Weight loss and jaundice in healthy term newborns in partial and full rooming-in.
BACKGROUND
An inadequate start of breastfeeding has been associated with reduced caloric intake, excessive weight loss and high serum bilirubin levels in the first days of life. The rooming-in has been proposed as an optimal model for the promotion of breastfeeding.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare two different feeding models (partial and full rooming-in) to evaluate differences as regard to weight loss, hyperbilirubinemia and prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge.


METHODS
A total of 903 healthy term newborns have been evaluated; all the newborns were adequate for gestational age, with birth weight > or = 2800 g and gestational age > or = 37 weeks.


RESULTS
The maximum weight loss (mean +/- SD), expressed as percent of birth weight, was not different in the two models (partial vs. full rooming-in 5.8% +/- 1.7%vs. 6% +/- 1.7%). A weight loss > or = 10% occurred in less than 1% in both groups. There were no statistical differences neither as mean of total serum bilirubin (partial vs. full rooming-in 10.5 +/- 3.3 vs. 10.1 +/- 2.9 mg/dl), nor as prevalence of hyperbilirubinemia (total serum bilirubin > or = 12 mg/dl). The prevalence of severe hyperbilirubinemia (total serum bilirubin > or = 18 mg/dl) and the use of phototherapy were not statistically different. Maximum weight loss was similar in the two models, even dividing by total serum bilirubin levels. At the discharge, exclusively breastfed newborns were 81% in full rooming-in and 42.9% in partial rooming-in.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, our results allow considering our assistance models similar as regards to severe hyperbilirubinemia and pathological weight loss in term healthy newborns even if full rooming-in is associated with higher prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at the discharge.
Zuppa
Antonio Alberto
AA
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. zuppaaa@rm.unicatt.it
Sindico
Paola
P
Antichi
Eleonora
E
Carducci
Chiara
C
Alighieri
Giovanni
G
Cardiello
Valentina
V
Cota
Francesco
F
Romagnoli
Costantino
C
D000328:Adult; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051556:Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012384:Rome / Q000453:epidemiology; D012386:Rooming-in Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015431:Weight Loss
D001663:Bilirubin