Wouldn't you love to see their research!
You sound so frustrated.
Gwen


Because they must be able to measure Intake and Output.
Because the babies must show acceptable weight gain.
Because babies may only feed for 30 min every 3 hrs. Longer than that
and they will expend more energy in the effort to eat than they can take
in food, therefore they lose weight. (No one has been able to direct me
to a published source for this, but it is the underlying fact upon which
this feeding practice is based.)
Because you can't measure breastfeeding intake. And no, they won't
spend $$ on a 2gm scale, nor take the time for pre- and post-feed
weights if they had one. (Those scales marketed in equipment catalogues
to hospitals have prices starting at $3,000; far above the price of the
Baby Weigh and others similar.)
Because when they do breastfeed, babies get hungry before the appointed
3 hour scheduled feed. That upsets the schedule, upsets the baby, upsets
the Intake numbers in the chart, and upsets the RN.
On the positive side, the NICU does encourage feeding EBM as a
preventative for NEC, and encourages the practice of Kangaroo Care. That
often continues for 60 minutes, holding still, baby asleep on mom's or
dad's bare skin.
But for feeds, if 20 min has passed since babe was taken out of the
crib, time to begin bottle feeds so they don't overshoot the 30 minute
time limit.
This practice is Set in Stone and is NOT to be argued with.

Phyllis

Gwen Moody
CNC Postnatal Care
Westmead Hospital
PO Box 533 Wentworthville 2145
Phone: 02 9845 6964, 0422212774
Fax: 02 9845 8340
Page: 02 9845 5555 - 01135
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