I am also hoping that someone is going to respond with actual data on 
this.  I, too, have been taught that eating can take more calories than 
ingested.  But, no data.

Now that I'm a mom, rather than just a medical professional, I cannot 
imagine how nursing would consume many calories compared to the other 
things babies do - even if it is just laying in a crib.  It seems to me 
that a nursed infant is a calm, warm, and low-stress infant.  With the 
calming effects, that must reduce stress hormones (I'm sure someone has 
the data on that), decreasing heart rate, respiratory rate, etc.  The 
mom is holding baby close, so fewer calories are being burned to keep 
baby warm.  In a NICU setting, the warmer would be keeping baby warm, of 
course.  But the warmer probably doesn't do much for stress levels.  I 
wonder if there is a cost/benefit tipping point somewhere on the preemie 
spectrum.

Anyway, I'd love to see data.

Rachel
-------
Rachel Bittker, MD
Mother of 19 mo nursing son

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