Weight loss in a newborn: normative and acceptable indicators, description, reasons

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

At the birth of a child, the first indicators measured by doctors are the height and weight of the baby. These indicators are carefully monitored by pediatricians, who are regularly visited by parents with a child. There is such a thing as weight loss in a newborn. It can be physiological or pathological. Depending on the causes of weight loss, its nature, treatment is prescribed, if necessary, as well as preventive measures. Today we will talk about baby weight loss, consider what are the norms, what is pathological weight loss.

Norm weight for boys

Before talking about weight loss in a newborn, it is necessary to note the norms in general, defining standard indicators. At birth, the standard indicators are weight in the region from 2.8 kg to 4 kg. The growth of the baby ranges from 46 to 55 cm. IfPreviously, the weight and height of children at birth leaned more towards the lower bar, but now there is a tendency towards an increase in weight indicators. More and more large children with a heroic weight are born. Consider a table of standard weight indicators for boys.

Evaluation of indicators	Very low	Low	Below average	Medium	Above average	High	Very high
Baby weight in kg	2.0kg	2.4kg	2.8kg	3.2kg	3.7kg	4.2kg	4.8kg

Norm for girls

Considering the norm of weight in girls, we will also give a table from very low to very high. At the same time, we draw your attention to indicators from below average to above average. All other standards require close observation of the child by a doctor. It is very important not only the weight of the baby and its compliance with the indicators of the table, but also the ratio between the height and weight of the child. The standards proposed by us are relevant for children born on time, these standards do not apply to premature babies, there are other indicators.

There are special tables and charts that match weight and height. The graphs take into account the region of the birth of the child, the physique of the parents and other factors that, one way or another, affect the height and weight of the born. Let's turn to the table of weight standards for girls.

Indicator score	Very low	Low	Below average	Medium	Above average	High	Very high
Baby weight in kg	2.0	2.4	2.8	3.2	3.7	4.2	4.8

Causes of baby weight loss

After the birth of a child, his main occupation is a sound and he althy sleep. During the first month for the full recovery, development, growth of the child, he needs to sleep a lot and soundly, waking up only for the feeding process. At this stage of development, the child does not need a huge amount of milk. A few milliliters are enough to satisfy hunger. That is why the weight loss of the newborn occurs, there should not be a set at all. Doctors highlight the norms within which a child's weight loss is considered normal. As a rule, weight loss is observed regardless of how the child is fed: breast milk or formula. During the first 4-5 days, this phenomenon is quite normal, after which a gradual increase in body weight begins. Consider the main causes of weight loss in a newborn:

1. Reducing the percentage of fluid in the body. For a long time, the child is in the womb, filled with liquid. At birth, the baby is exposed to stress, so swelling occurs and a large amount of water accumulates. The child returns to normal within 4-5 days. Swelling subsides, excess fluid comes out through the skin and pores.
2. Meconium. First chairthe baby comes out within 3 days. Throughout its development in the mother's body, the child accumulated it in the intestines. During the first days, this stool comes out. Thus, weight loss in newborns in the early days also occurs due to bowel movements.
3. Lack of mother's milk. In fact, such a problem is often contrived by the mother and does not correspond to reality. In the early days of milk and should not be much, the child needs a few milliliters. In the future, the breast is poured, and there is more milk, as a rule, its amount is enough for feeding. If there is not enough milk, the baby may lose weight.
4. Premature babies, that is, those who were born prematurely, as a general rule, are in specialized incubators and receive nutrients by the hour in accordance with their needs. In such a situation, the rate of weight loss in newborns is about 15% of the total weight at birth. After the baby has been discharged, it is necessary to breastfeed him as often as he requires. The body knows best when and how much milk is needed.
5. Children born with high rates of weight lose it in the first days. They need, like premature babies, to get used to the new conditions, and also to return to their normal form.

Normal weight loss baby

Earlier, we considered the causes of weight loss, which are physiological, that is, quite normal, there is no pathology in this. The rate of weight loss in newborns is 5-7% during the first days after birth.birth. In this case, you do not need to take measures to gain weight and worry about it. The child will certainly return his body weight quickly enough, within two weeks. Doctors also claim that the percentage of weight loss in a newborn may be higher. Loss of up to 10% of the total body weight will not be considered a pathology, but you still need to monitor the baby to prevent dehydration. Pay attention to the condition and color of the skin. In the first days after childbirth, the child does not eat milk, but colostrum - this is a substance that is excreted in a woman before milk, it is also nutritious and beneficial for the child.

