Hi Pat,
After having great trouble with some form of recording of feeds and output
with babies and mothers 'with carers' present here in Quetta. I find the
lack of ANY recording( Mother and carers, as well as staff) is  an absolute
problem.
The staff tell the Doctor 'yes' baby is feeding well at the breast!
I do rounds with the Doctor to learn the baby hasn't Breast feed since I
stuck it on in Labour ward or post Caesar the day before! Nothing is filled
in anywhere about lack of feeding or Baby's output and then like has
happened now twice in 6 weeks here I have a 'so called baby feeding well'
coming back here, jaundiced, dehydrated and NOT fed since leaving hospital
other than ma in law's Green tea and honey!
I am pushing for a Baby fluid chart to be introduced and hope with
in-service that the other staff will record the truth!!!
I wholeheartedly agree with your idea of 'what is told to mothers about
pees(wets) and poohs(bowel actions), the whole concept of 6-8 wets and at
least one pooh is up  the creek. You will have one baby at day 1 with a
string of wet naps(usually hardly damp 'cause Mum thinks she has
oo( happened in hospitals in NT frequently).While another baby, will
saturate everything in the morning and then at night and that's it and this
same baby may do this for the first week. Often mother comes in or rings
Unit worried 'cause before discharge, she was told that baby MUST have 6-8
wets per day!
Next Mother is demented and wants you to 'give baby an enema or something to
open bowels because her bub hasn't had a pooh for a week. Reassurance, TLC
and a little diary page, can reassure these mothers all is well with each
different babies behaviour.
 Regarding Milk output, if baby cries or is unsettled mothers are often
told( by midwives and relatives) their 'supply is not adequate 'instead of
the midwife or assistant, reassuring and encouragingly the putting of baby
to the breast frequently and  Mum cuddling up with her baby and resting, she
is made to 'self doubt her body's ability to feed very early.  I have "Cured
this" little problem early and if the next midwife is of the same opinions,
we have a contented mother and baby by the next day But given another non BF
midwife the same lady, if doubting by the end of day 1 and either Day 2 or 3
is artificially feeding 'cause she had no milk!! It happens so often!
 The Aussie  Tribal Aboriginal ladies have a very good idea after their
birth, they BF, then put the covers up over their heads and cuddle their
babies to them for near enough to the next 24-48 hours, only coming up for
food and fluids. It is fascination to see. You never hear the babies 'cause
it has mum's nipple almost permanently in their mouth. No one worries much
about wee and pooh as you see Napkins in their bin or on the cots. Maybe two
or three(wet) often saturated and one Good Meconium one! No nipple problems
and no unsettled babies! Nature's little Mums.
  My telling the Asian, Caucasian and urban Aboriginal mother to think on
Mother nature(best teacher). The mother cow's baby seldom leaves her side in
the first few days, doesn't have a clock to time it's feeds or tell it that
it's not ready for feeds, instead it feeds and feeds and grows strong with
mother's special milk(colostrum,)just for him/her, when the calf is strong
and has the (Confidence) it will explore, able to frisk and play, again
mother's milk enabled this. Mother Cow has bonded with the calf, so the bub
knows mother is watching over him and is confident and secure in her care.
Hope I haven't 'waffled to much but I feel quite strongly about this whole
idea of recording in some way the truth of intake and output so the Baby
will not be suffering by the giving of unnecessary formula OR Green Tea or
other any thing.
Qudrali Ghutti(God's given food) has come into my saying , thanks to a
little Indian/Pak lady.
Regards,
Robyn Aulmann, RM
Quetta, Pakistan

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