How to Know Your Baby Is Getting Enough Milk

It's easy to question whether or not your breastfed baby is getting enough to eat - especially if you are a first-time mom! Remember that your body is meant to feed your infant, but the following tips may help you feel more confident as well.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Baby is interested in feeding at least 8-12 times every 24 hours, including at night.
2. You can see or hear the baby swallowing.
3. Baby seems satisfied and content after feeding.
4. Your breasts soften during the feeding.
5. Baby's poops are yellow and seedy by the fourth day.
6. After day four, baby has 2-5 or more soft, yellow stools each day for the first four weeks. Older babies stool less often.
7. Baby has regained birth weight by two weeks of age.

Tips & Warnings

• You can increase your milk supply by putting the baby to breast more often, using breast compression to help the baby get more milk per feeding, spend time skin-to-skin with your infant, pumping between feedings, or taking certain herbs and/or medications (they're rarely needed - ask your health care provider).
• Get enough rest and good nutrition!
• Your milk supply may go down if you feed your baby anything other than your milk, if you limit or schedule feedings, take birth control medications containing estrogen, or eat a lot of certain herbs such as peppermint, sage, or parsely.