for long term nighttime breast-
feeding? Or, are you willing to risk a challenge to long term breast-
feeding for the benefits gained with the order and structure derived from
routine feedings? While most moms can satisfy both with Babywise, we
recognize that not all moms can because in parenting no philosophy
comes without trade-offs. Therefore, it is okay to deviate from either
your routine or breast-feeding philosophy to accomplish whichever

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