A client's baby was given some sucrose by medical students and normal breastfeeding behaviour was delayed by 24 hours. No maternal medications in labour; no pregnancy or labour complications.
Was the baby part of some trial? Why would medical students be doing anything to a newborn baby? Giving sucrose (I presume in water) and delaying breastfeeding is negligent practice unless there is a clear evidence based need. Did you find out any more since? Did the mother make a complaint?
Genevieve, the students were doing a newborn exam and the mother wasn't asked permission. When it was mentioned to the paed, their reply was that it was a small amount and wouldn't make any impact. I don't agree, since the baby delayed normal feeding behaviour by a further 12-24 hours. I wanted to see if there was any research that would support this thought but haven't found any. (or had much time to look). The mother didn't make a complaint.
There was no intention to delay breastfeeding, the baby simply wasn't interested.
Susan, I didn't realise it was you - hi! What was the purpose of the sucrose? Sometimes used as pain relief but newborn exam shouldn't be painful. Sometimes a fluid was used in the past to check for T-E fistula but I haven't heard of that being done in the last 20 years or so. Seems this might be usual practice in that hospital?
My line of thought on harm would be introducing foreign substance into baby's gut before colostrum and long term effects of that. If it was a large volume it might raise baby's blood sugar and reduce hunger cues, though fat content and stomach distention are more related to satiety than glucose levels I think.
Rather than the actual sucrose I'd wonder if the exam hurt the baby's oral area? (Maybe sucrose given after the exam to "calm" the distressed baby?) Or some suctioning done? If paed views sucrose to a newborn baby to be harmless and no concern about poor feeding in first day, then any number of other poor practices could have occurred without mother being aware. Best wishes
The sucrose was to settle the baby (or the students?) I think they had been told this could be used and simply didnt' think about the age of the baby and the possible need or impact. Or the fact that colostrum was as good as. The mother was standing nearby and didn't see anything else done untoward. It was a discharge exam. The baby was a few hours old and had had a good breastfeed after birth.
I agree about fat content creating satiety, but it is a mystery why the baby wasn't interested in feeding for so long. I don't recall if the baby was mucousy in that time, although I tend to think not, because that would have been a possible reason coming to mind for shorter, less frequent feeds.
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