A 7-day-old infant is nursing well. The infant weighed 3250 g at birth, 2990 g at discharge on day 2, and now weighs 3080 g at the current visit. What is the correct next action for the primary care provider?

A 7-day-old infant is nursing well. The infant weighed 3250 g at birth, 2990 g at discharge on day 2, and now weighs 3080 g at the current visit. What is the correct next action for the primary care provider?

• A. Follow up at the 2-month checkup.
• B. Schedule a weight check in 1 week.
• C. Refer to a lactation consultant.
• D. Suggest supplementing with formula.

Answer: (B)

Newborns naturally lose weight in the first days, usually up to about 7–10% of birth weight, and then regain birth weight by about 10–14 days with steady daily gain thereafter. This infant started at 3250 g, was 2990 g at discharge, and is 3080 g now. That’s a total loss from birth of about 170 g (roughly 5%), with some regain since discharge, and the infant is nursing well. This pattern is within normal limits, so the best next step is to schedule a follow-up weight check in about one week to ensure continued gain and eventual return to, or surpassing, birth weight. If weight loss were greater than ~10% of birth weight or there were signs of poor intake, dehydration, or lethargy, we would consider lactation support or formula supplementation sooner.

Newborns naturally lose weight in the first days, usually up to about 7–10% of birth weight, and then regain birth weight by about 10–14 days with steady daily gain thereafter. This infant started at 3250 g, was 2990 g at discharge, and is 3080 g now. That’s a total loss from birth of about 170 g (roughly 5%), with some regain since discharge, and the infant is nursing well. This pattern is within normal limits, so the best next step is to schedule a follow-up weight check in about one week to ensure continued gain and eventual return to, or surpassing, birth weight. If weight loss were greater than ~10% of birth weight or there were signs of poor intake, dehydration, or lethargy, we would consider lactation support or formula supplementation sooner.