Holding my friends baby in NICU for weight loss

[filewizard25]

My friend had her baby last Thursday and they are holding the baby at the hospital still because it lost more than 10% of it's birth weight. She is having some breastfeeding issues, so I'm guessing this is why baby has lost some weight. I just thought that weight loss was expected.. does anyone know how they determine how much weight loss is too much? ...and don't breast fed babies loose a little more weight than formula fed? They also have the baby on antibiotics as a precaution I guess. ?? Just all seems like overkill to me, what do you guys think?
Oh, and the baby is full term.. fyi

[fwlady]

A loss of 10% wouldn't be all that much depending on the baby's size. You didn't say how big or little the baby was at birth, or how much more than 10% the baby lost. I would say that it would be overkill if a 9lb6oz baby went to 8lb7oz. That is less than a lb, and of what I can assertain, the baby could easily gain that back in the 2 weeks, that babies should be back at birth weight.

Now, if the baby was 6lb4oz at birth, and the baby went down to 5lb10oz, that may be more of a concern, because the baby was already little. The baby would still have a chance to regain the weight though, in 2 weeks, because the loss would be only 10 oz.

Now, if the baby was dehydrated, then of course, the baby would be put in. With the info you have here, it sounds like it could be overkill. They may have decided that the baby was born at home, therefore needs ABx. I don't know.

[CEG]

Usually 10% is the threshold for intervening. For a term baby with no other issues, it's just the percentage, it doesn't matter if it is a 6 pound baby or a 10 pound baby, 10% is 10%. Depending on the hospital that can mean giving formula at 10% or something more. Often any baby that is admitted to the NICU is given antibiotics as a precaution because they are in the NICU and exposed to germs.

I would guess that if a NICU admission is involved they have more concerns than normal weight loss/breastfeeding issues.

[BugMacGee]

There is surely more going on. There is no way antibiotics would be justified for just a weight loss. I've personally never heard of a baby being admitted for weight loss alone (I've been in the NICU for 9 years)

We do watch those babies more carefully for jaundice. All babies with >6% loss get referred to lactation services if they haven't seen them already.

And as far as hospital units go, the NICU isn't terribly germy.

[majormajor]

prayers for your friend's baby! something besides the weight loss is probably worrying the hospital. both my babies lost >10% (~12% each) and the hospital staff didn't do anything, barely even mentioned it... just monitored diapers and made sure the girls looked happy and healthy. my milk came right in with both, too, so who knows why some lose more than others.

your friend is probably terrified right now! it can be so traumatic to have a problem with your newborn, definitely watch her more closely for signs of PPD or PSTD. my first was hospitalized with an infection at 12 days old and it was so, so hard for me.

[annekh23]

Hospitalizing for weight loss alone does seem extreme, particularly as if it's a breastfeeding issue encouraging skin to skin would likely increase breastfeeding frequency and thus weight gain. My DD was in the NICU for a couple of days due to low blood sugar, she hadn't figured out how to latch, so her intake was easy to measure and record (I guess they'd have calculated it from output otherwise), she was right around the 10% mark for weight loss and her feed volumes were about half what they thought they should be, formally they said they shouldn't really discharge her, but informally told us she was better off at home and didn't really make any attempt to keep her.

[Belle]

My hospital born baby lost 11% of her body weight in the first couple days. The hospital staff mentioned formula supplementation but it never happened. She was also a full term baby who weighed 8lbs, 2oz at birth. She was healthy so she had the hospital staff and our pediatrician mystified. They had me pump to get my milk to come in quicker. When I pumped they were amazed at the amount of colostrum I was producing. I got two ounces of the stuff from a short pumping session. Since colostrum is supposed to have laxative properties it would make sense why she lost so much weight. She was a pooper. She pooped 12 times a day in her first couple days of life. At two weeks our pediatrician asked us what we thought happened and we gave this explanation. He said "that makes sense" She was back up to birth weight at two weeks.

[Bluegoat]

The hospital I birthed in had the 10% rule, but they didn't put the baby in the NICU (though they stupidly had a rule to supplement!) But even at 10%, if the baby was nursing well, and milk had only just come in, they didn't really worry.

I think there must be another reason baby is there.

She should spend as much time there nursing as she can, and not let them give bottles - any required supplementation should be given another way.