Is My Baby Getting Enough Breast Milk From Me?

I'm getting hungry...

One of the most common causes for concern for breastfeeding women daily is the question of whether or not baby is receiving enough milk at the breast. After all women are not born with markings on their breasts to show how much breast milk they are producing or how much their baby has eaten.

One reassurance that baby is receiving enough breast milk is by counting their wet and dirty diapers. Most newborns will have one wet diaper and one stool for each day they are old until about day 5, and after that they should have 6-8 wet diapers and 4-5 stools each day. It is not uncommon for a baby to have more stools when receiving breast milk, sometimes a stool after each feeding. Their stool pattern will change as they grow. The first stool, called a meconium stool, is black, thick and sticky (like tar). As this meconium clears out the stool will become more dark green, then lighter greenish to greenish-brown, then changing to a mustard-like yellow with a seedy texture. Often a breastfed baby’s stool will remain rather loose. As a baby grows in the next few months her stools will become less often and the wet diapers will happen more often and cause the diaper to feel “heavy” with urine.

Another way to determine if your baby is receiving enough breast milk is by how well she is eating. A baby should nurse 8 or more times each 24 hour day at first. This will continue throughout the first several months. She will have growth spurts that are demonstrated by her behavior of feeding very frequently for 2-4 days in a row, then returning to her more-usual pattern. The frequent feeding during a growth spurt is how your body increases its production of breast milk; the more often the milk is completely removed from the breast the more milk your body will make. Baby will also be drawing milk in strong rhythmic sucks, often developing into patterns of suck, suck, swallow and then suck, swallow, suck, swallow. You will feel a strong tug at your nipple that is not painful.

Still another way to know if baby is getting enough is whether or not he appears satisfied. A satisfied baby will begin to relax those tight fists and relax his elbows. He may slow his feeding, not pulling on the breast as strongly, performing short, rapid but light sucks or even releasing the breast. We often joke about the “milk-drunk” baby, who just rolls back releasing the breast and looks or is very sleepy!

Remember, it is still common for a baby to nurse often, especially more often at night. They are still learning about this all-important skill, and you are still learning about their individual cues and needs. So try to relax and learn together, just roll with the flow – enjoy some of these early days, they do go quickly. If you are still concerned, reach out to a lactation consultant or your pediatrician for help.