Thanks Bonnie for your validation on what we are doing.  Waiting does
seem to be hard, but I think both mom and g'ma saw the wisdom in letting
him get over the aversion thing.

I have to honestly say that I don't believe managed care has anything to
do with force feeding of infants in the nursery.  Back in the dark ages
(71-72 ish) I was a newly minted RN hired directly into NICU.  I was
taught be a veteran of the premature infant nursery staff (a dear
practical nurse, Mennonite, who had been working in the nursery for more
than 20 years then) how to "get these little ones to take all of their
feedings so that we don't have to manipulate them anymore than
necessary."

The technique involved using the soft red nipples and working it against
the lower jaw to cause the milk to run into baby's mouth.  You hold one
finger under the lower jaw and grasp the volu-feeder with thumb and
pointer finger, putting either middle or ring finger under the jaw.  Got
so I could get a premie to take 1/3 more feeding that way! Which
probably meant the difference between a 30 gm or 45 gm weight gain per
day.  And ultimately might mean the difference in a week or two of
hospital time.

Now the reason back then was that we wanted them to gain weight so their
anxious parents could take them home.  That only happened when they
reached 5# or 4.5# and EDC!  It was THE standard of care.  We all knew
they needed to be with their mothers but they couldn't go home till
reaching the magic #'s.

As some one said recently, we need to know the history before we cast
blame.  In this case I think it is probably traditional learning passed
on from one generation to another without ever looking at the rationale
for, and effects of, practice.

Research based practice is needed in all aspects of life!

Happy New Years to everyone,
Melinda Hoskins, MS, RN, LC2B
Near Carson City, Nevada, where we're holding our breath to see how
the new governor plans to balance our overspent budget.