Two comments:

Ani - I have worked in a hospital setting for over 25 years and notice similar behaviors.  Here is my take on what happens - baby is born typically with a medicated birth and often at least one intervention, e.g. internal monitoring.  Baby is very alert, trying to take in all that is new.  We strive to get baby skin-to-skin ASAP but I know there are nurses/doctors who are still having trouble going along with all procedures on the chest and delayed first weights.  For discussion, let's say baby is skin-to-skin for the first hour and remains with mother until they are brought to the mother-baby unit.  From then on, things get busy and in the first 24 hours the baby will be bathed, had a hearing test, have pictures, be examined by the pediatrician (examined twice if a med student is involved), had vitals taken several times, had visitors who all want to hold the baby, perhaps had glucose testing, etc.  A little boy may also have been circumcised in that time.  That's a lot of activity for a baby who came from a dark, warm, quiet, left alone environment.  I notice that they withdraw and are hard to rouse.  Like you, I encourage skin-to-skin throughout the stay.  Because I know the baby will be much more active that night when all the activity slows down and its darker and calmer, I also give out the "Baby's Second Night" information and discuss how they can manage through the night when the baby will be happiest in arms and not in the bed.  


I focus on helping the parents look at this logically and objectively.  I remind them that their baby is unique and may not follow the pattern outlined in a book for a generic baby.  That their baby loves them and wants to recreate the womb by being close to their voices, heart beats and breathing sounds that are familiar to them and which cannot be found in the crib.  There's lots written regarding skin-to-skin and the "magic hour" but little about this first 24-48 hours stage.


Chinese mothers - Using my experience of over 25 years as an IBCLC in a hospital setting, I have learned to go with any non-US mother's cultural preferences/mindset so that we can have a good working relationship.  I do inform them of the value of the first milk and encourage them to always offer breast first so baby can "practice" for when there is more milk.  I will also say that, just like a grown-up learning a new skill, they may need to practice frequently, even if it is just a short time in between, and that this will help build more milk faster.


I also compare what their baby is going through to what they may have experienced when they left their native country to come to the US.  No matter how much a person may prepare, learning about the country and learning the language, there is still much that will surprise and confuse them.  Their baby doesn't know the customs or the language and will adapt best if they are with their parents who can guide them and teach them both the cultural knowledge and what they will learn being in the US.  Couples - and grandmothers -seem to accept the idea of "practicing" better than calling it feeding. 


 Cindy Garrison BS IBCLC

practicing in Pittsburgh, PA USA

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