New research explores newborn in-hospital weight loss

Healthy, full-term newborn babies tend to lose weight during the first few days after their birth. A groundbreaking new study published in the latest issue of the Journal of Human Lactation explores the reasons why certain newborns lose more (or less) than others and what conclusions can be drawn from the research.

The purpose of the study, published by SAGE in the Journal of Human Lactation, for the International Lactation Consultant Association, was to determine the factors associated with in-hospital weight loss of healthy, full-term newborns, including birth and infant-feeding factors as well as maternal and newborn demographics.

The study found a substantial difference in weight loss between exclusively breastfed and completely formula-fed newborns, which lost less. That disparity led the researchers to conjecture that formula-fed infants may be at risk of early overfeeding. Supplemented breastfed infants had similar weight loss patterns to the exclusively breastfed newborns.

“Degree of weight loss is critical in the decision to supplement breastfed infants with formula,” write the study’s authors, Patricia J. Martens, IBCLC, PhD, and Linda Romphf, IBCLC. “However, given the overhydration of newborns, the early loss of meconium, and small fluid intake in the first few days, loss of 5-7% of birth weight is considered physiologically appropriate.”

Newborn feeding experiences may be critical in metabolic imprinting and may factor into adult weight. “The most influential predictor of weight loss in newborns is the type of infant feeding,” conclude the authors. “Further study is critical, especially in light of current research on the association between early weight gain of formula-fed infants and adult obesity. Breastfeeding-supportive environments are necessary to support and enable women to breastfeed.”

The International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) is the professional association for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and other health care professionals who care for breastfeeding families. To access an IBCLC in your community, or to learn more about promoting, protection, and supporting breastfeeding, visit the ILCA website at www.ilca.org, or contact the ILCA Office at [email protected], or (919) 787-5181, ext. 209.

The Journal of Human Lactation is the official journal of the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA). Written for professionals by professionals, the Journal deals with the practical topics that nurses, lactation consultants, midwives, nutritionists, public health and social workers, therapists, and physicians face every day. http://jhl.sagepub.com

SAGE Publications is a leading international publisher of journals, books, and electronic media for academic, educational, and professional markets. Since 1965, SAGE has helped inform and educate a global community of scholars, practitioners, researchers, and students spanning a wide range of subject areas including business, humanities, social sciences, and science, technology and medicine.