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Proper Feeding of the Newborn
The emergency physician must be comfortable with providing anticipatory guidance to parents of newborn, especially with regards to proper feeds of the neonate.
Newborns will lose some weight in the first 5-7 days of life. A 5% weight loss is considered normal for a formula fed newborn. A 7%-10% loss is considered normal for the breastfed baby. Most babies regain their birth weight by days10-14 of life. During the first 3 months, infants gain about an ounce a day (30 g) or 2 pounds a month (900 g). By age 3-4 months, healthy term infants have doubled their birth weight.
Breast-fed Neonates:
- Should be fed every 2-3 hours while awake
- 5-20 minutes of sucking per breast
- May gain weight slower than formula-fed counterparts
Formula-fed Neonates:
- 0.5-1 ounces per feeding every 3-4 hours for the 1st week
- Then 1-3 ounces per feeding every 3-4 hours
- Typical formula contains 20 cal/ounce
In general, overfeeding during the neonatal period has been associated with adult obesity. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least the 1st 6 months of life. Earlier switches to formula has been associated with atopy, diabetes and obesity
References:
- Fleischer DM. “Introducing formula and solid foods to infants at risk for allergenic disease.” UptoDate;2012.
- Hammer LD, et al. “Development of feeding practices during the first 5 years of life.” Nutrition;1999;189-194.
- Philips SM and Jensen C. “Dietary history and recommended dietary intake in children.” UptoDate;2011.
- Prior LJ and Armitage JA. “Neonatal overfeeding leads to developmental programming of adult obesity.” J Physiol;2009:2419.