My SIL had a baby early Monday morning. She's 3 weeks early but all was well other than her being small (5 lbs 15 oz, 17.5" which doesn't seem terribly small to me for that gestation, but anyway...). She had a fast labor, unmedicated other than one small does of morphine at some point in the last hour and a half of labor (she was only at the hospital for that long before the birth). I know SIL was nervous about BFing, and her last childbirth prep class (the one focusing on BF) was to be Monday night, so she missed it. This is her first baby. This is a WHO certified "Baby Friendly" hospital, and it is where my DD1 was born. They encourage rooming in, co-sleeping, use cloth dipes, etc. I had a great experience there (but not good enough to go there again this time 
)
Sooooo anyway, that's the background. Here's where we stand. On day one she latched well but was sleepy- she would root, latch on, do a few sucks and then fall asleep. IMO, normal for a less-than-one-day-old baby. Tuesday, at just over 24 hours old, they wanted her to give the baby glucose-water because she was still so sleepy. SIL declined. Tuesday night they were going to have her pump and finger feed. It seems to me that just putting baby to breast and doing skin to skin would be just as good or even better. Am I oversimplifying? Is it possible that there really is already a visible problem? I kind of thought that in a baby that new, sleepiness is normal and fine. SIL can express colostrum, so they know something is there.
They are supposed to come home this afternoon. This morning's ped. visit brought the news that the baby has "very high" bilirubin levels (she did not look at ALL yellow to me last night, but maybe a baby can be jaundiced without looking it? or can it come on that fast?) so they are sending them home with a bilibox (not even a blanket, a box!). Baby is ONLY supposed to come out of the box for 30 minutes at a time to feed and change, and then back into the box she goes. They have also started supplementing with formula to help "clear" the bilirubin from her system. SILs milk has not come in yet (because it has BARELY BEEN 48 HOURS!).
So. Is this all a bit much? I have not had a baby that early, so maybe this is standard procedure? SIL is dedicated to BFing, but her mom and many friends did not breastfeed and I know will not be terribly supportive in that respect. I can only help so much because SIL is very private and I never know when I'm overstepping my bounds. I don't want to be pushy or come off as a "BFing terrorist" or whatever the term is these days (I refuse to use the BF n--- term). But I want to be supportive. Of course I have a 2yo and a newborn of my own, so I can't be "on call" for help whenever she needs it, other than over the phone. There is a LLL meeting tomorrow night but I doubt she will want to take the baby out in the evening, it is frigid cold here. Plus, the baby will still be in its damn box at that point
So, am I overreacting, or is this normal treatment of an early, jaundiced newborn and not a threat to her BFing?
)Sooooo anyway, that's the background. Here's where we stand. On day one she latched well but was sleepy- she would root, latch on, do a few sucks and then fall asleep. IMO, normal for a less-than-one-day-old baby. Tuesday, at just over 24 hours old, they wanted her to give the baby glucose-water because she was still so sleepy. SIL declined. Tuesday night they were going to have her pump and finger feed. It seems to me that just putting baby to breast and doing skin to skin would be just as good or even better. Am I oversimplifying? Is it possible that there really is already a visible problem? I kind of thought that in a baby that new, sleepiness is normal and fine. SIL can express colostrum, so they know something is there.
They are supposed to come home this afternoon. This morning's ped. visit brought the news that the baby has "very high" bilirubin levels (she did not look at ALL yellow to me last night, but maybe a baby can be jaundiced without looking it? or can it come on that fast?) so they are sending them home with a bilibox (not even a blanket, a box!). Baby is ONLY supposed to come out of the box for 30 minutes at a time to feed and change, and then back into the box she goes. They have also started supplementing with formula to help "clear" the bilirubin from her system. SILs milk has not come in yet (because it has BARELY BEEN 48 HOURS!).
So. Is this all a bit much? I have not had a baby that early, so maybe this is standard procedure? SIL is dedicated to BFing, but her mom and many friends did not breastfeed and I know will not be terribly supportive in that respect. I can only help so much because SIL is very private and I never know when I'm overstepping my bounds. I don't want to be pushy or come off as a "BFing terrorist" or whatever the term is these days (I refuse to use the BF n--- term). But I want to be supportive. Of course I have a 2yo and a newborn of my own, so I can't be "on call" for help whenever she needs it, other than over the phone. There is a LLL meeting tomorrow night but I doubt she will want to take the baby out in the evening, it is frigid cold here. Plus, the baby will still be in its damn box at that point
So, am I overreacting, or is this normal treatment of an early, jaundiced newborn and not a threat to her BFing?
