Dear Fox News, Do a Little Research Before You Publish Parenting Advice! @FoxNews #ParentingAdviceFail #StarvingBabiesisNotCool

Oh yay! Another major media outlet has published and shared an article about parenting that is so far from what is healthy for newborn babies that it should be illegal. The culprit this time? Fox News! Thank goodness it isn't one of those really large media outlets with a huge reach, like maybe.....FOX NEWS! 

Have you read this? If not, do it.  And then choke back that feeling that makes you want to vomit directly onto the floor below you. You know that feeling that you get when you read something that has to do with babies potentially being harmed and immediately enrages you to the point in which you want to slap the people in the article straight in the face or worse?! Yep, that's it.

So, why do I have a problem with this article or rather the method these so called "doctors" have come up with? Because on every single level I can think of, it's wrong, wrong, WRONG! Let me choke back my disgust again, and give just a few reasons below:

  • Newborn Nutrition and Growth:
    • Newborns should be fed on demand! Yes, that's right.  When a baby is born, their stomach is smaller than a walnut. Here's a good chart to show you.  That means that their little stomachs hold very little, but their little bodies and brains are growing rapidly and need constant nutrients, just as they were receiving in the womb.  Do you really think it's safe for a newborn to go from a constant stream of nutrients to just a few ounces of food every 4 hours? If so, step away from the computer and go buy a book about babies (not the one in the article). 
    • What you see on the outside, doesn't mean you aren't harming the inside.  So maybe this baby stopped crying and maybe they were still "thriving" in the physical sense.  Does that mean that their brain development was still thriving? What about their emotional needs? Are their internal organs getting stressed and potentially damaged because they are trying to find every ounce of extra nutrients to keep things going longer than they should? There is so much more to the human body than whether or not someone is growing physically.
  • Hunger Cues:
    • Their baby was crying every 2-3 hours for food, so instead this method had them "distract the baby from his own hunger cues" for 15 extra minutes every day for 2 weeks.  Baby's are nature's most efficient and smart eaters.  It's simple: baby feels hungry, baby cries, baby receives food, baby is full, baby sleeps.  Repeat.  What happens when the third step isn't met and baby is taught to eat at exactly the same intervals during the day and to essentially binge on all their nutrients, likely overfilling their tiny stomachs?  What happens when this kid no longer knows how to feel hunger? Will he become a binge eater later in life? 
    • Crying is a late sign for hunger.  That means that the baby has received the cues and not received any food and is feeling beyond hungry.  Actual hunger signs include rooting, smacking lips, sucking on arms/hands.
  • Breastfeeding:
    • If you are breastfeeding, establishing a good supply depends on feeding your baby on demand.  Breastmilk is made specially for your baby so it provides the perfect amount of vital nutrients as well as tons of antibodies.  On top of that awesome benefit, being close to your baby (skin to skin) and breastfeeding them helps tremendously with their transition to the world. Even if you aren't breastfeeding, nighttime parenting, including frequency of feedings, can have an effect on the baby's risk of SIDS. When a baby isn't fed regularly and is left to cry for food, this can increase their risk of SIDS. 
  • Why Babies Cry:
    • Babies cry because they have a NEED not because they think it's fun to "inconvenience" you at 2 am. While I agree that that NEED is not always food, there are only a few needs a newborn has and eating is one of the big ones. 
    • A Whole New World:
      • Transitioning into our world is hard and feeding a newborn is a good way to create a strong emotional bond.
      • The same goes for reacting quickly to their cries.  Multiple studies have proven that if you allow a newborn (baby under 6 months old) to cry, actual brain damage is done by the hormone cortisol released in the brain from the stress the baby is experiencing.  This is why a lot of experts are now recommending that Cry It Out not be used at all prior to 6 months old.  Don't you want your baby to know you are there to meet their every need from the day they are born? You are their mommy/daddy! Read more about this here.
    • Warning Signs:
      • A "sleepy" newborn baby can more often than not be a sign that something is wrong.  It is a major warning sign for dehydration, failure to thrive, jaundice and many other things.  Why is this? Because it's not natural (or safe in most cases) for newborn babies to sleep 4+ hours straight from birth.  Now, our daughter, Savy Toddler, did sleep 5 hours from the day she came home.  However, guess what, she ended up having a major medical infection as well as jaundice.  We just thought she was a "good" sleeper.  Is this the case all the time?  Of course not.  Babies who drink formula from birth are a little bit of better sleepers because it's harder for their bodies to breakdown than breastmilk, but they should still be fed on demand, no matter what. 
    • This Has Been Done Before:
    Aside from all the potential harm to the baby listed above, one big reason I am disgusted at this article?  The parents reasoning behind seeking this help is that after just one week of being home, it was "inconvenient" that they were being awakened at night by their baby and not getting 7-8 hours of good sleep. To these people and anyone else out there who has or is thinking about having babies and feels that waking in the middle of the night to take care of their baby is inconvenient, grow up! That's right! Grow the *&^% up! You are a parent now and whether you planned it or not, there is a tiny little human being who's every need comes first.  If you are that overwhelmed, please seek out help with the baby, don't seek out a way to make your baby starve so you can sleep! Babies aren't pets, they are humans and they deserve your constant love and attention.  If you can't give that to them, find someone who can or seek out help. I completely understand becoming a new parent can be extremely overwhelming.  So, if that's the case, find a counselor, find a relative/friend who can help.  Do anything except sacrifice your baby's well being. If you have to sacrifice that, then your home is no longer where they belong.


    Ready to give Fox News your opinion on them publishing this story? I would start commenting directly on the article and then sharing it on social media with your friends/family. 

    Retweet my message to Fox News! 

    Then send them messages through the Fox News social media pages: FACEBOOK - TWITTER

    As a community, only we can get the word out about this and how wrong it is. If our major media outlets don't do their research and spread the right messages, then we must do it for them! 

    Leave your comments below on what you think about this method. 


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