Is my baby getting enough milk?

One of the most common concerns of breastfeeding mothers is: how can I be sure my baby is getting enough milk? Well, there are several ways to tell. One is by the number of wet diapers he/she has in a day. Make sure he/she has at least six wet diapers per day with pale yellow urine, beginning around the third or fourth day of life. Your infant should also have several small bowel movements daily (there may be one after every feeding in the first few weeks). During the first week of life, your infant should have at least two stools per day. From about 1 to 4 weeks old these should increase to at least five per day. As your baby gets older, bowel movements may occur less often, and may even skip a number of days. Bowel movements of breastfed babies usually smell somewhat sweeter than the stools of formula fed babies. Your baby's feeding patterns are also an important sign that he/she is feeding enough.

     A newborn may nurse every 1½ to three hours around the clock. If your baby sleeps for stretches of longer than four hours in the first two weeks, wake him/her for a feeding. Listen for gulping sounds to know that your baby is actually swallowing the milk and not just sucking. Also look for slow, steady jaw movement. Your baby should be steadily gaining weight after the first week of life. During the first week, some infants lose several ounces of weight, but they should be back up to their birth weight by the end of the second week. Your pediatrician's office will weigh your baby at each visit. Keep in mind that your baby may breastfeed more often during growth spurts.

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