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Dear Jenny,
Don't weigh them at all! If they are full
term, feeding well have normal output of poo's and wee's DON'T weigh them,
encourage free access to the breast at all times. DON'T put them near ANY
nursery, close the nursery unless the baby is MEDICALLY
unwell.
We only weigh our babies at birth and that's
it. We talk to the mother, look at what the baby is doing, encourage
frequent feeding if baby is not feeding on demand.
All our babies do very well. We pick up on
problems early. Our mothers go home either 3 hours after birth or within
24 hrs if all is well and we do follow up by phone for 2-4 days depending on the
mother and her needs. We bring our mothers and babies back by day 7 to 10
do the NNS if the mother gives permission and sometimes weigh the baby if the
mother wishes to.
Regards,
Anne Clarke
Birth Centre RWH Brisbane.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2003 2:01
AM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] weighing babies on
Day 3
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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