Some MD input on the above case: I agree--that much weight loss in 4.5 days of life is a LOT. Even if the baby ate absolutely nothing for those 4.5 days, it would be hard to see how he could lose that much weight. The blue spells are also very disturbing. I think I would have hospitalized the baby for a workup as soon as blue spells were noted. Possibilities are legion and include (in no particular order of liklihood): congenital cardiac disease, seizure disorder/neurologic disease, infantile apnea, inherited metabolic disease of many types, sepsis/infection including possibly urinary tract & CNS, etc. It sounds as though the MDs are trying to work through this differential diagnosis. As far as the lactation problem is concerned, everything possible needs to be done to try to build up the mom's milk supply as fast as possible. Having the baby nurse using a SNS might be a reasonable idea--if the baby can take fluid adequately from the SNS while nursing at the breast, then his suck may really be OK. Good luck. Linda L. Shaw MD