I just want to add some anecdotal experience that, after my CLC and other
breastfeeding training, I know impacted our BFing relationship.

I had IV drugs and later, an epidural.  My daughter was born vaginally and
did a short feed in the delivery room (within ~30" of birth).

She was *extremely* sleepy over the next ~12 hours.  Typical waking
techniques barely roused her.  Well-intentioned nurses tried to have us
feeding every 2-3 hours and wanted to see at least 15-20 minutes of effort
per side (!!!).  This stressed everyone involved.  Their forcing the feeds
contributed to the bloodied, sore nipples I left the hospital with.

Once she started to wake up, feedings were much more intuitive.  I needed a
shield to feed and it was still incredibly painful, since much of the damage
was done in that first 24 hours.  Had we been left alone that first night to
just sleep 8-12 hours like Laurie suggests, I think many of our early
troubles could have been avoided.

On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 12:36 PM, Laurie Wheeler
<[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Do any of you (especially in a hospital or birthing facility) practice
> letting baby sleep as long as he wants during the first 24 hrs?
> If so, what kind of baby (full term? had a good first feed w/i first
> hour?).
> I really wonder if bf would go better or easier for mothers and babies, if
> for example, baby fed well in delivery and then
> mom and baby slept together for 8 or 12 hrs, and then would they began
> feeding well. As opposed to arousing baby at
> regular frequent intervals (as we do now) and expressing milk onto a spoon
> and feeding to baby every couple hours if not
> bf. I see the reasoning for continuing to offer breast, and expressing
> (it's what I do now), but I wonder could we just let them
> sleep awhile? I know our docs and nurses would be against it, but I wonder
> does anybody do that?
> I feel I can make the case for a select group of well babies, and maybe do
> a little research as to how it goes?
> Would this be harmful to a well term baby?
> Laurie Wheeler RN MN IBCLC
> Mississippi USA
>
>
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