Mostly echoing the other responses to Liane's vent, but can't resist anyway.

Liane, I can understand your reaction, since what the nurse was describing to you as if it were a problem, was a baby who was in exactly the condition to be expected 48 hours after birth at 38 weeks.  The physiologic rise in bilirubin peaks at about 3 days, and this baby's level was miles below the action line for jaundice unless it was unusually small for dates, i.e. less than 2500 g (5 lb 8 oz) at birth, in which case the bilirubin was still below the action line in Norway, just not miles below. 

Too bad for this mother that she gave birth at a hospital that doesn't bother with evidence-based protocols or Baby-Friendly standards.  Apparently she is savvy enough to use an IBCLC rather than rely on the maternity ward staff nurses (and doctors) to help her get breastfeeding sorted, good for her.

I am intrigued that the nurse called you.  Was this at the mother's request, because she knew you would be able to explain all this to the nurse and the nurse might be more inclined to listen to you than to the mother?  Or could the nurse have called you to try and get you to talk the mother into supplementing?  I assume that the mother was aware that the nurse was discussing her care with you.

If I had gotten this call, I would not have been able to resist being much snottier than you were - along the lines of 'And you are calling me to let me know all this because ???'   Sounds like you handled it really well.  

Of course it is good that the staff are aware that babies need some kind of attention around feeding, esp when they are born with a lot of intervention, but it would be even better if they knew the difference between normal and alarming for all the parameters they were looking at.

Rachel Myr
back home again in Kristiansand after a week on planet Newborn, sigh...  this grandbaby of ours seems to be very content with the parents she chose, and they with her.  Can't remember seeing a postpartum course this smooth in years and am selfishly glad it is happening to MY DAUGHTER :-)

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome