A newborn has a stomach capacity of how many mL’s by the end of the first month?
A.
90 mL’s
B.
300 mL’s
C.
30 mL’s
D.
150 mL’s
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is D. 150 mL’s.
Explanation:
Newborns undergo significant physiological changes in their first month of life, including the growth of their stomach capacity. At birth, a newborn’s stomach is quite small, approximately 5-10 mL in capacity. This small volume reflects the newborn’s limited initial intake of breast milk or formula and the relatively small size of their stomach.
By the end of the first week, the stomach capacity typically increases to about 30-60 mL. This increase aligns with the newborn’s growing ability to intake larger amounts of milk, which is crucial for their rapid growth and development.
By the end of the first month, the stomach capacity further expands to about 150 mL. This increase is a natural progression as the infant’s digestive system matures and their nutritional needs grow. The capacity allows for more significant feedings, which can be crucial as the baby’s growth rate accelerates. This larger stomach volume is necessary to accommodate the increased volume of milk or formula needed to meet the infant’s energy and nutritional demands.
This expansion is also an adaptation to the feeding frequency and volume that a newborn will require. As the stomach capacity increases, the infant can take in more milk per feeding, which might reduce the frequency of feedings as compared to the early days after birth.
Understanding these developmental changes is essential for caregivers and healthcare providers to ensure that the infant is feeding appropriately and growing as expected. Monitoring the baby’s intake and growth can help identify any potential issues with feeding or digestion early on. Thus, by the end of the first month, the stomach capacity of about 150 mL represents a key milestone in the infant’s growth and development.