The effect of early feeding on the neonatal blood glucose level at 1-hour of age

Early infant feeding after birth is being promoted, although it is unclear whether this has any effect on carbohydrate metabolism. We planned to measu re the capillary glucose at one hour (1 h) of age in a group of infants fro m non-diabetic pregnancies using the HemoCue B-Glucose system to see if the timing and method of early feeding would influence this result. Seventy-fi ve term infants were studied, 22 of which were breast-fed, 24 bottle fed an d 29 not fed during the first hour after birth. The mean whole blood glucos e results were 2.34 mmol/l, 2.52 mmol/l and 2.58 mmol/l respectively (P = N S). The first two groups were fed at a median of 22 minutes before sampling . We conclude that the timing and method of early feeding in the newborn ha ve no significant effect on the blood glucose level measured at 1 h of age, and this remains a reliable outcome measure in studies of glucose metaboli sm in pregnancy. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd, All rights reserved .