Loss of Weight in Breast-Fed Newborns

Most breast-fed newborns lose weight initially. Excessive weight loss may put newborns at risk for dehydration and hyperbilirubinemia, and necessitate interventions such as intensive lactation support or supplementation with formula. Percentage of birth weight lost is often used, somewhat arbitrarily, to guide management. Researchers used weight measurements from 109,000 racially diverse, exclusively breast-fed neonates (singleton, ≥36 weeks gestation, Level I nursery care) born in California from 2009 to 2013 to create nomograms for weight loss in vaginally delivered and cesarean-delivered newborns.

Median weight loss for vaginally delivered newborns was 4.2%, 7.1%, and 6.4% at 24, 48, and 72 hours of age, respectively. Loss was greater in …