A few days ago (ie several hundred lactnet posts ago!!) we were discussing feeding non-suckling newborns (full term). I was wanting to post at the time on the volume of breastmilk consumed by the normal, healthy, full term, breastfeeding-well newborn and couldn't find my references. :-( The Saint, et al research states: average 37g (range: 7 - 123) in the first 24 hours. The hypoglycaemia literature though doesn't support the need to receive any breastmilk (or anything else!) in the first 24 hours to maintain glucose homeostasis. Is it normal for a newborn not to receive anything in the first 24 hours though - I don't think so. AND research also supports expressing should start within 6 hours of birthing to optimise lactation ... so you may as well give that expressed milk to the infant as put it in the fridge. If, from 6 hours to 24 hours, the mother expresses 2 to 3 hrly there would be few mothers who wouldn't achieve the minimum 7 ml (hand expressing, that is). Ask your paediatricians why they insist on making a non-suckling newborn take more milk? Where's their research to prove it is necessary - to prevent what? Then if you can demonstrate that the normal baby who is suckling is only averaging 37ml I think a reasonable compromise could be arrived at. BTW I am always very unhappy when a newborn doesn't suckle - it isn't normal and could be just the 'stunning' birth it had, or it could be Gr B strep or from other sinister causes. Be alert, not alarmed ;-) Denise Saint L, Smith M, Hartmann PE The yield and nutrient content of colostrum and milk from birth to 1 month post partum. Br J Nutr 52:87 1984. *************************************** Denise Fisher Health e-Learning http://www.health-e-learning.com **************************************** *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html