The discussion of large babies has brought to mind something I've been
meaning to ask.  As a hospital nurse, I have always questioned the logic of
the LGA protocol which requires glucose testing for babies over 4000 gms.  I
realize that it came from the days when diabetes was frequently undiagnosed
and/or uncontrolled and there was indeed a good chance that the mother of an
LGA baby might be diabetic.  However, nowadays, with the routine glucose
testing prenatally, it seems to me it would only make sense to do this if the
mother had no or inadequate prenatal care.  It's the small babies that have
no reserve, not the big ones!   Although at the hospitals where I have
worked, it has never been suggested that big babies be automatically
supplemented, the LGA protocol for glucose testing seems written in stone.
 It subjects the babies to repeated, unnecessary heelsticks and introduces
unnecessary doubt and concern in the parents.
     Does anyone work in a hospital that has eliminated this protocol?  Is
there any documentation in favor of eliminating this practice?  And has
anyone found a tendency in these big babies to be hypoglycemic?  I certainly
have not.  I would appreciate any data that might begin to challenge this
practice.

                Miriam<[log in to unmask]