Is Baby Getting Enough Breastmilk?
How to Determine if Your Infant Is Receiving Enough Milk
One of the most common concerns of the breastfeeding mother is if her newborn is getting enough breastmilk. Learn when not to worry and when to worry.
Most breastfeeding moms are plagued with the question, "Is my baby getting enough breastmilk?" Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions of how to judge whether baby is getting enough breastmilk. With the correct information, mothers can be reassured of their nursing relationship and know when to contact outside help.
Accurate Indicators That an Infant Aged 0-6 Weeks Is Getting Enough Milk
- Urine output: The rule of thumb is that, for the first week, babies should have one wet diaper for every day of life. One wet on day one, two wets on day two, etc. After the first week until week six, babies should have five to six wet diapers per day. It can be hard to judge what a sufficiently wet disposable diaper feels like. Taking a clean diaper and pouring three tablespoons of water in it demonstrates a good example of how a wet diaper feels. Cloth diapers are much easier to tell when sufficiently wet. The urine should be pale in color and mild in smell.
- Stool output: Once the mother's milk supply is established, the typical exclusively breastfed baby’s stool is mustard yellow in color. Stools are quite loose and may appear to have a slightly seedy texture. During the first six weeks of life, breastfed babies generally stool three to four times a day. Sometimes they stool as often as every feeding.
- Weight gain: During the first week of life, breastfed babies typically lose between 5-7% of their birth weight. Even a 10% loss of weight can be normal, but a pediatrician should evaluate those infants. Breastfed babies should return to birth weight between 2 to 3 weeks of age. After that point, babies generally gain 5 to 6 ounces each week. A slightly lower weight gain of 4-5 ounces per week can possibly be acceptable as well. After 3-4 months of age, weight gain typically tapers off.
Common Inaccurate Methods of Judging Whether a 0-6 Week Old Infant Is Not Getting Enough Milk:
- Baby is fussy. Unfortunately, fussiness is a very common trait of newborns. Many factors can cause fussiness. It is not necessarily an attribute of an underfed baby.
- Baby demands to be fed often. This is the very nature of the breastfed newborn. Compared to formula, breastmilk undergoes rapid digestion. Breastmilk empties from the stomach within an hour and half of ingestion. Further, during growth spurts, babies require frequent feedings.
- Baby will accept a bottle after nursing. This is also very common behavior. The gravity flow nature of bottles causes babies to drink more than they require, even when they are no longer hungry.
- Mother does or does not notice breast changes. Some mothers do not sense let down or experience little to no leakage. Over time, the sensations of fullness, let down, and the amount of leakage changes for mothers.
- Mother does not pump much milk or notices a change in pumping output. Babies are much more efficient at extracting milk from the breast. Many women do not respond to the cold mechanics of pumping. Further, some breast pumps are simply inefficient.
In the event that a mother is suspicious of a feeding problem, she should seek out the help of a qualified lactation consultant immediately. Lactation consultants can help diagnose the problem and can suggest necessary interventions. With the right help, mothers and babies may be encouraged to successfully continue their breastfeeding relationship.
Resources:
"The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers" by Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC in the USA, Prima Publishing, 2000
"The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League International Authors published by Penguin, 1997
