With all due respect to the physicians handling the case, a baby does
not really become "dehydrated" after 36 hours.  This is hysteria.  Those
of you who were nurses in the "old" days in postpartum know how to cure
this "fever".  Babies who developed the fever were given a little water
and the fever went away.  The septic workup, the admission to special
care, the use of formula are part of the dehyration hysteria that is
sweeping the country.  All this baby needed was a little extra colostrum
dissolved in sugar water, or just plain sugar water (given by lactation
aid) and the acute crisis would have been over.  It rots my socks that
physicians are so aggressive.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC