Hello! My name is Angie LaRocque and I am a junior nursing student at the
University of North Dakota. I am currently taking a childbearing class
and will soon be doing clinicals on the OB unit. I joined this listserv a
couple of weeks ago have enjoyed reading the topics and concerns that have
been discussed so far. Labor and Delivery is a exciting topic for me, and
I am eagerly awaiting my chance to get into the Labor and Delivery room
and witness this special miracle.
I was discussing an issue with a family member about breastfeeding
and neonatal weight loss. She is worried about her newborn infant son is
losing too much weight and is ready to stop breastfeeding and switch to
formula feeding. After doing some research, a study by Dollberg, Lahav,
and Mimouni (2001) compared the intakes of breast-fed and bottle-fed
infants during the first two days of life. It was concluded that bottle-
fed infants started eating sooner and ate significantly more than breast-
fed infants during the first two days of life. This could be because of
lack of milk supply or the minimum amount of colostrum, however weight
loss has been shown after these initial few days of life. In a study by
Macdonald, Ross, Grant, and Young (2003) they concluded that breast-fed
infants lost a substantially greater amount of weight than the formula-fed
infants and that it took longer for the breast-fed infants to regain the
weight that was lost since birth. The infants in this study had the
opportunity of nursing help and intervention in the early days of life.
Breastfeeding difficulties play an important role in the amount of
milk the infant is able to consume. A study by Dewey, Nommsen-Rivers,
Heinig, and Cohen (2003) concluded that early lactation difficulties were
common in women even if they did get assistance in the hospital and that
breastfeeding mothers and their infants should be followed up in 72 to 96
hours postpartum to assess whether their milk had come in and if not to
give assistance with establishing an adequate milk supply.
I have a couple of questions I would like some input on. What is
your agency’s policy on postpartum follow-up appointments with
breastfeeding mothers? As a student nurse how can I encourage my family
member and others like her continue breastfeeding if they are experiencing
difficulties and their child is experiencing neonatal weight loss?
Dewey, K., Nommsen-Rivers, L., Heinig, M. and Cohen, R. (2003). Risk
factors for suboptimal infant breastfeeding behavior, delayed onset of
lactation, and excess neonatal weight loss. [Electronic Version].
Pediatrics, 112(3). 618.
Dollberg, S., Lahav, S. and Mimouni, F. (2001). A comparison of intakes
of breast-fed and bottle-fed infants during the first two days of life.
[Electronic Version]. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 20
(3). 210.
Macdonald, P., Ross, S., Grant, L. and Young, D. (2003). Neonatal weight
loss in breast and formula fed infants. [Electronic Version]. Archives
of Disease in Childhood – Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 88. F473-F474.
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