A poster asked if a chart is available and one has been mentioned, along 
with a few comments on cut-offs individuals find acceptable (sorry, haven't 
taken note of all the individuals who have posted). 

I think it is important to note, that, as with any weight chart, before 
leaping into using it, there should be questions like 'what data set is this 
based on?'  and 'is it applicable?'. Rules of thumb are all very well, but 
saying that such and such a percent is acceptable and so and so isn't begs 
the question:  what next?  When do you intervene, what interventions do you 
perform, in what order, by whom, what do you do about re-weighing, etc?  
Some posters have alluded to elements of this, but not mentioned a whole 
protocol. 

In a research study in Glasgow such a protocol is described, with times of 
routine weighing, cut-offs for breastfeeding referral and medical referral 
(with differeing cut-offs for breastfed and infant formula fed babies) and 
also including percentage of weight loss and time taken before birth weight 
regain.  The impact on breastfeeding in terms of stats at 6 weeks was 
investigated, but not the qualitative impact it had on women.  You can read 
about this study in two papers: 

Macdonald PD, Ross SRM, Grant L, & Young D (2003).  Neonatal weight loss in 
breast and formula fed infants. Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal and 
Neonatal Edition 88, F472-F476.
McKie A, Young D & MacDonald PD (2006) Does monitoring newborn weight 
discourage breast feeding? Archives of Disease in Childhood  91, 44-6. 

I think this study is interesting, but I dont' know any more about it than 
what I read in these publications.  You may know that in the UK there has 
been a long-standing debate as to whether freqeunt early weighing is 
discouraging to breastfeeding, and that is why I am sad that there were no 
qualitative results with this study. 

I think weight loss tables or a chart might be useful, but, as with the 
growth chart controversies for longer-term postnatal growth which we know 
have gone on for the last few decades, it is important to make sure that 
such a tool is based on good data, collected with thought about its 
parameters, and also that it is accompanied by good descriptive literature 
as to its appropriate use. 

Magda Sachs, PhD
Breastfeeding Supporter, The Breastfeeding Network, UK 

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