How Do You Know If Your Baby Is Getting Enough Breast Milk?
Congratulations on the arrival of a cute little one in your family. Your baby’s birth must have been a beautiful and defining life experience. As the joy sinks in, you will now be facing with the challenges of raising a newborn.
If you are a new mum, then you must be having many doubts. The common one is, if your baby is getting enough breast milk from you? Don’t worry! We are here with the article, which will be useful for all you new moms to check if your baby is getting enough amount of breast milk.
How To Know If Baby Is Getting Enough Breast Milk?
Listed below are some symptoms to notice for how to know baby is getting enough breast milk:
1. Wet Diapers:
One way to know if your baby is getting enough breast milk is by noticing diapers. You have to make a note of the following:
- During the first 48 hours your baby will have around 2 to 4 wet diapers.
- From day five onwards, your baby will have 6 to 8 wet diapers a day.
- The urine of your baby should be pale in color and odorless. Dark colored urine generally signifies that your baby is not getting enough breast milk.
[ Read: How Much Milk To Feed A Newborn Baby ]
2. Bowel Movements:
Bowel movement is another important way to know if your baby is getting proper amount of breast milk. Here are few points which you have to observe:
- For the first few days after birth, your baby passes meconium which will be in dark green to black in color.
- As your baby’s feed move on from colostrum to breast milk, the stools will start becoming pasty to watery in texture, mustard colored, with little odor.
- After the first three to four weeks, you will find a sudden change in your baby’s stool pattern from many a day to one every three days or even less.
- As long as your baby is having 6 to 8 wet diapers a day, passing stool that is pasty or soft in texture and yellow in color, you need not worry.
[ Read: Baby Stool Color ]
3. Weight Gain:
Check out the following changes in your baby:
- Most babies lose weight in the first few days post birth and so do your baby, but he or she should start gaining weight later on. Usually, in the first two weeks most babies regain their birth weight.
- A constant weight gain, growth in length and head circumference of your baby usually signifies that your baby is getting sufficient milk from you.
4. Breast Feeding Specifics:
The following are some specifics to be noted to assess whether your baby is fed the right way:
- Baby’s chin drops while sucking milk and comes up while taking a pause. This signifies that your baby is sucking a mouthful of milk while feeding.
- Your baby’s chin should be touching your breast at intervals, rhythmically, while feeding.
[ Read: Advantages Of Breastfeeding ]
Symptoms That ‘May Not’ Imply Your Baby Is Fed Inadequately:
Apart from the above mentioned, there are some signs baby is getting enough breast milk.
- Baby crying after every feed may not be due to insufficient milk. There could be many other reasons such as colic or general discomfort while adjusting to the new atmosphere.
- Sometimes your baby might cling to your breasts for a long time sucking and not drawing milk. This could be for comfort and warmth.
- If your baby drinks bottle milk even after breastfeeding, then it is not due to hunger. Babies have a natural tendency to suck breasts as it soothes and calms them. You can introduce a pacifier to your baby instead.
[ Read: How To Relieve Engorged Breasts ]
Apart from providing nutrients to your baby, breastfeeding also benefits your health. It creates a special bond between you and your baby; enjoy this phase to the fullest.
Hope this article helped you in knowing if your baby is getting enough breast milk. Leave your comments and share your thoughts!
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