Postnatal growth in one-month-old breast-fed infants
Abstract
The interpretation of postnatal growth in newborn breast-fed infants might show some difficulties, especially during the first days of life.
Objective. To describe growth in terms of weight in newborns at term exclusively breast-feed in their first month of life.
Methods. Clinical records of normal newborn infants from a pre-paid health service (controlled by surgeons at their offices) were analyzed. Infants were exclusively breast-fed and had been controlled at least five times during their first 45 days of life. Collected data was used to design tables and percentile figures of weight and velocity growth.
Results. Data of weight growth was collected from 148 newborns (75 female and 73 male). Growth curves showed decrease in weight compared to birth weight of 5% mean (SE = 2%). Median to reach weight birth was 8 days for both sexes (p = 10, 3 days; p = 90, 15 days). Velocity curves after showing a weight increase during the first days, indicated along the first month small oscillations.
Curves and tables might be a useful tool to pediatrics if doubts related to weight growth are seen in breast-fed newborns.
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