Dear Lactnet Friends:

Curious about your reaction to this new chart.

Birth Volume 41, Issue 2, pages 153-159, June 2014

"Charts for Weight Loss to Detect Hypernatremic Dehydration and Prevent
Formula Supplementing"

Abstract
Background
Most breast-fed newborns get the milk they need. However, very rarely milk
intake is insufficient mostly as a result of poor breastfeeding techniques.
Dramatic weight loss and hypernatremic dehydration may occur. Our aim was
to construct charts for weight loss.

Methods
A case-control study was performed. Charts with standard deviation score
(SDS) lines for weight loss in the first month were constructed for 2,359
healthy breast-fed term newborns and 271 cases with
breastfeeding-associated hypernatremic dehydration with serum sodium level
> 149 mEq/L. Day 0 was defined as the day of birth.

Results
Many cases with (or who will develop) hypernatremic dehydration (84%; +1
SDS line) fell below the -1 SDS line at day 3, the -2 SDS line at day 4,
and the -2.5 SDS line at day 5 in the chart of the healthy breast-fed
newborns. Weight loss of cases with permanent residual symptoms was far
below the -2.5 SDS.

Conclusions
Already at an early age, weight loss differs between healthy breast-fed
newborns and those with hypernatremic dehydration. Charts for weight loss
are, therefore, useful tools to detect early, or prevent newborns from
developing, breastfeeding-associated hypernatremic dehydration, and also to
prevent unnecessary formula supplementing.--

warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, BSN, Mother of 2, MS, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI, ANLC, CKC
Author:* Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Breastfeeding Therapy*
www.nikkileehealth.com
https://www.facebook.com/nikkileehealth

*Get my FREE webinar series*

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