Question

In infant newborns:

What is normal weight loss in the first few days?

What happens to the neonate’s stool in the first week?

What happens to milk supply in the first few days?

What does colostrum do for the baby?

Is neonatal jaundice normal? Why or why not?

What is normal frequency and duration of feeds for the first week?

What constitutes good neonatal growth in the first two weeks?

Answer 1

1. What is normal weight loss in the first few days?

ANS: A 5% weight loss is considered normal for a formula-fed newborn. A 7-10% loss is considered normal for breastfed babies. Most babies should regain this lost weight by days 10-14 of life.

2. What happens to the neonate’s stool in the first week?

ANS: Many newborns have at least 1 or 2 bowel movements a day. By the end of the first week, your baby may have as many as 5 to 10 a day.

3. What happens to milk supply in the first few days?

ANS: The fluid breasts produce in the first few days after birth is called colostrum. It's usually a golden yellow colour. Newborns have small stomachs, so his first feeds may take up to 40 minutes or longer, as he gets used to feeding and builds his strength.

4. What does colostrum do for the baby?

ANS: Colostrum has many benefits for your newborn and it helps your baby build a strong immune system. It contains large quantities of an antibody called secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA).

5. Is neonatal jaundice normal? Why or why not?

ANS: In a newborn, higher bilirubin is normal due to the stress of birth. Normal indirect bilirubin in a newborn would be under 5.2 mg/dL within the first 24 hours of birth, but many newborns have some kind of jaundice and bilirubin levels that rise above 5 mg/dL within the first few days after birth.

6. What is normal frequency and duration of feeds for the first week?

ANS: Newborn babies want to feed on demand, usually 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period for the first two to four weeks.

7. What constitutes good neonatal growth in the first two weeks?

ANS: Most babies born between 37 and 40 weeks weigh somewhere between 5 pounds, 8 ounces (2,500 grams) and 8 pounds, 13 ounces (4,000 grams). The average newborn's head circumference measures about 13 3?4 inches (35 cm), growing to about 15 inches (38 cm) by one month. Most newborns gain about 4 oz (113 g) to 8 oz (227 g) a week.