Becky writes:

> I HAVE seen some dehydrated babies at 3 days of age who were theoretically
>feeding (at the breast trying very hard but getting little) but maybe
>because they were sucking they set everything in motion.  Hmmmmm.

I have also seen 3-day-old babies dehydrated, but they all had some liquid
by mouth in hospital.  Whenever I walk into a home where baby isn't feeding
at day 2 or 3 I make sure that baby is quickly  fed--if it was a hospital
birth. I don't think that it is the sucking that sets things in motion so
much as fluid but it might be both.  Babies born at home also are not given
artificial teats.

BTW is the test water feed still in place in hospitals?

the neonate requires no water or other food whatsoever
during
>the first 2-4 days after birth while lactation is being initiated."

I believe that to be just as it it stated--"while lactation is being
initiated," colostrum being a given, not "while the mature milk comes in."

But the usual hospital birth (in the US) is anything but normal, of course.
The baby experiences many painful procedures, including rough skin scrubbing
and needle sticks, perhaps deep suctioning, and on and on.  You in hospital
settings know more about this than I do.  All of this could interfere with
the normal functioning of the newborn's little body and certainly with her
centering for coordinated feeding.

Perhaps experiences in birthing centers like the one Michelle mentioned will
move hospital births to be a more "baby friendly" environment. Many little
ones would like more than 1 hour, of course, but that's a start.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee





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