How To Know If Your Baby Is Getting Enough Breast Milk?

This was by far one of the biggest challenges I had with breastfeeding. This was the number one question I constantly had in the beginning when breastfeeding my baby. I am naturally a worry wart so not knowing how much my baby boy was getting from me was hard. The thing with breastfeeding is you can’t see how much your baby is draining from your breast. There really is no way to measure it.

But what I came to find out from breastfeeding my little man is that there are ways to tell if your baby is getting enough breastmilk that will give you the assurance you need that your baby is getting all that he/she needs. So rest assured mama, below is a list of simple ways to know if your little one is getting enough. Feel free to always use this guide as a reference for those times when your worry sets in as it will from time to time.

Disclaimer : I am not a medical professional and this content is not to be substituted for medical advice. If you have any concerns at all, please contact your child’s pediatrician before making any changes.

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Wet/Poopy Diapers:

I never thought I would be recording the number of wet and soiled diapers that my son would have every day. But for the longest time that is what I did because it is a great way to know if your little one is getting enough.

Your baby should be having plenty of sufficiently wet diapers about 6+ a day by day 4 and should have 3-4 dirty diapers per day.

Keep in mind how frequent your baby wets diapers or how frequently you change diapers. Instead of focusing on how heavy the diaper is, focus more on how frequent your baby’s diaper is wet.

If your baby is wetting his/her diaper after every feeding, I’d say that is a great sign! Also, the urine should be mild smelling and a pale yellow color.

 Weight Gain:

If your baby is gaining weight, then your baby is getting enough. I relied heavily on Luke’s follow up appointments so I could know that he was on the right track and gaining weight each visit.

You can also weigh your baby at home when the wait gets too long between appointments.

Even though Luke was always around the 10-25% for weight but his weight gain was consistent and always gaining so the doctor was never worried. So trust your baby’s pediatrician, they will let you know if your baby isn’t getting enough.

Keep in mind, it is normal for your newborn to lose weight in the beginning but should gain the weight back within 10-14 days. You will have a one-two week check up for your baby to make sure he/she is gaining appropriately.

Baby is content after feeding:

If your baby is content after a feeding, then you know your baby is getting enough. There were times where I thought Luke was done but when I laid him down, he would still cry. So I’d give him some more and then he would be good.

If your baby is happy, playful, and more alert after a feeding then that is a good sign.

Also, nursing can sometimes put a baby to sleep so if your baby falls asleep after a feeding then that is a good sign as well.

However, if your baby is falling asleep during a feeding consistently or shortly after nursing it could mean that your baby is not getting enough.   

Related Post: What I wished I knew about breastfeeding before I had started

Your boobs may feel softer after a feeding:

Generally your boobs will feel less full or emptier after a feeding so that is a good sign that your baby is getting enough.

When your boobs start to regulate your milk supply further into breastfeeding, it may be harder to tell so don’t rely only on this method. If you are answering yes to each sign then your baby is probably getting enough.

Pay attention to baby’s jaw line and swallows:

Another sure way to know if your baby is getting milk is to watch the movement of your baby’s jaw.

If your baby’s jaw is making rhythmic and larger movements up to the ear and you can see swallows then your baby is getting milk.

Sometimes you can also hear your baby making swallowing sounds but not always.

Baby is eating 8-12 times a day:

You may think that since your baby is eating frequently that he or she is not getting enough. But babies are supposed to eat ALL THE TIME to help build your milk supply for those growth spurts your baby will be having.

So if your baby is eating every 2-3 hours about 8-12 times a day then that is a great sign your baby is getting enough. 

Important things to note:

Keep in mind that even though these are great methods in knowing whether your baby is getting enough breastmilk, if you EVER have any doubts or just can’t shake the feeling your baby isn’t getting enough go see your baby’s pediatrician or lactation consultant.

You can just bring your baby in for a weight check to make sure he/she is gaining. Also, the lactation specialist can actually measure how much baby gets from you in a single feeding by weighing baby before and after a feeding.

If you have constant worries like I did, the lactation specialist can give you the best reassurance. They will assess baby for any abnormalities like tongue or lip tie issues. They will be able to tell you if baby’s latch is well or if there is anything you need to do better. Don’t be afraid to get the help you need, it can make all the difference for your breastfeeding journey.

One thing that always helped me is to learn to trust your breastfeeding relationship and follow your baby’s lead. You know your baby best. Your baby is more than likely getting exactly what he/she needs and you’re doing just fine, mama.

BUT if you need some reassurance like I did many times, then I hope these simple ways above can provide that to you. If any other mamas have any great methods for knowing if baby is getting enough breastmilk, I’d love for you to comment below.