ABSTRACT
Healthy term babies, particularly those who breastfeed on demand, have significantly lower blood glucose concentrations than formula fed babies in the first 2-3 days of life. They also have raised ketone body concentrations, reflecting their ability to mobilize alternative sources of fuel for energy. This is part of the normal physiological adaptation to extrauterine life by the newborn. Prolonged symptomatic hypoglycaemia can cause brain damage, hence the requirement for rapid bedside testing and treatment if there is any possibility that a baby’s symptoms are due to hypoglycaemia. If a baby shows any signs of hypoglycaemia blood glucose must be measured regardless of the infant’s risk, and the baby’s condition urgently reviewed by a paediatrician. Babies at increased risk of hypoglycaemia need regular and frequent feeding until demand feeding is established. Infants of diabetic mothers are at increased risk of harm from hypogly-caemia because they may become hyperinsulinaemic following delivery, causing a rebound hypoglycaemia.
