I must respectfully disagree that a 3 week old with failure to thrive "should" be satisfied with 3 oz of milk.  I see a lot of these babies(unfirtunately), and when I help the parents devise a "plan", I never put an upper limit on the amount the baby is fed via bottle. I usually give a minimum...and in 3 week old it would often be "At least 3 ounces".  Often at the evaluation, when the baby is finally offered as much as they would like to have, they will eat 5-6 oz. They continue to eat larger than "normal" amounts until they catch up on their weight gain...then they self-regulate to a smaller amount.

In 13 years I have also never seen a mom whose quality of milk was deficient.  It is always volume. So I would not pursue the crematocrit, unless someone (another healthcare provider) requires reassurance.  In older babies who gain well initially then falter, I find sending a digital scale home with mom can be very useful.  They are often shocked to learn how little their baby is removing at times. And very occasionally we find the baby IS getting plenty of volume, and the primary care provider needs to work the baby up for a medical issue.

Kathy Leeper, MD, IBCLC, FABM
Breastfeeding Medicine Specialist
MilkWorks- a nonprofit breastfeeding center
5930 South 58th St, Suite W Lincoln, NE 68516
(402)423-6402, Fax:(402)423-6422, www.milkworks.org

Creating a healthier community by helping mothers breastfeed their babies...


Email Confidentiality Notice: The information contained in this transmission is confidential, proprietary or privileged and may be subject to protection under the law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The message is intended for the sole use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use, distribution or copying of the message is strictly prohibited and may subject you to criminal or civil penalties. If you received this transmission in error, please contact the sender immediately by replying to this email and delete the material from any computer.
 
             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome