A common worry amidst breastfeeding mothers is whether their baby is getting plenty milk because they tin't see how much they have drunkard. And, because breast milk is very quickly and easily digested—it can be digested in one 60 minutes1—a breastfed baby might enquire to breastfeed again (and again) even though they were just fed, causing mothers to worry about their milk supply. Fortunately there are several ways for parents to cheque whether their babies are getting enough milk:

#1 Milk coming in

After the birth, your breasts will contain small amounts of colostrum (the first breast milk). These minor volumes are perfect for your healthy newborn baby to acquire to breastfeed and volition continue them hydrated.ii Most mothers notice their milk "comes in" (increases in volume) around two to three days after their infant is born. Breasts volition feel fuller, heavier and warmer and yous may detect one breast leaking while your baby feeds from the other side. If you haven't noticed a feeling of your milk coming in by the fourth twenty-four hours, ensure your baby has been weighed and checked by a health professional three and contact your breastfeeding specialist to check for any potential reasons for a delay in your milk supply.

#two Look and mind for swallowing

When your baby is breastfeeding well y'all will run into his jaw moving vigorously throughout the feed (expect this to be at least ten minutes or more on each breast) and you lot will either hear him swallowing, or see the pause in his suck while he swallows chest milk. Dr Jack Newman, a canadian paediatrician and breastfeeding specialist explains:

When a babe is getting milk (he is not getting milk merely because he has the breast in his mouth and is making sucking movements), you will see a pause at the point of his chin after he opens to the maximum and before he closes his oral cavity, so that one suck is (open oral fissure broad > pause > close mouth type of sucking).

If you tin can't hear or see your baby swallowing milk and they appear to be generally just sleeping at the breast, effort some chest compressions (a type of breast massage) during a breastfeed and seek breastfeeding help from an IBCLC lactation consultant every bit before long every bit possible.

#3 Count the dirty nappies

What goes in must come out! If your babe is swallowing enough of breast milk at that place will normally exist enough of breastfed infant poop to friction match. A newborn baby'due south poop changes color in the first few days of life from blackness meconium (the kickoff poop) to soft yellow poo. Afterwards day four or five, three or more soft yellow or mustard coloured poos each mean solar day are commonly a good sign that your baby is swallowing enough of milk. In add-on, at to the lowest degree v or six wet nappies (diapers) per day, with pale coloured urine alongside the dirty ones, show your infant is well hydrated.4 Wet nappies on their own are not confirmation that your babe is getting enough milk in the first half dozen weeks. Nappies with crimson marks or a "brick dust" appearance later on the quaternary day, or poo that has not changed colour past this time could exist signs your baby isn't getting enough milk, contact your baby's doc and seek help with breastfeeding.

Weigh alongside

Note that although counting muddy nappies can exist useful information technology should not supercede weighing the baby regularly (see #4) as some studies found diaper output lonely was not a reliable guide to milk intake and that stool patterns could change over time.5

See Breastfed Baby Poop for more information about the amount of poop to await every bit your baby grows and the colour changes that are normal during the beginning five days.

#4 Monitor your infant's weight

The kickoff two to four days

It is normal for a breastfed baby to lose a little weight earlier his mother'due south milk comes in during the beginning two to four days of life and babies are well equipped for this. A weight loss of up to vii% birth weight is frequently accepted every bit normal.six vii I systematic review constitute weight loss is commonly 7% to 8% of birth weight or greater by the third day after birth among healthy, full-term, breastfed newborns8. If your infant has lost more than 7-8% of their bodyweight, or is still not gaining weight after 3‑4 days, a breastfeeding specialist can review how breastfeeding is going and maximise your babe's milk intake.

After the first few days

Once your milk has come in, average weight gains of xxx‑40g per day (or 7‑x ounces per week) tin can be expected in the kickoff three months of life based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) weight-for-age charts.ix Well-nigh babies volition have regained their nascence weight by past 10 to 14 days subsequently birth (DiTomasso and Deject, 2019). Weight gain slows down between three‑six months to an average gain of 20g per twenty-four hours.

Regular weights

Getting a weekly weight check on the same scales (if possible) and plotted on your baby'due south WHO growth chart will bear witness how your baby is growing. Communication to counterbalance monthly is but appropriate once your baby is thriving and gaining weight and you know breastfeeding is going well. However, a month is too long to get out a babe who is hardly gaining, not gaining or who is losing weight. If your baby is not gaining weight in the normal range stay in touch with your wellness professional to dominion out whatsoever underlying medical conditions, contact a breastfeeding specialist for support and meet Infant Not Gaining Weight and Understanding Your Baby's Weight Nautical chart for further information. The earlier you lot seek help the easier information technology volition be to protect your chest milk supply and the quicker to get breastfeeding dorsum on track.

#5 Look for signs of satiety

Signs that your baby is full include his falling asleep or letting go of the breast of his own accordance after virtually 10-30 minutes of active sucking and swallowing. There is no need to time it, and he may need to feed over again quite soon, but when he has had plenty milk he volition normally be very relaxed with open hands and a relaxed expression, often described equally looking "milk boozer". Conversely, a hungry infant tends to hold himself quite tensely with clenched fists, arms aptitude and a worried expression. A hungry baby may try to feed constantly and never seem satisfied or sometimes he may sleep all the time and not take plenty energy to feed.

Avoid a dummy

Avoid giving your baby a dummy or pacifier until breastfeeding is well established otherwise yous might miss feeding cues and your baby may non become enough feeds.

#6 Breastfeed ofttimes

Your babe is trying to double his weight in the first few months of life so he needs plenty of breast milk to practice that. The more often yous breastfeed (with good positioning and enough of swallows) the more milk will exist made. Follow your baby's lead even if he has only fed half an hour ago. In the early weeks your niggling i volition breastfeed at least 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour catamenia, including night feeds which are very important. A baby can accept a large proportion of their calories at night. See 1 Breast or Two Per Feed? to explain whether to offer one breast or both at each feed and How Often Should a Newborn Feed?

Early feeding cues

Crying is a late sign of hunger so offer a breastfeed equally shortly every bit y'all see early feeding cues like fidgeting, rooting (head turning with an open mouth searching for the breast) and sucking fingers and fists. If you're worried that He Can't Be Hungry He Only Merely Ate! He tin can!

Cluster feeds

It is normal for some babies to cluster feed i.east. they seem to want to feed all the time at certain times of the mean solar day, for example during the evening and during growth spurts. The closer together the feeds the higher the fat content of all the milk and the higher its calorific value.

Remind a sleepy babe to breastfeed

You may demand to remind a sleepy infant to feed every couple of hours or 10 to 12 times in 24 hours. Concur him skin-to-pare and encourage latching on during periods of light slumber and as before long equally he begins to wake. Use breast pinch (gentle chest massage during a breastfeed) and switch nursing (swapping breasts as soon as milk flow slows on one side) to keep him feeding. For more tips see Breastfeeding a Sleepy Infant.

Video recap

The following six minute video from Global Health Media summarises the signs that betoken your baby is getting enough milk. Information technology shows clearly the type of active swallowing to look for when your babe is drinking well at the breast.

Is my baby getting plenty milk?

There is a handy checklist in the Womanly Fine art of Breastfeeding explaining how to know whether your baby is feeding well:

How to Know Your Babe's Doing Well

Weight proceeds. Look for a return to nascence weight by two weeks. An average gain subsequently that is roughly 1 ounce (30g) a solar day, but your baby may gain somewhat more or less.

Diapers. Look for at least three "okay" (pollex and forefinger circle size) diapers each day during the start month or then.

Your breasts. Look for comfy nipples, a milk release within a minute (usually much sooner), and noticeable softening by the end of about nursings.

Nursing behaviour. Look for open up eyes when the feed starts, periods of tiresome (about one per second) sucks with periodic pauses and finishing within a half hr at most feeds.

Disposition between nursings. Await for the baby falling gently comatose toward the end of the nursing (or delectation for at to the lowest degree a while before he nurses again), limp hands, and an unworried expression near of the time.

What doesn't matter. How many minutes on each breast, whether he falls asleep at the breast at the end of the feeding, or whether he nurses long plenty to "go to the hind milk".

Mother breastfeeding her baby and looking at her child

Summary

At that place are many ways to check whether a breastfed infant is getting enough milk, from weighing your baby to counting muddy nappies and more than. If you are worried that your baby is even so hungry, or not gaining weight, the article Understanding Your Baby's Weight Chart may be helpful. There are lots of ways to increment your breast milk supply even if supplements are needed for a little while. Contact your IBCLC lactation consultant for a tailor fabricated programme to get breastfeeding back on track and check out How to Brand More Chest Milk, One Chest or Ii per Feed and Breast Compression.

*Excerpts past kind permission of Pinter and Martin