Objective: To document the intake of exclusively formula-fed newborns during the first 2 days of life.
Methods: We enrolled a cohort of 50 healthy newborns ≥37 weeks' gestation and documented their daily formula intake until discharge. We surveyed pediatricians regarding their assessment of the intake of formula fed infants.
Results: In all, 37 of 50 newborns stayed for at least 48 hours. The mean ± SD gestational age was 39.5 ± 0.88 weeks. Mean ±SD formula intake for the first 48 hours (n = 37) was 57.2 ± 20.4 mL/kg/d and mean weight loss at 45.7 ± 8.8 hours, was 2.7% of birth weight. Pediatricians underestimated the amounts taken by these infants.
Conclusions: In the first 2 days, healthy term newborns, fed formula ad lib, consume about 115 mL/kg, about 2 to 3 times as much as breastfed infants, and they lose only 2.7% of their birthweight by 48 hours. Most pediatricians underestimate the intake of formula-fed infants.
Keywords: formula intake; newborn infants.