"Early hospital discharge after giving birth may be beneficial
to the continuation of breastfeeding. However, this needs further
exploration as the reasons for this are not clear."

Yikes! Perhaps we could put our heads together and suggest some of the
"reasons" (being sarcastic here...) But seriously, maybe they have it
backwards: we know (at least in the hospitals I'm familiar with),
establishment of breastfeeding certainly facilitates an earlier discharge
from the hospital.

This abstract is making me re-think one of the gripes that we LC's here in
Ithaca have: discharge criteria for baby include "establishment of
successful breastfeeding", as measured mainly by urine/stool output. So what
we see all too often is (feel free to join in on the chorus...) baby not
really nsg. yet, so inadequate output, so baby is given a bottle of water
(or worse). Baby pees, nurse is able to document output, and baby is sent
home NOT NSG! This is what I call the Betsey-Wetsey standard - all American
former girls of appropriate age will remember the old dolls - give them
water in a bottle up *here*, and - mirabile dictu! - it comes out *there*.
Thereby proving that the baby/doll has plumbing that is open from stem to
stern!

But maybe these moms/babes are better off just fleeing the joint, if in fact
the longer they stay the less likely they are to continue to BF. Makes a
strong case for hospital personnel to have a standard, mandated procedure
for referral & follow-up for these poor non-feeding babies and their poor
soon-to-be-frustrated parents.

Cathy Bargar, RN, IBCLC Ithaca NY