If the weight loss exceeds the above figures, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination. As a result, the cause of weight loss will be clarified, treatment will be prescribed, a complex of vitamins to restore the child's body.

Acceptable values

In the event that the woman's pregnancy proceeded normally, there were no complications and premature birth, the weight of the child will most likely range from 3 to 3.5 kg. By the end of the hospital stay, every mother will notice that the child has lost weight. We considered that this is quite normal, and in the form of percentages we established how much weight loss is normal.

Let's consider the limits of the norm of weight loss in newborns at discharge on specific numerical indicators. During the first 3-5 days, the baby's body weight may decrease by 150-300 grams, depending on environmental conditions and initial birth weight. If the baby was born prematurely, then the lossweight can be 15-18% of the total body weight. The boundaries increase if the birth was protracted, the child received a birth injury.

Pathological weight loss

In the event that weight loss in newborns in the first days exceeds 10% of the total body weight or after 5 days it continues, it is necessary to think about the pathology. The examination must also be carried out if the weight of the child is in one place. It must be understood that weight loss in the case of pathology is accompanied by some symptoms. So, pathological weight loss in newborns in the first days, as a rule, is accompanied by the following phenomena:

1. Intense thirst, the baby actively and eagerly grabs the mother's breast, there is a desire for constant fluid intake. At the same time, saturation occurs quickly and for a short time, soon the child wants to drink again.
2. Heart beats fast, shortness of breath appears.
3. Pay attention to the skin of the newborn: they are dry, begin to peel off.
4. The mucous membranes are dry and in a painful state.
5. Temperature increase is not always observed, but it happens.

Deviation from the norm of weight loss in newborns in the first days and months after birth is caused by several reasons:

1. Lack of milk from the mother, taking antibiotics, various diseases of the woman or a genetic predisposition lead to a decrease in the amount of milk. This phenomenon is called hypogalactia. The only way out of this situation isprescribing artificial formula for feeding the baby.
2. Pathological condition of the child, in which he cannot properly grasp the breast, as well as the baby's sucking reflex, the ability to swallow. This situation in most cases occurs in premature babies or in children with developmental delay.
3. Diseases associated with the nervous and respiratory systems, in which the child cannot breathe and eat at the same time. Diseases in this case are expressed in anxiety when applying the child to the breast, in refusing to eat, despite the fact that the child is hungry.
4. Mother does not feed her baby on demand. At first, after birth, the baby often feels the need to feed. If the mother does not listen to the child's urges, weight loss may occur. The baby can be at the breast from 20 minutes to an hour, there are times when the mother does not have the patience to wait so long.

Often, the deviation from the norm of weight loss in newborns in the maternity hospital is associated with diseases and pathologies of the child. In this case, a thorough examination is required, and discharge from the hospital is allowed only if the baby has begun to gain weight. For example, if the child is premature or underweight, discharge cannot take place until the child returns to normal and begins to gain weight. Deviation from acceptable weight loss of the newborn is taken as a pathology that needs to be treated and controlled.

Signs of dehydration

Dehydration causes weight lossa newborn in the hospital, which is very natural and does not pose a threat if the process is controlled. You need to be well aware of the signs of dehydration that need to be treated. Symptoms include:

1. Fannel recession.
2. Child's constant shortness of breath.
3. Anxiety, poor sleep, moodiness.
4. Bright mucosal color.
5. Dry skin, peeling may appear.
6. Heart beats fast.

In the event that a mother has found one of the above signs, it is urgent to replenish the lack of water in the body in any way. If this is not done in a timely manner, there may be serious consequences, including death. If dehydration is in a severe stage, then there may be a temperature, weakness in the body and the signs listed above are more pronounced. In this case, a dropper is often used, the only way to restore the balance of the liquid is with the help of it.

