How Can I Tell If My Baby's Getting Enough Breastmilk.

How Can I Tell If My Baby's Getting Enough Breastmilk.

If your baby is healthy, gaining weight, and seems contented after most breastfeeds, be reassured that he's getting all the milk that he needs. 

Keep an eye on your baby's nappis, though. In the firsst couple of days after birth, your baby should wet several nappies a day. He'll also pass one or more poos (meconium) a day. 

Over the next few days, your baby poos will turn from dark and sticky to yellow and soft. He should have at least six wet nappies every 24 hours, once he's more than five days old. 

If your baby has dry-ish nappies, and doesn't poo often, it can be a sign that he's not getting enough fluid. Take a look at our baby poo photo gallery for a visual guide to what’s normal and what’s not. 

Your  midwife vwill weigh your baby regularly in his first two weeks. Most babies lose weight to begin with, but then start to put on weight when they're between three days and five days old. Babies usually go back to their birth weight by the time they are 14 days old. 

If you're at all worried that your baby isn't getting enough milk, here's what you can do:

• Feed more often, holding your baby close to you, so he gets the chance to tell you when he would like to feed.
• Watch for cues that your baby is hungry. He'll tell you by smacking his lips, making sucking noises, opening his eyes, or turning his head towards you with an open mouth (rooting). Keeping your baby near you, skin to skin,lets you respond to him easily and quickly.
• Let your baby stay on one breast for as long as he seems to want to, before switching to the other breast. This allows him to get the creamier milk that comes in the longer he feeds on the breast, and the fat-rich milk that comes at the end of the feed.
• Check the way your baby latches on to your breast. If he's latching on well, he'll open his mouth wide and take in a big mouthful of breast. A good latch will help him to breastfeed rather than nipple-feed, so that he can milk the breast as he sucks.

Some babies feed regularly and predictably, but most don't, especially in the early weeks and months. It's perfectly normal for you to lose count of the time your baby feeds, or to be unsure when one feed ends and the other begins. Babies often don't space out their feeds until they grow bigger.

An occasional long feed is fine, and it's not a sign that anything's wrong. But if your baby always feeds for hours on end, without ever seeming full or happy, he may be having problems with latching on. 

A short feed every now and again is also fine. Everyone's appetite varies from time to time. However, always feeding for just five minutes or less at a time can be a sign of a problem.
If you have any worries, talk to your midwife or health visitor. Ask them to refer you to a breastfeeding specialist, so you can get extra support. 

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