I had a sudden thought (oh no, not again!) -- perhaps my only thought of the
day: Is it possible that what we are seeing as weight loss in hospital
birthed babies is not as much a function of poor bf management (although I'm
sure that is part of it), but is a function of artificially high birth
weights r/t management of the mother in labor (IVs, Pit, etc etc). If the
baby gains excess water weight during labor, and then pees it off, along with
the insensible water loss from the #$%@ warmers, could it be possible that
10% isn't really 10% of the babies true weight at all? Now, I don't know how
to prove this, it's just a thought. However, if a home birth baby, or a
birthing center baby who's mother had NO interventions, was allowed to eat
and drink normally (oh horrors) during labor, lost 10% of their weight, I'd
really be nervous -- because that birth weight is probably TRUE weight. In
the hospital, I'm not so sure. But because I'm not sure, I really need to
look at the individual baby and see how he/she is faring (moist mucous
membranes, peeing, pooping) before I get crazy over the numbers.....
Any thoughts anyone?
Jan B
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