It is normal and natural for new parents to be worried about every aspect of their infant’s health, including his weight. A lot of factors can cause s weight loss in babies after birth. Weight loss of less than 10% of birth weight is considered normal throughout the first week. If your infant loses more than this, you should be concerned. From nursing difficulties to physical sickness, a variety of factors may contribute to your baby’s significant weight loss during his first days of life.
Normal Weight Loss
Babies spend their time in the womb submerged in fluid, and therefore emerge slightly waterlogged from the womb. After delivery, infants shed the excess fluid and weight associated with it. Babies also need a few days to develop the ability to breastfeed or bottle feed, during which time they may lose weight. These common causes of weight loss may result in up to 10% of the birth weight being lost within the first week. Normal weight loss in babies after birth , is a transient phenomenon. According to a research published in the November 2003 edition of “Archives of Diseases in Children Fetal & Neonatal Edition,” about 95% of bottle-fed infants will recover their birth weight by 14.5 days and 95% of breastfed infants will do so by 18.7 days.
OTHER ARTICLES
- Back Pain During Pregnancy: All You Need To Know
- Back Pain During Pregnancy
- Weight Loss During Pregnancy
- Weight Loss Smoothie Recipe
Excessive Weight Loss
If the weight loss in babies after birth is above normal, it is often the result of persistent feeding difficulties. This is more frequent in breastfed infants, since it takes three to five days for your milk to arrive after delivery. Additionally, breastfed infants often need greater effort to get milk. According to an August 2010 study released in “Breastfeeding Medicine,” more than 10% of breastfed infants lose 10% or more of their birth weight before they begin to gain weight. Indeed, according to the article’s authors, losing 10% or more of one’s body weight is often cited as a cause to supplement nursing with bottle feeding. Extreme weight loss may occur infrequently as a consequence of illness or medical disorders such as metabolic disease, heart, lung, or renal difficulties.
Loss of weight and dehydration
If your infant loses an abnormal amount of weight after delivery, this is often a consequence of insufficient fluid intake, which may result in dehydration. Dehydration raises the chance of developing infant jaundice, a disease in which bilirubin – a chemical formed during the breakdown of RBC (red blood cells) – is not eliminated from the body efficiently. Jaundice discolors the skin and whites of the eyes and may also induce lethargy. Dehydration also increases the chance of elevated salt levels in the blood, which may result in a sluggish heart rate or episodes of apnea, when a baby stops breathing.
When is it Appropriate to See A Doctor?
Consult an emergency physician if your newborn infant has a fever, is refusing to feed, or appears sluggish. Additionally, seek medical care if she exhibits symptoms of dehydration, such as having less than six wet diapers per day, having dry lips or eyes, having loose skin, or having a hollow soft area on her head.
In conclusion,weight loss in babies after birth is nothing to worry about until you perceive its becoming extreme or its accompanied with fever and other negative signals!