Help? C-section babies lose more weight?

RedRobin81 · January 2012

Hi ladies, hoping someone else can give me some input on this issue.

My daughter was born via planned c-section 1.2.12, she weighed 8lb 13oz. She was chubby cheeked and perfect and beautiful I was told by several members of the nursing and dr team that she would lose some weight that was actually excess fluid that doesn't get "pushed" off since she didn't travel through the birth canal like during a vaginal delivery.

Well, she lost about 18 oz over the course of 1 week. Everyone got very concerned, so we were put on a stricter feeding schedule and supplementing and pumping more often. I pretty much have a boob out constantly, either for her or the pump lol. After increasing her feedings and supplementing after each feeding on the breast, she was at at 7lb12oz at our last weight check on Thursday (so down just under a pound from her birth weight, but UP 6oz from her 1 week checkup)

She seems perfectly healthy aside from the weight loss; good amount of wet and poopy diapers, good motor skills (for a 12 day old lol), etc.

I'm just curious what everyone else's experiences were. Its been a rough week + and I'm not sure how "normal" this is or isn't. How worried do we need to be about this?

rosesandpeonies · January 2012

All babies lose weight after birth. I have never heard that about sections. Usually breastfeeding babies may lose a little more than formula fed babies but it usually is not concerning. Have you seen a lactation consultant? just a thought. Personally it sounds like it was more a feeding/latching issue than a section issue. Losing 18 oz is not the norm after a csection delivery no, but that doesn't mean that something is "wrong" just needs to be worked on

I formula fed and my daughter was 8 pounds 1 oz and went down to 7lbs 10 oz.

Same with my other daughter....just a few ounces.

My mom breastfed after all of her sections and we all lost a little weight, but again nothing to be concerned about.

I never heard about that with csections. interesting...but could it really be that much water that is pushed out...i would be shocked it would be enough to really count that into the weight loss but I am not a dr.

RA1109 · January 2012

My LO weighed 8lbs 12oz at birth. He went down to 7lbs 14oz in the hospital, but I refused to give him formula. My milk came in as soon as we left the hospital and at his 2 week appointment he weighed 9lbs 5oz. At 3.5 weeks he weighed 11lbs. I do have an oversupply though. It sounds to me like your baby is doing great.

ETA: I was told the same thing about c-section babies losing weight. The nurses and doctors didn't care much about his weight loss because he was having lots of dirty and wet diapers.

pitterpatter129 · January 2012

Our LO was 8lb 6oz and went down to 7lb14oz. If they pumped you with a TON of fluids, then baby also had those fluids, plus the not "squeezing" out the extra aminotic fluids. I had an induction, so I had pitocin, like 6 bags of fluids, plus the epidural, plus antibiotics, all hours before he was ever born! Knowing now that my baby probably wouldn't have weighed nearly what he did if he hadn't been induced/had been born vaginally, I wish I could back in time and tell my new mom self to stop worrying so much about his weight! They had us in every week for six weeks for weight checks. Dumb. If he's eating, gaining, peeing and pooping - then don't stress yourself out too much!

manbearpig31610 · January 2012

I do understand why you would be concerned about the initial 18oz weight loss but it seems like she is doing great now! 6 oz in 5 days is good. It seems like you are doing a great job. Just nurse, nurse, nurse and try not to worry too much until you see what is goong on at her next weight check.

beckbech · January 2012

My DD3 was born at 6lb4oz and when we left she was 5.8. They weren't too concerned because she was having wet and dirty diapers. She has started gaining one weight back. As long as they're gaining, everything is probably fine now!

uncharch7 · January 2012

We were told the same thing by the LC... c/s babies have an artificially higher birth weight due to the fluids the mom is given during labor/delivery. I had 4+ bags of fluid in 12 hours and DS went from 8lbs 5oz to 7lbs 6oz. The nurses were freaking out, the pedi was so-so, the LC brushed it off. We also had to do weight checks frequently, but we are glad we did because DS wasn't (and still isn't) efficiently BFing.

magdalina.h · January 2012

Lucas dropped a lot but he had an awful latch and jaundice. He is a slow gainer but right on or ahead hitting milestones

byrne15 · January 2012

ds went from 6lbs 14oz to 6lbs 4oz. he was 100% formula fed and the dr never seemed concerned about his weight loss. I think he weighed close to his birth weight at 1 week and was heavier by 2 weeks.

ChiTown Bridget · January 2012

My ds weighed 6lbs7oz at birth and at his first checkup he was down to 6lbs but was back up to his birthweight by his 2 week appt. Like pp have said, I was told the same thing about c-section babies losing weight and that it is not a concern as long as he was having lots of dirty and wet diapers.

katmacwv · January 2012

I've never heard that about c-sections either. DD only lost a few ounces after birth and had it back on in about a week.

