What is the normal percentage range of birth weight loss by the third day of life?

• A. 2-4%
• B. 4-6%
• C. 8-10%
• D. 6-8%

Answer: (D)

Newborn weight loss in the first days is a normal part of adapting to life outside the womb, driven by fluid shifts and the establishment of feeding. By the third day, losing about six to eight percent of birth weight is expected and considered normal. This reflects physiologic diuresis and the transition from placental nourishment to oral intake as feeding becomes established. Weight typically begins to stabilize and return toward birth weight after this early loss, with most infants regaining by about the end of the first two weeks.

If weight loss reaches or exceeds around ten percent by day three or four, or if there are signs of inadequate intake such as poor feeding, lethargy, or dehydration, that warrants clinical assessment.