I don't have the evidence available to back me up but I do prefer to teach the parents how to tell if their baby is feeding well by things like alertness, urine output, the feel of the breasts before and after feeds, attachment and contentment, etc etc. I am not fond of weighing, it is just another symptom of our inability to tell if things are ok without machines to guide us.
For the NST we only do it in less than 72 hours if really needs be. Most of our women are happy to either come back to the unit or to go to a Child Health Nurse for the NST if they live far away and it is too hard to come back.
Cheers
Judy
" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [ozmidwifery] weighing babies on Day 3
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 09:01:02 -0700
I have been a subscriber for several years and love the list but this is my first email to all you wise people
I am seeking your views to feedback to our LC and Unit Manager of the Post Natal Ward of my medium sized maternity unit; about 1500 births per year and a level 2 nursery. Babies born after mid-day are day 0 that day and are called Day 1 the next day if you get my drift!!!!!
Weighed at birth and again on Day 3, but for some they are not 72 hours old when weighed on day 3. Then if they have lost more that 10% of birth weight there may be more intervention, i.e. refer to paed, test weigh and comp to quote. Comp to quote would be with EBM or formula if not sufficient ebm. Given usually with a nasogastric tube or a "finger feed" , rarely a bottle. We are looking into benchmarking what other Units/hospitals are doing about followup weighing of babies. Our visiting midwifery service cannot home visit all mothers who go home on day 3, 4 or 5 etc. only those with problems that need some followup.
Others are asked to go to the child health clinic. All babies are weighed on discharge. Some mums do stay 4 or 5 days or longer if need be. What should we do about the traditonal day 3 bare weighs??????
Looking forward to getting some help to clarify this issue.
We do NST when the baby is over 48 hours old and it used to be day 3 this was done but now its earlier and some go home after this. What happens in your area. Thankyou for your replies to this. Much happinessto you. Jennifer Smyth
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