In a message dated 10/10/97 10:26:58 PM, Carol wrote:

<< about NICU policies, 'splain this one....NICU staff told mothers to only
feed every four hours>>

Explanation may be, ostensibly : to conserve limited energy stores. Sometimes
the advice given by NICU staff is to limit breastfeeding which may be thought
to be more of an energy expenditure, and supp with ABM, which may be thought
to require less energy expended on the baby's part. Those kind of guidelines
should be made on a case by case basis instead of blanket policy, and other
strategies could be used such as pc with EMB. But if conserving limited
energy stores were truly the concern, the staff would not suggest, as you
report, to let a premie "cry it out" which expends energy with no calories in
return (=dehydration/FTT). And ask about the basis for suggesting to parents
that newborns can be spoiled. NICU staff may need some updated research on
which to base practice. Yes?

Deb