GVSU-04 · January 2012

I was told the same thing about c/s's. LO was born weighing 6 lbs 11 oz & dropped to 5 lb 9 oz. the nurses were fine w/ it. It was the LC who freaked out... Until she found out he was c/s. she still had me pump to gauge how much he was getting. Looking back, I should have requested a different LC. This one made me worry unnecessarily. Also, LO is now in the 76th percentile for weight, so just keep workin at it- your LO will be fine!

shouldbworkin · January 2012

I don't think mine lost more than a baby born vaginally. DS could have been pumped more full of fluid bc I was in labor and on IVs for a long time before he had a c/s. DD was RCS and back up to her birth weight w/in a couple days of coming home. Sounds like you're on the right path here, just keep at it. I think that the first time around it can take awhile for your milk to come in, it took 5 days with my first.

RedRobin81 · January 2012

Thanks everyone, I feel a lot better hearing about everyone's experiences. Hope you all have a great day

KSimone619 · January 2012

From what I was told, C/S babies "lose" more weight simply b/c you are in the hospital longer and it is measurable. It's most likely true that vaginal birth babies lose as much weight, but their measurements aren't recorded since you are already at home. Just for reference- DD was 8lb8oz at birth and was 7lb12oz upon D/C. She had gained back to her birth weight by 2 weeks

pepomntpat · January 2012

manbearpig31610:
I do understand why you would be concerned about the initial 18oz weight loss but it seems like she is doing great now! 6 oz in 5 days is good. It seems like you are doing a great job. Just nurse, nurse, nurse and try not to worry too much until you see what is goong on at her next weight check.

This exactly!

Kissimi21 · January 2012

uncharch7:
We were told the same thing by the LC... c/s babies have an artificially higher birth weight due to the fluids the mom is given during labor/delivery.

I was told the same thing. DS went from 8lbs 13 oz to 7lbs 8oz. I was was freaking out, but my LC and RN both said it was normal due to the combination of normal newborn weight loss and excess fluids.

It sounds like you're doing great.

araine10 · January 2012

My LO was 7 lbs 2 ounces at birth and the next day he was 6lbs 4 ounces. I ended up supplementing with formula for 2 days because of this which I still regret. When I spoke to the LC she said that my LO could have done without the supplementation. She explained that scheduled c-section babies tend to lose more weight than vaginal birth babies because typically, while you are in labour and delivery, unless you are receiving fluids, the mom tends to get dehydrated because of the marathon her body is going through, so if mom is dehydrated, baby will be dehydrated. On the other hand, during a c-section, you are pumped full of fluids which helps "beef up" baby before his/her arrival. If there isn't that excess fluid to lose, the weight loss won't be as drastic. She also explained that sometimes, if labour hasn't started prior to the section, it can take several days for the milk to come in because the body wasn't "ready" for the baby to come out. This can also contribute to that weight loss. I think that the initial, seemingly drastic, weight loss is normal but if your baby is gaining at a steady rate and is having the appropriate number of wet/dirt diapers, you shouldn't be too concerned. For me, it took 2 weeks to get back to his birth weight but since then he has been growing like a weed. He is not quite 3 months yet and he has already doubled his birth weight and grown almost 6 inches! (19 3/4 at birth and now 25)

aerotigergirl · January 2012

My DS weighed 8lbs & 3oz when he was born, and he dropped to 8lbs even before leaving the hospital. At his checkup after being discharged, he was already back up to 8lbs & 5oz.

I've heard that infants born via c-section may have some additional fluid in their lungs after delivery due to not having passed through the birth canal, but I've never heard that failing to pass through the birth canal would cause them to be carrying excess water weight upon delivery.

daisy889 · January 2012

rosesandpeonies:

All babies lose weight after birth. I have never heard that about sections. Usually breastfeeding babies may lose a little more than formula fed babies but it usually is not concerning. Have you seen a lactation consultant? just a thought. Personally it sounds like it was more a feeding/latching issue than a section issue. Losing 18 oz is not the norm after a csection delivery no, but that doesn't mean that something is "wrong" just needs to be worked on

I formula fed and my daughter was 8 pounds 1 oz and went down to 7lbs 10 oz.

Same with my other daughter....just a few ounces.

My mom breastfed after all of her sections and we all lost a little weight, but again nothing to be concerned about.

I never heard about that with csections. interesting...but could it really be that much water that is pushed out...i would be shocked it would be enough to really count that into the weight loss but I am not a dr.

This is wrong, not all babies loose weight after birth my daughter gained 3oz by the time i left the hospital.

kavc016 · January 2012

LoisLane23:
My DD did not lose a single ounce.

this except it was my ds!

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