Prevention of dehydration

Earlier, we said that a child is born with edema, and during the first days of life, they subside due to fluid loss in the body. This is normal weight loss in newborns, but at the same time, this process can be controlled so that excess fluid does not leave the body. To prevent dehydration you need:

1. Give your baby access to the breast no matter what time or how often the baby asks for food. After all, the child's body knows perfectly well how much it needs, when and in what quantities. Even if you think thatthe child is at the breast for a long time, and it would be time to tear it off, you should not do this. It must be remembered that the process of feeding is not just eating, it is contact with the mother, which is so necessary for any baby.
2. Microclimate must also be maintained to control physiological weight loss in newborns. The room temperature should not exceed 22-24 degrees, and it is advisable to regularly humidify the air. Wet cleaning should be done twice a day, namely: wipe the floor and furniture in the children's room. That is why the weight loss of a newborn in the maternity hospital is especially controlled, because a favorable microclimate is maintained in a medical institution.
3. Skin, as you probably already understood, can say a lot about the he alth of a newborn. In the event that the mother or doctors notice redness, dryness, peeling of the skin, it is necessary to conduct an examination and identify the cause. In addition, it is necessary to supplement the baby with water, but after feeding, in order to prevent the baby from refusing to feed in the future.

Proper care and recovery

We looked at the rate of weight loss of a newborn in the early days, but did not pay attention to recovery and weight gain. There is no way to prevent weight loss, and you must understand this. This is quite normal for a newborn. In the event that proper care is organized, breastfeeding is established, and all conditions for recovery are formed, the baby will soon begin to gain weight.

A he althy baby is worriedweight loss within 4 days from the moment of birth, already on the 5-6th day, weight gain begins. On days 6-8 (maximum 14), the child's weight will return to its previous level. With well-established nutrition, the baby will add from 125 to 500 grams in 7 days.

Prolonged recovery, as well as a strong weight gain, may indicate a deviation and he alth problems. It is very important to observe not only the feeding regimen, but also drinking. If the baby rarely urinates or has thick stools, he should be more actively supplemented after breastfeeding with plain water. If the child is on artificial nutrition, he simply needs to drink, and the more the better.

What happens to a baby after birth?

Every mom needs to know what else, besides losing weight, happens to her baby after birth. The phenomena discussed below, if they become severe, are an indication for prolonged observation of the mother and baby in the hospital, in which case the discharge is delayed:

1. In the first days of life, the skin of a child may become icteric, this is due to the immaturity of the enzymes that are formed in the liver. Jaundice appears in a newborn for 2-3 days, reaches a maximum by 6, and then gradually disappears. In a normal he althy baby, by the end of the second week, all signs of jaundice will disappear, if this does not happen, you should consult a doctor. This phenomenon is called physiological jaundice, for someone it may be mild, for someone, on the contrary, it is stronger, the degreedepends on the individual characteristics, predisposition, as well as the genetics of the baby. Difficult childbirth, asphyxia can also lead to a serious form of pathology, one of which is hemolytic disease. This is the process of breaking down red blood cells. In such cases, a blood transfusion is often required.
2. Baby regurgitation is the return of milk into the oral cavity from the stomach immediately after feeding, or after a long period. Slight and rare regurgitation is normal for a baby. They are due to the small volume of the stomach, the ingestion of air with milk, the immaturity of the swallowing process. Abundant, frequent, increasing regurgitation can be a manifestation of a stomach defect. In this case, the child begins to rapidly lose weight or his weight stops at one mark, dehydration develops. The solution to such a problem is possible only by surgery.
3. Immature and premature babies with signs of developmental delay also remain in the hospital for some time for observation. In such babies, the adaptation period is more difficult than in he althy ones, which is why control by doctors is necessary.
4. Children born in a state of asphyxia, that is, who underwent oxygen starvation, are the object of examination by doctors. In this case, nerve cells become more sensitive, muscle tone is disturbed, and frequent regurgitation appears. All this is an indication for observation by a doctor.

We looked at some of the most common situations in which an extract from a maternity hospital maypostpone for a short period. In most cases, the presence of diseases or developmental disabilities is indicated by the rapid weight loss of the child. That is why it is necessary to closely monitor your baby and respond in time to a possible danger.