  A free massless scalar field is coupled to homogeneous and isotropic loop
quantum cosmology. The coupled model is investigated in the vicinity of the
classical singularity, where discreteness is essential and where the quantum
model is non-singular, as well as in the regime of large volumes, where it
displays the expected semiclassical features. The particular matter content
(massless, free scalar) is chosen to illustrate how the discrete structure
regulates pathological behavior caused by kinetic terms of matter Hamiltonians
(which in standard quantum cosmology lead to wave functions with an infinite
number of oscillations near the classical singularity). Due to this
modification of the small volume behavior the dynamical initial conditions of
loop quantum cosmology are seen to provide a meaningful generalization of
DeWitt's initial condition.
