IN a hospital setting, I encourage moms to do anything to make sure the
babies eat in the first 24 hours for only one reason: if they don't they
start losing more weight than the staff "allows" and then starts the scare
tactics.
 "Your baby has lost almost 10% of his birth weight.  He could dehydrate,
his blood sugar  may be low, you have to go home, but he has to stay here,
you don't have enough milk, etc, etc, etc."  The tears of day 3 start
flowing, and I come into work and my breastfeeding room is full of crying
moms, and babies who have woken up and are doing marathon feeding to make up
for day I.
In order to avoid some or all of the above, I do encourage moms to express
colostrum in a little plastic spoon and start feeding it to the baby if he
is still sleeping at about 8-10 hours after birth.
I hate to have to do this, but the consequences for not eating for the first
24 hours are not worth it.
I am running a course for all maternity staff, and we will discuss this
issue, but I have my doubts.
Cost benefit again?
Just trying to adjust to the reality of hospital births.

Esther Grunis, IBCLC
Lis Maternity Hsopital
Tel Aviv , Israel
mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://www2.iol.co.il/communities/breastfeed

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