Starting your breastfeeding journey is exciting but can also be a little frightening. It can seem like there are so many things to watch for and learn how to do. One of these concerns is knowing whether your baby is getting enough breast milk. Today, we will look at the signs that tell you that your baby is getting enough breast milk and what to do if it seems like they’re not.
Weight Gain
In the first couple days of a baby’s life, they are going to lose some weight. Their bodies are working hard to adjust to living in our cold world, compared to the warmth of their mother’s womb! But over the next few days, they should start to gain weight. First, back to their birth weight by 2 weeks old, and then continue gaining about 1 oz every day. Around 4-5 months, they should be about double their birth weight.
Diaper Output
The second sign to look for to know that your baby is getting enough breast milk is their diaper output. In the first couple days, there will likely only be one wet and one dirty diaper per day of life. But by day 6, there should be around 6-8 wet diapers each 24 hour day, along with several seedy yellow poops.
Something else to take note of is the color/consistency of baby’s stool. A baby’s first poop, called meconium can happen before birth, or in the hours following birth. It will be a dark black color and have a sticky almost tar like texture. This gradually changes over the first few days to a greenish thinner texture, then brown and thick. By day 6, it should be a mustard yellow color and soft, sometimes with seed-like particles.
Feeding Behavior
The third way to know that your baby is getting enough breast milk is by watching their feeding behaviors. As the baby starts to feed, they should latch on deeply without discomfort. You should hear or see their rhythmic sucking and swallowing and see their jaw and ear movements which indicate the milk transfer. They will also start to become relaxed, their hands unclench, and their body becomes less tense. They will want to eat about every 2-3 hours. If they are wanting to eat every hour around the clock, that is a red flag and you need to reach out to an IBCLC right away.
Breast Changes
As you breastfeed your baby, you will not just see changes in the baby but also changes in your body. Before a feeding, your breasts may feel full or firm. After a feed, they should feel soft and light, which indicates that the milk transferred. As the baby feeds, you may notice a “let down” feeling. This can be kind of a tingling sensation which indicates that the milk is flowing out. This can also produce some leaking in the other breast. After feeding, there may also be a change in the look of your nipple. They will be slightly elongated. Breasts will refill after each feeding and over time production will adjust to the needs of the baby. There should be no signs of blockages or pain and no persistent redness or lumps.
Baby’s General Mood & Development
As the baby eats and grows, there should be signs in their mood and overall development. When awake, they should show that they are alert and engaged, showing curiosity and responding to sounds and movements. After a feed, they should appear calm and satisfied. While all babies are different in their development, they should be steadily progressing through their milestones as well.
What to do if you are concerned
If you are on your breastfeeding journey and are concerned about your baby getting enough milk, there are a couple of things you can do. Reach out to a lactation consultant and book a session. Start to work with them to see if you can find the issue.
You may need to try boosting your milk supply, which we will cover in a later post.
Overall, trust your instincts. If everything seems to be progressing well and there are no issues, great! If you’re not sure how things are going and have some concerns, reach out to a lactation consultant, they will be happy to answer any questions you have! If you can tell that something is not right, then follow your instincts and get some help.
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The next post will be on breastfeeding positions!