Objective: To examine predictive relationships among intrapartum maternal fluid intake, birth type, neonatal output, and neonatal weight loss during the first 48 hours after birth.
Design: Prospective descriptive design.
Setting: Women's center of a 900-bed regional acute care facility with 6,700 births per year.
Participants: A convenience sample of 200 mother/neonate dyads. The Optimality Index of Murphy and Fullerton guided the inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure healthy dyads.
Methods: Data collection began in the intrapartum period and concluded with maternal/neonatal discharge. Measures included maternal intrapartum fluid intake from admission to birth, daily neonatal weight, output, and feedings. Data were analyzed via descriptive statistics, tests of significance and multiple regression.
Results: Neonatal weight loss was not significantly related to intrapartum maternal fluid intake. Strong predictors of neonatal weight loss and significant weight loss within the first 48 hours were type of feeding (p=.000) and average number of wet diapers (p=.003).
Conclusions: Variables predictive of neonatal weight loss can facilitate identification of at-risk neonates to prevent significant weight loss. Close monitoring of the number of wet diapers in the first 48 hours and accurate daily weights at birth time can lead to early detection and preventive interventions.