Dear Heather, in most instances in US we have a fairly accurate idea of
birthwt.  Sometimes 6-8 gets written down as 8-6 and everyone panics the
next day, until cooler heads prevail!  Of course most babies are weighed in
gms now anyway.  It is customary in US to weigh babies once per day while
in hospital.  And I am aware that there are subtle scale to scale
differences.

I agree we don't really know what normal is (as in loss, then regain). Need
formal studies.   I'm just saying based on what I saw over a one year
period, is that most babies drop a little first day or two and are back to
birthwt or gaining by day 4.  These were babies who stayed 24 hours and
went home and basically nursed ad lib right from beginning.  My limited
experience with home born babies was basically little or no loss.

I'm just saying that waiting until 2 weeks out may affect long term milk
supply because of poor removal early on, or baby gets some really poor
patterns of sucking ingrained or mom just simply gets discouraged and
switches to bottles because baby doesn't seem satisfied etc, etc.  I'm
just saying that weight, used appropriately, gives us a good idea in the
early days whether or not effective milk transfer is happening.  I don't
personally give a 2 week leeway for regain/gain.  I'm also a fanatic about
dirty and wet diapers early on.  I expect lots of dirty diapers and use the
one wet per day of age rule of thumb for wet.  Day 2 - 2 wet, maybe 3-4
dirty.

Milk transfer is the goal.  Mom has to make it and baby has to get it.
Removal of milk opens way for increasing production, increasing gain.
Static weight or loss is a red flag to me. Sincerely, Pat in SNJ

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