Laura...Thanks for your sharing about the sleep time issue.  We also
have nurses who scare the  daylights out of mothers if the baby doesn't
bf on the " schedule"!  One of the ways I've used babe's sleepiness to
Moms advantage is to teach positioning and hand expression of colostrum
to Mom as babe sleeps peacefully at breast.  It's amazing what drops of
colostrum can do when gently placed on babe's lips/tongue.  In my
experience, probably half of those previously sleepy babes awaken after
ten drops and attempt to latch.  The babies with the most difficulty
awakening seem to be, of course, the ones who were delivered with
mityvac suction after pitocin.

One of the primary reasons for concern among nurses at our hosp. who
take care of newborns is hypoglycemia.  However,  I've seen it happen
that after receiving 20 drops of colostrum a babe's chemstick goes up
twenty points.
That's saved a few babies from receiving formula


Susan Wirtjes RN IBCLC  {from breezy Iowa}.