ABSTRACT
This chapter explores that the "Effective triggering of appetite control by the intake of milk fat is the key factor in determining whether the breastfed infant satiates and remains settled after a feed." Culturally, people seem wedded to the belief that the breastfed baby who is crying and unsettled after feeds is "not getting enough milk," the sole emphasis being on inadequate volume intake. Breastfeeding is for the infant, and should be controlled by the infant, if the infant is to be permitted to self-regulate his or her intake in accordance with his/her changing needs. A settled infant is likely to have fulfilled his or her immediate dietary targets, and the appetite-control mechanism will have been effectively triggered. To prevent any potential calorie restriction two critical facets of breastfeeding must be correctly managed: the quality of mouth to breast apposition throughout the feed, and the absence of time restrictions on feeding.
