Parenting Baby to Sleep

I’ve been looking through Plunkets web site and I’ve often asked the question where do they get their information from. (I’ve not looked recently so I’m not sure when they started up dating)

In the book that I was given (Thriving Under Five) from Plunket it recommends breastfeeding until one year or longer (and within in the community its amazing to even think of going that long as most woman will pop their kids over on or before 6 months)

Now we can see that Plunket have changed…click to see their web site…which is great.

The only lack now in Plunkets little book is making sure mothers are not feeding to schedules like the 4 hour one which used to be recommended. But any schedule is likely to put mother especially new mothers at risk of low milk production. (But this information must also go through to the Plunket nurses who ‘enforce’ the information). Coming into line with the W.H.O. recommendations of feeding on cue will be a magical step forward into respect for children. I personally feel that when a parent starts using a schedule for milk, food sleep training and play that a child’s person becomes (I’m looking for a word) second rate, under valued or even dehumanised.

I feel that Plunket is needed in our country and we are very lucky to have this service but it is needing to come up to date with its information (now that Mothers can hop onto the net and find more, better and upto date information Plunket needed to watch their p’s and q’s). Plunket nurses need to be trained in so many areas and need to look for so many issues. Plunket nurses may even be able to stop terrible tragedies like the twins who died possibly by the hands of their own family…or the many many others just like these two baby boys.

It must be a hard thankless job to be a health care provider…but if we as a culture can provide these professionals with good up to date information then the only way is forward for us all.