Observations on the Capacity of the Stomach in the First Ten Days of Postnatal Life

Abstract

In the transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life few organs of the body are more affected than the stomach. The change influences many characters of the organ's morphology, and the position, the mass, the finer structure, and particularly the capacity are rapidly modified and adjusted to the new conditions and functions of postnatal life.The changes in gastric capacity in this period of transition have not been studied very intensively. As early as 1856 Guillot1 published some data regarding physiologic gastric capacity in the first few days of extrauterine life and this was followed somewhat later by a more extensive study by Bouchaud.2 Since that time further information on the subject has been published by Hillebrand,3 Kruger,4 Ssnitkin,5 Cammerer,6 Tuley,7 Jaschke,8 Landois9 and others. The figures presented in most of these studies are not extensive, and are usually incidental to more general studies of metabolism in the neonatal period. Much of the early work is no longer of more than historic value because the observations were made under conditions 1. Guillot, N.: De la nourrice et du nourrisson, Union m\l=e' \d., 1852, p. 61.2. Bouchaud: De la mort par inanition et \l=e'\tudes experimentales sur la nutrition chez le nouveau-n\l=e'\,Th\l=e`\se,Paris, 1864.3. Hillebrand, F.: Untersuchungen \l=u"\berMilchzufuhr und \l=u"\berdie Jodkaliumausscheidung des Sa\l=u"\glings,Arch. f. Gyn\l=a"\k.15:453, 1885.4. Kr\l=u"\ger, G.: Ueber die zur N\l=a"\hrungNeugeborener erforderlichen Milchmengen mit R\l=u"\cksichtauf die Gewichtsver\l=a"\nderungender Kinder, Arch.

Newborn feeding recommendations and practices increase the risk of development of overweight and obesity

“…Furthermore, formula companies advise newborns consume 2-3 oz (60-90 ml) every 3 hours in their first weeks of life, which is significantly greater than what the literature recommends in the first day of life. [13][14][15] .…”

“…12 Another study looked at post-mortem data, where newborn stomachs were filled to high pressures. 13 They found that almost regardless of birth weight, filling the newborn stomach to 30-35mL causes high pressures resulting in significant gastric discomfort. 13 Finally, a third study found the pressure in a newborn stomach to double at a filling volume of 20 mL 14 .…”

“…13 They found that almost regardless of birth weight, filling the newborn stomach to 30-35mL causes high pressures resulting in significant gastric discomfort. 13 Finally, a third study found the pressure in a newborn stomach to double at a filling volume of 20 mL 14 . These recordings stopped at 30mL which correlated with the pain pressure threshold of an adult.…”

“…The anatomic capacity of a newborn stomach, on the other hand, can be defined as the volume the newborn stomach can hold, after stretching and reaching high intra-gastric pressures and discomfort. 13 To date, only a handful of studies have explored this topic. One such meta-analysis looked at 6 separate studies and concluded the newborn stomach anatomic capacity to be 20mL on DOL1, with an optimal feeding frequency of every 1-hour.…”

Systemic Group B Streptococcal Disease in the Neonate: Characterization of an Oral Colonization Model Using the Suckling Rat

“…These concentrations of GBS were selected because they represented those found in amniotic fluid of women with chorioamnionitis (9). The volume was selected because it was proportional to the amount of amniotic fluid aspirated from a human neonate's stomach at delivery (20). Pups were allowed to suck on the pipette tip and drink the inoculum to avoid aspiration or traumatizing their mucosa.…”