A few days ago (ie several hundred lactnet posts ago!!) we were discussing
feeding non-suckling newborns (full term). I was wanting to post at the
time on the volume of breastmilk consumed by the normal, healthy, full
term, breastfeeding-well newborn and couldn't find my references. :-(
The Saint, et al research states: average 37g (range: 7 - 123) in the first
24 hours.  The hypoglycaemia literature though doesn't support the need to
receive any breastmilk (or anything else!) in the first 24 hours to
maintain glucose homeostasis. Is it normal for a newborn not to receive
anything in the first 24 hours though - I don't think so. AND research also
supports expressing should start within 6 hours of birthing to optimise
lactation ... so you may as well give that expressed milk to the infant as
put it in the fridge. If, from 6 hours to 24 hours, the mother expresses 2
to 3 hrly there would be few mothers who wouldn't achieve the minimum 7 ml
(hand expressing, that is).

Ask your paediatricians why they insist on making a non-suckling newborn
take more milk?  Where's their research to prove it is necessary - to
prevent what? Then if you can demonstrate that the normal baby who is
suckling is only averaging 37ml I think a reasonable compromise could be
arrived at.

BTW I am always very unhappy when a newborn doesn't suckle - it isn't
normal and could be just the 'stunning' birth it had, or it could be Gr B
strep or from other sinister causes. Be alert, not alarmed ;-)

Denise

Saint L, Smith M, Hartmann PE The yield and nutrient content of colostrum
and milk from birth to 1 month post partum. Br J Nutr 52:87 1984.


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Denise Fisher
Health e-Learning
http://www.health-e-learning.com

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