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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #69208
Title: ELIMINATION PATTERNS IN BREASTFED INFANTS DURING THEIR FIRST WEEK

Author
item MANDY, GEORGE - BAYLOR COLL OF MEDICINE
item HOPKINSON, JUDY - BAYLOR COLL OF MEDICINE
item SCHANLER, RICHARD - BAYLOR COLL OF MEDICINE

Submitted to: Pediatric Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/6/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Because newborns are discharged from the hospital shortly after delivery, clinicians are concerned about their adequacy of hydration during the first week. Often instructions are given to mothers and care givers rely on maternal report to assess adequacy of infant hydration. Elimination patterns of breastfed infants also differ during infancy. While enrolled i a study of milk composition, exclusively breastfeeding mothers were asked to record the frequency of infant eliminations (urine and feces) and feedings daily for the first 7 days. Thirty-five mothers, age 31 +/- 4 y (mean +/- SD), who had an unremarkable pregnancy (59% multiparous) and delivery (91% vaginal delivery) were included in the study. The infants were healthy, term, exclusively breastfed singletons (gestation 40 +/- 1 wk, birth weight 3602 +/- 380 g, 54% male) who were discharged at 2 +/- 1 d. All infants gained weight, 27 +/- 17 g/d determined at 16 +/- 5 d. The median (25th,75th quartiles)* frequency of intake and elimination were tabulated for the first 7 days: Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Nurs freq 6(4,8)* 8(6,8) 8(7,10) 8(8,10) 9(8,9) 9(8,10) 9(7,10) No. stools 2(1,4)* 2(1,3) 3(2,5) 5(3,6) 5(3,7) 6(4,7) 6(4,7) No. urines 3(2,6)* 3(2,5) 6(3,7) 6(3,7) 6(4,8) 6(5,8) 6(5,8) These data, determined by maternal report in healthy, thriving infants, are useful for care givers to use in instructions to parents.