Wading my way thru piles of paper...here is abstract from JHL 24(2), 2008
 Belly Models as Teaching Tools: What is Their Utility?
Abstract:
Marble/ball models are often used to represent newborn stomach capacity; however their accuracy has not been determined.  The objective of this review was to analyze data on newborn stomach capacity and determine whether marble/ball models serve as accurate representations.  A literature search yielded limited data, most emanating from the early 1900's.  Data suggest that anatomic capacity of the newborn stomach varies with the birth weight of the infant. Physiologic capacity bears no relation to anatomic capacity of the newborn stomach but it is a measure of the ability of the mother to produce milk and the newborn to ingest milk.  Given the wide range of feeding volumes on days1 and 3 and the reported 8-fold increase in average feeding volume during the same time period, it is best to acknowledge that feeding volumes like anatomic stomach capacity vary widely and do not lend well to visual representation by marble/balls.

Now i've always heard that the baby's tummy is roughly the size of the infant's fist.  I don't know where I got that from :-(  

I also know that my dil had no trouble in filling up my 11 1/2 lb grandson's belly from day 1.  He did desat when nurses gave him a bottle so his blood sugar wouldn't dip :-( Did not ever desat at breast.   PS: It remained in the 40's immediately post birth and for 1st 24 hours.  Never went lower solely on mom's colostrum.  Pat in SNJ

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