How to Know if a Breastfed Baby Is Getting Enough Food

Life would be easier for breastfeeding mothers if breasts had measurement markers. Unlike bottle-feeding mothers, however, breastfeeding mothers cannot check how many ounces their babies have eaten at any given point. Even the length of nursing sessions are not a reliable marker, as some babies are leisurely or sleepy eaters who take as much as an hour to feed, while others are voracious feeders who can drain a breast in minutes. However, by studying your baby's behavior and checking her diapers, you can get a sense of whether your baby is eating enough.

Instructions

1

Count your baby's number of stools per day. For the first eight days of life, your baby should have roughly the same number of stools as her age; a 1-day-old baby should have at least one stool, a 2-day-old should have at least two and so on. Once your baby reaches 8 days of age, the number of stools should even out at 8 to 10 per day.

2

Note the color and consistency of your baby's stools. A 1- to 2-day-old baby will have blackish, tarry stool. This will gradually change to brownish-black, then to brownish-yellow and finally to yellow as milk replaces the amniotic fluid in your baby's system. Your baby's yellow stool should look as though it has seeds or curds in it, like runny scrambled eggs or cottage cheese mixed with mustard. If your baby's stool is green and foamy, call a pediatrician or a lactation consultant, as it means your baby is only getting low-calorie, low-fat foremilk instead of richer hindmilk.

3

Count the number of wet diapers as well as the number of stools. After the third or fourth day, your baby should have at least six wet diapers per day.

4

Study your baby's behavior. A newborn should spend most of the time either eating or sleeping; wakefulness and excessive crying are signs of hunger. Your baby should seem satisfied for an average of two to three hours between feedings during the first two months and may be able to go as long as six hours without a feeding by the third month.

5

Examine your baby's appearance. His mouth should be pink and moist, and his skin should be soft and supple. A dry mouth or dry skin are signs of dehydration. Additionally, his eyes should appear bright when he is awake, not dull or sunken.

6

Monitor your baby's weight. While most babies lose weight between birth and the first doctor's visit, it should be no more than 7 percent of birth weight. The baby should regain her birth weight by two to three weeks of age and gain an average of at least four ounces per week after that.

7

Listen for swallowing sounds as your baby nurses. You should hear one or two sucks per swallow during the first 5 or 10 minutes of nursing.

8

Check your breasts before, during after each feeding to determine whether your baby is getting milk. They should feel noticeably softer after the feeding concludes. You may also feel a tingling sensation called the "let-down reflex" during feeding. While not all women feel the let-down reflex, its presence is a definite sign that you are making milk.