Hi Kathy.
I can only really tell you a bit about my own story, in case it could
help...who knows.
>I have been requested by a pediatrician in my hospital to do a "lactation consult" on a 38wk SGA baby
>(wgt 5lb 2oz).
>
I was classed as IUGR (intrauterine growth retarded), or small for
dates...and my mom took part in a study that basically said that these
babies are generally as healthy as any other bigger baby, though
sometimes the IUGR can be caused by something (smoking, alcoholism)
which then can make for a baby that is less healthy...but taking away
those babies, the ones that are left, that are IUGR because of genetics
seemed to do very well. At least that was the conclusion of this study
in 1975 (which, granted, is quite a while ago...and no, I don't have
references, I don't even know where it was conducted...probably Kingston
Ontario or Toronto Ontario...I was born in the former city).
I was born at 42 weeks gestational age, the day before my mom was
scheduled for induction (she said she thought the idea of induction
scared me into coming into the world) and I was 5 lbs 5 oz. My mom said
I was a little spider monkey, but I fattened up pretty quickly on her
milk. Yes, she was sure of her dates...she was charting when she got pg
(had been trying for 4 years!).
At the hospital, as was common practice in those days, they tried to
feed me similac until my mom's "real milk" came in...but I would have
none of it...I spat it out, vomited it up, etc. I guess I knew what was
really good for me. ;-)
Though it wasn't a lot of weight to gain, I did double my birthweight
fairly quickly (I think by 3.5-4 mos) and was bf until 7.5 mos.
>"medical indication" for the supplementation. She could not give me an answer other than "this baby can't
>afford to lose any more weight".
>
I guess my thought is always...it takes someone to be on the bottom of
the growth chart...would someone ever say to a 13 lbs baby "this baby
can't afford to gain any more weight" and starve the poor thing? It
takes someone to be at the top of the charts too...so if the baby were
healthy and reacting the way a newborn should, *I* would think there was
no need to supplement unless the mom had an obvious supply problem or
the baby wasn't latching properly or whatever... Yeah, I might keep a
closer eye on a smaller baby, but I wouldn't supplement any faster I
don't think...just my thought on that.
> Is there something I'm missing here? Is there any baby that gains wgt in
>the first 3 days of life realistically?
>
Unfortunately I have no idea what my weight gain was like in the first
days, as I only have the gain as per the shot schedule (i.e. the Dr's
notes)...but I do know my daughter stayed at her birthweight, without
dropping an ounce, for 2 full days, and then started gaining. 2 oz by
day 3, and I think 4 more by day 5. So while it may seem common for
babies to lose weight as newborns, they don't *all* do this obviously...
Fio
ressource person with Allaitement Québec
Nursing Mama to Sandrine, 31 mos, and #2, 11/2002 (or so)
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