New mom worry: is my breastfed baby getting enough milk?
How do I know if my baby is getting enough to eat? This is a common concern for breastfeeding mothers, and mothers in genneral. Breasts don't have ounce markers, so theres no way to see how much baby is drinking. Still, there are many clues that indicate everything is going just fine.
1. Is baby eating 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period? New born babies don't nessisarly eat on a regular schdule. Sometimes they are awake and will eat more frequently and even cluster-feed. Sometimes they will sleep for long streaches, typically no longer than 4 to 5 hours during the night in the early weeks.
2. Is baby wetting enough diapers? Look for 1 wet diaper in the first 24 hours after birth, 2 on the second day, and 3 on the third. After that look for 6 to 8 wet diapers. You'll see sticky, black meconium in the diaper for the first few days. After that, stools will change to a runny mustard.
3. Is baby gaining weight? See if your doctor's office will let you bring your little one in for a weight check. Sometimes that's all you need to feel better. Weight gain is an important clue that baby is feeding well. Expect and initital weight drop right after birth. Then look for growth of 4 to 7 ounces per week.
4. Is baby drinking? Watch and listen. Notice if you can hear or see that baby is swallowing milk while nursing. Also, if your breasts feel less full after feeding, you know that milk went somewhere.
5. Is baby full? Baby will let Mom know when she's full by turning away when the breast is offered. Burp baby and try feeding again, if baby continues to turn away, he's full. A well-fed baby will relax, open her little fists, let go of the nipple, and often fall asleep.
