Babies are smarter than us adults.  They much prefer breathing to eating. A
respiratory rate of 30-60 is "normal" for healthy full term infants, but most
infants still want to, and can, nurse with respiratory rates of 70-80 as long
as they do not have retractions.  An infant who can't eat -- won't nurse.
You can force feed them with a bottle - and that is when we get into trouble
with milk aspiration!  My usual orders specify no bottle/formula feeding for
a RR >60-65, but BFing if the infant wants too, at any respiratory rate,
assuming no increased work of breathing such as retractions, grunting.
Nancy Wight MD, IBCLC
Neonatologist
San Diego, CA, USA

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