Newborns are thrust into a world that's colder, dryer, noisier and less confining than anything they've known up to that point. For some, the transition from intra-uterine to extra-uterine life can be stressful. While all newborns lose weight, some lose more than others. The type of delivery, method of feeding and where the baby goes after birth can all impact weight loss after birth.
Breastfeeding
The American Academy of Pediatrics endorses breastfeeding as the best feeding method for infants. Breastfeeding is not always easy to establish, however. Many women give up shortly after birth because of difficulties feeding and their baby's initial weight loss, which can sound alarming. Because breast milk takes several days to come in, breastfed babies do lose more weight initially than bottle-fed babies. This is not a reason to stop breastfeeding, however. Babies are physiologically designed to handle the delay in feedings, in most cases. On average, bottle-fed babies lose 5 percent of their birthweight, compared to 7 percent for breastfed babies, according to lactation consultant Marie Davis, R.N.
Epidural Anesthesia
Epidural anesthesia relieves much of the pain of labor and delivery, but at a price. Both moms and babies whose moms received epidurals are more likely to develop fever after delivery. A Harvard Medical School report published in the March 1997 issue of "Pediatrics" found that 14.5 percent of women who received epidurals developed fever compared to 1 percent without epidurals. Infants of mothers who had epidurals were worked up for sepsis in 34 percent of cases, compared to 9.8 percent of those without epidurals. Infants also develop fevers more frequently if their mothers had epidurals, according to "Avery's Diseases of the Newborn." Since fevers cause the metabolic rate to rise, babies with fever may use more energy and lose more weight than newborns without fever.
Incubator or Warming Table Use
Newborns who are kept on a warming bed or in an incubator after delivery either because they have low body temperatures or because they're being observed for medical reasons often lose more weight than other newborns. Weight loss increases because the "drying out" effects of the heat causes fluid loss and because the heat makes newborns lethargic and less willing to suck vigorously, Davis states.
Rooming-in
Babies who stay in the room with their mothers establish breastfeeding earlier, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, which leads to less initial weight loss. Babies who stay with their mothers full-time are less likely to receive supplemental feedings. Infants who do not receive supplemental feeding also lose less weight in the newborn period, Davis reports.
Considerations
Newborn weight loss of up to 10 percent is common and not concerning as long as the baby is eating normally, does not have jaundice, has normal color and muscle tone and is not lethargic or fevered. In all of these instances, immediate medical evaluation is necessary.
References
- "Pediatrics"; Epidural Analgesia, Intrapartum Fever, and Neonatal Sepsis Evaluation; Ellice Lieberman, et al.; March 1997
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Sample Hospital Breastfeeding Policy for Newborns; 2009
- Lactation Consultant.info: Neonatal (Newborn) Weight Loss; Marie Davis, R.N.; September 2010
- "Avery's Disease of the Newborn"; H. William Taeusch, et al.; July 2004
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