Thanks to those who wrote with suggestions. I did feel better after rereading Dr. Jack's JHL article this morning about the baby with 30% weight loss. Baby gained 4 oz since yesterday with supplementation and looked much better today. When I have a better idea what the problem is/was, I'll update again (I hate getting hits in the archives that don't have the outcome). The birth weight was likely accurate. Birth weight was 8-13.5, discharge wt. on day 2 was 8-4, baby was seen in the office for jaundice on day 4 with bili of 17.5 and wt. of 8-1. Unfortunately, nobody weighed him again with subsequent bili's in the hospital lab. Bili on day 5 was about 18.5, on day 6 about 19.5 when bili blanket was started and continued until day 9 when bili was 13.5. I'm guessing when the bili was climbing the weight was dropping but nobody knew. Mom nursed her 16 yr. old and 10 yr. old for a year with no problems. She said this baby initially had trouble latching but did better once her milk came in on day 3. It is so hard to believe she didn't notice how scrawny this baby had become, but I know it happens. We even give out a breastfeeding diary to keep track of feedings and output for the first week of life; I think she used it only the first few days and was reassured by the initial output. Her life is stressful with oldest child autistic and husband lately working out of state. I can't begin to assess this child's breastfeeding at this point because he is so weak. At the consult yesterday I thought he latched pretty well under the circumstances, although the latch was shallow and he fell off the breast easily. I can't imagine any baby with this much weight loss could breastfeed decently. Yesterday I only checked for the obvious--no tongue tie, palate intact all the way back. Mom reported feeding every 2-3 hours all along with an occasional longer stretch. I'm not comfortable with feeding devices when a baby has lost a large amount of weight; I just want to make sure baby eats plenty and regains some strength. Mom is nursing at breast for the short time he's awake and suckling well, supplementing with a bottle, taking fenugreek, and double-pumping with a hospital-grade pump. Becky Krumwiede, RN, IBCLC Appleton, Wisconsin *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html