newborn-lost more than 10 percent body weight

[Solose]

i have a four day old baby. i had tons of problems with breastfeeding last time and quit and I was hoping things would be different this time but alas, the problems have begun. My baby was 6pounds 12 ounces at birth and at her 4 day checkup she is 6 pounds .5 ounces. That is about an 11% loss. I am having her weight rechecked Mon. because my milk is still coming but i am very nervous about this because of my past history. Anyone else have this problem but then have everything turn out okay?

[bubbamummy]

Unless baby was weighed at the same time of day on the same scales you have to bear in mind that 11% might be an over estimate. Were you given IV fluids at delivery? as thatcan also inflate birth weight making the loss look 'worse'

In answer to your question, yes at 10 days old my son had lost 12% of his birth weight I think - 8lbs 6oz down to 7lbs 5oz and my midwife wasnt in the least bit concerned. He was pretty jaundiced and would just sleep constantly and wouldnt latch. They told me to continue 'trying' but to be honest I was freaked out and worried. I began pumping and bottle feeding and he gained 7oz in 48hrs!! I wish wish wish I hadnt started the pumping cycle though. I ended up pumping exclusively for 11.5months as he then totally refused the boob Is there a LC you can see? can you try the supplemental nursing system? its pretty easy to make your own thats what im going to use for the next baby if things head the same way.

[mama2annabelle]

Yes...2 of my babies had significant weight loss due to nursing problems and both are still nursing today at 1 year old and 3 years old. It took some extra effort in both cases but the effort was so well worth it.

Does baby seem to be latching on well? Do you have a LLL group you can contact or a lactation consultant you can see? Take advantage of any type of support you can get from people knowledgable about breastfeeding.

Check out this link:
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/enough.html

[PatioGardener]

How are baby's diapers? At 4 days old baby should have 4 heavy wet diapers and 3-4 poopy diapers. By tomorrow the poops should be changing to yellow and pees should be 5 heavy pees in 24 hours.

Breastfeeding is not an easy skill to learn for Mama or baby, and there are many things that can get in the way, like a poor latch, a tongue-tie, or poor milk transfer. Fortunately there are people in the community who know about these things. Do you have LLL in your area? Call them asap and ask for help - same with a good LC, or even public health. You two will be able to work through this!

Until you can get help, are you able to hand express (or pump) milk after baby feeds? That will help to increase your supply, and you can always spoon feed it to baby if you need to.

IMPORTANT: If baby is not having the necessary number of heavy wet diapers (5 in 24 hours on day 5, or 6 in 24 hours on day 6 and onwards) or is not pooping, then baby may be getting dehydrated. That's the time to call your health care provider or take baby in to the office - please don't wait for Monday's weight appointment if baby is peeing enough.

[marinak1977]

My LO went from 6 lbs 11 oz to 6 lbs 5 oz in the first 24 hours, and the midwives said they would worry if he went below 6 lbs. At the first week's check up he gained almost all of it back, and at 17 days he is at 7 lbs 1 oz. I did have issues with a latch that were helped with a nipple shield, but he's latching better now, especially since my milk came in. Hoping your LO starts gaining weight soon.

[momoftworedheads]

I have four boys, they all have been breastfed. Baby #2 and Baby #4 both lost more than 10% of their birthweight by day 3. They had to be woken up for feedings and supplemented with breastmilk from a syringe after feeds until they were 3 weeks old, then they regained their birth weight.

Just keep nursing, making sure that you are having enough pees/poops daily. We did weight checks weekly until they were each a month old. My 2nd son went on to nurse until he was 3+ yrs old. My 4th son is currently nursing, he is 5.5 months old.

Good luck to you!

Jen