I believe there is more to frequently, unrestricted bf in hospital that
contributes to infant weight loss there.  Some that come to mind (and have
been mentioned in literature, though not necessarily in terms of weight
loss) are:

a) too many blankets, which contribute to high body temps (in some cases to
point of fever!) and which would result in insensible water loss (and
weight loss)

b) meds mothers receive in labor which make babies sleepier and less
effective breastfeeders.

c) stress of being in a nursery where all the other "inmates" are
screaming.  Would YOU be happy in such a setting?

d) regular separations from mother and stress from that

e) regular procedures that hurt and cause crying (=increased blood pressure
in head, and expenditure of energy from crying so long, so hard (=potential
weight loss through expenditure of that energy)

f) change and more change in a short period of time

g) if a male, not Jewish, circumcision with attendant pain, shutting down
and thus failure to feed (well) and more sleeping to reduce the stress of
the procedure and stimulation (pain) resulting

h) strange place for mother; does she sleep as well as at home? I don't
think so.

i) strange place for mother; will she let down her milk as readily in a
"strange nest?"  I recall dear Niles (is she looking down from her
celestial seat admiring all the sharing we do on LACTNET about now? I like
to think so) talking about the flight or fight response of female mice when
labor is interrupted and the hormone changes resulting. Am I off base
suggesting that being in a strange place with strangers who barge in at any
old time of day or night could delay the early responses of mothers to
their babies?

Anyone else want to add others?




Def. of LC service: "We are all faced with a series of great opportunities
brilliantly disguised as impossible situations."
Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC (Homewood, IL)- [log in to unmask]
WEB PAGE: http://www.mcs.com/~auerbach/lactation.html