This topic can be discussed at length and we will never come to one
conclusion.  
First of all, what is normal?? It is not normal to take a baby after
birth from its mother, wash it, weigh it, examine it , inoculate it, and
expose it to loud noises, bright lighting, etc.  Once you have done
that, you change the baby's behavior. At first they react with that
shocked look on their faces, eyes wide open looking around, trying to
figure out where they are.  Then they start rooting, looking frantically
for mother ( not really for food, just mother), then they start to cry,
work into hysteria, and then go into that deep sleep which we all know
in hospital.  This is all part of survival instinct, and according to
Nils Bergman, and other wise ones, this is where the problems start. 
 They can sleep deeply, unnaturally,  for hours, even up to 20.  Is that
ok?  Not really, if within 48 hours they have to go home, and pass
extensive tests such as weight loss, bili, glucose,etc.   I do suggest
to moms to wake them and try to feed, and if the baby is not interested,
then to give him colostrum in a spoon to keep them from losing too much
weight. 
Another thing that we see, and this has been discussed on this list, is
the feeding frenzy once they do wake up.  They might attach to mother
for up to 6 hours straight, not for food, but for the safety and
security of being near mother.  Again, survival instinct.  This "white
night" often makes moms think that those little drops of colostrum could
not possibly be enough, and that is where you come in: you have to
explain a lot about the way babies behave in those first few days, and
why. Talk about the problems of separating mothers and babies, and how
this affects them.  Show those little belly balls to show that the baby
does not need liters of food, but rather lots of mommy.  Tell them that
at this point, the only place those babies feel good is on the breast.  
It is better for them to learn this before the birth, so that they will
understand their baby's behavior.  
Many moms fall that second night, give artificial milk, and you end up
doing breastfeeding rehab the next morning to convince the mom and the
baby that the breast is the way to go.  
Good luck, and if I can be of any help, even just for moral support, let
me know.  Hospital work is not easy,  but very rewarding because you
make a difference to many mothers and babies.    
 
Esther Grunis, IBCLC
Lis Maternity Hospital
Tel Aviv, Israel
 

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