My son was born one month early. Since he was a late preterm baby, he didn’t have to stay in the NICU. After being observed for 48 hours, we were discharged from the hospital and sent on our merry way. Two days later, my son wasn’t acting the same. We took him to the pediatrician. Soon, we learned he had lost weight and had a low body temperature. As a result, he had to be taken to the hospital via ambulance. After three days in the NICU, it was determined he was suffering from dehydration. Here are some of the warning signs of dehydration and how you can prevent your newborn from facing this condition.
Problems with Breastfeeding
My newborn had trouble latching. In addition, I also had a plugged milk duct. These two factors combined probably contributed to my son becoming dehydrated. It’s not uncommon for moms to have to wait for their milk supply to build up. An average time for a mom’s milk to “come in” is three days. However, the colostrum is already available at birth.
Supplementing
I am a big supporter of breastfeeding my children. However, my daughter was also preterm and was never dehydrated. She was given some formula in the NICU. In addition, on the day of her birth, I was given a pump and immediately started pumping. I was able to give my daughter the breast milk through the bottle. With my son, I wasn’t given a pump and didn’t start pumping until I got home. Looking back, I wish I would have requested a pump so I could have started supplementing my son right away.
Signs of Dehydration
One of the reasons I took my newborn to the pediatrician had to do with the fact that my son wasn’t crying much. Although newborn babies are supposed to sleep a lot, sleeping for any long stretch time may indicate a problem. In general, if a newborn seems unresponsive or lethargic, then they could be dehydrated. Other signs include not producing any wet or poopy diapers. Sunken in eyes or fontanels are signs of extreme dehydration. If you suspect your child is very dehydrated, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Dehydration in babies can occur quickly. I was glad we caught the problem right away and were able to remedy the situation. At six weeks old, my son is now very healthy and has a great appetite .
Sources:
Dehydration Babycenter.com
Jan Barger How many days will it take for my milk to come in? babycenter.com
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