This is a little late for this discussion, but I have been busy. I am impressed with the recommendations by Dr. Powers and Slusser in the "Breastfeeding Update 2 :Clinical Lactation Management" from Pediatrics in Review Vol. 18, No 5, May 1997. They state "the healthy full-term infant needs nothing more than breastfeeding. For healthy term infants , situations that do not warrant supplementation include: A sleepy baby who has few feedings in the first 48 hours....." etc. They do not specify anything in the first days beyond this, except that they talk about the first hour being a time when initiating breastfeeding is most successful, and that 37 weekers and younger bear closer observation. They state that it is normal for the baby to show little interest after this time for the next 24-48 hours. I take from this that we should assist to attempt to feed as baby's interest indicates, and not to worry unless risk factors or symptoms are present. Mother should be assisted to assess and evaluate her infant's behavior. We don't want her to miss opportunities, and we ( as LC's) need to evaluate the infant closely. I find that they feed remarkably well when they are ready, but I also find that many mothers don't know how to put a baby to the breast, and consequently a feeding may be inadvertently missed Fritzi Drosten RN, IBCLC Oakland/Piedmont, CA