Does anyone know of any guideline that would state an amount of fluid
(colostrum) that a well 36 weeker would need? I ask because I had a mom the
last two evenings I worked that has a well 36 weeker who will latch but not
suck. She has been pumping very successfully ( and then finger feeding) about
15 cc each time. I had another nurse (an ex-NICU) tell me that the baby HAD
to have at least an ounce of fluid every three hours. I asked her why and she
really didn't have a good answer for me. I told her that if the baby were at
breast we wouldn't know how much the baby was getting anyway (it was having
lots of wets and poopies already) anyway. Also, no one blinks an eye when a
bottle baby only takes a 1/4 ounce at a feed.

To make a long story short, the nurse who was covering nursery and I
basically ignored her and went along fine. Does anyone have any citation that
would refute what she said, or present a guideline for the well baby? Jack
Newman, are you there?

Many thanks.

Betsy Riedel, R.N.C.,CLC

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