How to know if your baby is getting enough breast milk

If you have just become a mum, or you are pregnant and about to be, one of the questions you will have will be about your baby's feeding. Because, especially if you are breastfeeding, knowing whether your baby is eating well or not creates a lot of uncertainty. That is why at Happymami we want to answer all your questions with this post: how to know if my baby is getting enough breast milk.

How to know if my baby is getting enough milk

The clinical guideline on breastfeeding from the Spanish Ministry of Health gives us some tips that you should bear in mind when assessing your baby's feeds. They will help you to know whether your baby is getting enough milk or not.

Frequency of feeds

You should know that if your baby is healthy and was born at term, their stomach is small and they digest milk quickly, so they need to feed at least 8 times every 24 hours.

What is more, a good frequency stimulates your body to produce the amount of milk your baby needs for healthy development. Breastfeed your baby on demand, responding to their first signs of hunger. Your baby opens their mouth, turns their head from side to side, makes sucking movements or brings their hand to their mouth.

Stools

You have to count nappies, but not all nappies count. Count only those nappies whose contents are the size of the circle formed by touching the tips of your thumb and index finger.

You can also use the following table:

*If meconium was passed in the delivery room, the amount and/or frequency of meconium stools may be lower.

Your baby's appearance and general condition

You should assess your baby's overall appearance: their colour should be normal, their skin should be firm and they should be active and alert.

Weight gain and growth

A very important point, and one we will cover in a dedicated post: weight and your baby's growth. But you should know that your paediatrician in Spain will monitor the weight gain and growth of your baby.

AEPED warns us that it is not advisable to weigh the child often at the pharmacy, as this can be misleading.

What is more, the following two points will be key to your motherhood: false alarms and when to consult the paediatrician.

False alarms

• If your breasts feel different. Softer breasts do not mean that your supply has decreased, but that it has adjusted to your baby's.
• Your baby is more unsettled. Some babies go through periods of irritability, and the fact that they settle at the breast is not a sign that they are not getting enough milk.
• Your baby suddenly wants to feed more often. Babies go through growth spurts when their needs increase.
• Your baby feeds for less time. This is normal: babies gradually become very skilled at extracting milk and need less time to suckle.

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When to consult the paediatrician

• If your baby is lethargic, does not wake up to feed or falls asleep at the breast without having fed for 10-20 minutes or more.
• If you feel that they are not regaining their birth weight or are not gaining weight.
• If your baby has not passed meconium (the first black stool) during the first day, or if from the fourth day and during the first month they do not poo every day, or if the consistency is thicker than a purée.
• If you suspect that your baby is not getting enough milk.

Conclusion: how to know if your baby is getting enough breast milk

We always say that every baby is unique and you should apply this information to your own situation. Remember that this post is for information only, and if you have any doubts the best thing to do is to see your paediatrician so that they can carry out a full assessment of your baby.

What is more, if at any point you need a bottle, Happymami is the only bottle in the world that you design to suit your baby. That way, you can replicate your breastfeeding so that there is no difference between feeding at the breast or from your Happymami, protecting your breastfeeding.