Do the Ezzos recommend putting a baby on a dangerously strict feeding schedule?
Nothing could be further from the truth. The Ezzos recommend a very FLEXIBLE feeding “routine” for babies-not a rigid schedule. The routine is adjusted to the individual baby’s needs and can be suspended altogether if the situation calls for it. In addition, parents are admonished to ALWAYS feed a baby whenever they think their baby is hungry, regardless of the routine: • “With PDF [Parent Directed Feeding], a mother feeds her baby when he is hungry, but takes advantage of the first few weeks to guide the baby’s hunger patterns by a basic routine” (Babywise p. 38). (A basic routine is defined as feeding a baby every two and a half to three hours on average.) • “If your baby is hungry, feed him or her. If the child routinely shows signs of hunger before the next scheduled feeding, then find out why, rather than letting the baby cry it out” (Babywise p. 145). • “Hunger cues, not the clock, determine feedings” (Babywise p. 112). • “Hunger is always a legitimate reason to feed in less than
