How do I know if my baby is getting enough breast milk?

If your baby is bottle feeding, determining how much milk he or she drinks is not too difficult. However, when breastfeeding, how to know your baby is getting enough breast milk is a challenge.

If this is your first time being a mother, will you be worried about all sorts of baby care issues? After leaving the womb, the baby sleeps well, so should I wake up to breastfeed? Or when do you urinate to change diapers? In particular, many people are concerned about how to know if their baby is getting enough breast milk. The reason is that mothers often worry that not enough breast-feeding will affect the physical and mental development of the baby.

How to know if the baby is getting enough breast milk

1. Wet diapers

The most common way to tell if your baby is getting enough is through the amount of diapers. You need to note the following:

During the first 2 days after birth, your baby needs to change about 2 to 4 diapers . However, from day 5 onwards, this number increased from 6-8.

Your baby's urine is pale, odorless. If your baby's urine is dark in color, the baby is more likely to still be hungry.

2. Go outside

Going out is one way to see if your baby is getting enough. Here are some points to keep in mind:

The first 1-2 days, babies often have poop (thick, sticky, black or dark green).

As your baby moves from colostrum to breast milk, the stools will become looser, yellow in color, and have less odor.

During the first few weeks, your baby's stools will change suddenly about 2-3 days to go once.

As long as your baby changes diapers 6-8 times a day, the stools are yellow and loose.

3. Weight gain

After about 3 - 4 days after birth, your baby may experience physiological weight loss. This is completely normal and there is no need to worry. About 2 weeks later, your baby's weight will return to normal. Your baby's weight, height and head circumference increase continuously, indicating that he is getting enough milk.

How to breastfeed your baby

When you feed your baby, you should find a firm support to support your back, ideally sitting at the head of the bed. Choose a pillow that fits, put under the arm to support the baby. Need to put the baby's chin slightly down and touch the breast. Baby's mouth can suck the entire nipple, including the areola. Please refer to the Best Breastfeeding positions to choose the one that suits you best.

If the breasts have uneven milk, the sides are less, you can breastfeed the baby on the side first to stimulate more milk production. When you find your baby is still hungry, feed him on the other side.

Please see more 11-step lessons to help mothers breastfeed easier so that breastfeeding is no longer a concern for you.

Some signs that the baby is hungry but not

In addition to the things mentioned above, there are some other signs that make it easy to confuse your baby is hungry:

A baby crying after a breastfeed is not due to inadequate feeding, but it could be due to other reasons such as colic, irritability ...

Sometimes your baby will latch on for a long time without feeding because this makes him feel warm and comfortable.

If your baby wants to take a bottle right after breastfeeding, it is not because he is hungry. This is because young children tend to prefer latches for greater comfort. You can give your baby a pacifier instead.

Breastfeeding not only provides your baby with essential nutrients but also benefits you. In addition, breastfeeding also helps create a strong bond between you and your baby. So enjoy this period of time to cultivate the love of you and your baby.