Help!! Oh mighty collective brains.....I need to find **written protocols
with references** that discuss the need/not for supplementation in the early
post partum period or, to rephrase that, how long can one "wait" for baby to
begin feeding. I know what the feeling of most of "us" is, that a healthy,
full-term baby can wait a couple of days as long as it is being offered the
breast and mom is doing hand-expressing of colostrum, with good output and
minimal weight loss.

 But, we have too many docs and nurses ready to hit the panic button in the
first 12-24 hours, and they are insisting on offering formula if baby does
not "eat" every three hours (you know the attitude, baby must wet, stool and
feed on "my" shift or else). And, of course, we have too many babies
subjected to the effects of Demerol (meperidine/sim to Pethidine) and
epidurals, etc who are not able to wake up or get their act together enough
to feed, thus providing ammunition to support the need for supplementation.

If this topic has been discussed some where back in time, while I was on
hiatus during school, I would appreciate someone giving me some words to key
in on in order to search the archives efficiently.

Thanks to all.

Kathy in NJ IBCLC RN C (Maternal-infant), APN C (Family Nurse Practitioner)
 PhD student hoping to study labor and lactation issues

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