It’s one of the most common worries in new parents: how do you know if your baby is well fed? Here are your questions answered.
Breastfeeding is a skill that parent and baby learn together. It is normal for it to take some practice and for it to take a while for new parents to feel confident that babies are getting the milk they need.
In the meantime, it can be reassuring to know that a breastfed baby who is fed on demand won’t overfeed. And although you can’t measure how much they are drinking, they will stop drinking when they’ve had enough, and feed again if they want to stimulate your supply.
You’ll also be able tell if they’re feeding well by checking the following…
Their poo
The first type of poo your baby will produce is called meconium. It is produced from birth for the first 2-3 days, and is sticky and green/black in colour. From day four you can expect breastfed baby poo to be soft and a yellow, mustard colour. Babies who are formula feeding might have more solid poo than those who breastfeed. Babies do an average of four poos a day for the first week.
Their wet nappies
In their first 48 hours, most babies will only have two or three wet nappies.
If you have had IV fluids during labour or if your baby was born by caesarean, this will cause extra fluids in both you and your baby, so your baby will wee more in the first 24 hours.
But from day five, you should get at least five or six heavy, wet nappies every 24 hours. Their wee should be pale and not dark brown.
Their behaviour
If your baby has a full tummy, they should seem healthy and alert when they’re awake. They will also seem calm and relaxed while they’re breastfeeding.
Weight gain
It’s normal for babies to lose some weight during the first few days of life: 5-7% weight loss is considered normal. If baby loses 10% or more then this is a sign that they aren’t getting enough milk. This weight loss usually stops after about 3-4 days. For most babies their weight has returned to what it was at birth by the time they are three weeks old. After that, they should be growing and putting on weight steadily.
They should be weighed regularly by the midwife or health visitor (approximately once a month in the first six months) and their weight recorded in their personal child health record (PCHR) or red book.
If you’re offering your baby milk from a bottle, whether formula or expressed milk, it is recommended to respond to your baby’s signals about when they’re hungry/thirsty and when they’ve had enough milk, unless there is a concern and your midwife or doctor has suggested otherwise.
Research into ‘paced’ bottle feeding suggests it helps reduce the risk of obesity.
Formula packaging suggests how much milk to offer, but use this as a rough guide while you’re getting to know your baby because all babies are different.
Research into responsive or ‘paced’ bottle feeding suggests it can help reduce the risk of obesity. When your baby has had all the milk they want, remember to throw away any milk left in the bottle. Milk left in the bottle could become a source of infection. See more suggestions about how to bottle-feed responsively..
The following are seen as signs that breastfeeding is going well:
Your baby is well-attached if:
Your baby is getting enough milk if:
How a baby looks and their behaviour are useful guides to whether they are ‘thriving’. A thriving baby:
Breastmilk is made on a supply and demand basis; the more milk your baby takes from your breast, the more milk you make. But they must be well latched on to do this. You can increase your milk supply by:
If you’re worried your baby isn’t getting enough milk, speak to your health visitor, midwife or a breastfeeding counsellor.
They can check how the baby is latched and may suggest changes you can make to help your baby get a deeper latch. Your health visitor or midwife can also rule out any underlying health problems or may refer you for a tongue tie assessment.
If you need breastfeeding support you can visit a local breastfeeding support group (some support groups are available online). In some situations it may be possible to have a home visit.
You can also speak to an NCT breastfeeding counsellor on our helpline (0300 330 0700) which is open every day, 8am to midnight. You could take a look at our article about breastfeeding support page to find out more.
NCT supports all parents, however they feed their baby. If you have questions, concerns or need support, you can speak to a breastfeeding counsellor by calling our free helpline on 0300 330 0700, whether you are exclusively breastfeeding or using formula milk. The line is open every day, 8am to midnight.
We also run Baby Cafés, led by an NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor, which provide support with feeding your baby. Use the postcode search to see if there’s one near you.
Breastfeeding counsellors have had extensive training, will listen without judging or criticising and will offer relevant information and suggestions.
You can find more articles about feeding your baby here.
National Breastfeeding Line (government funded): 0300 100 0212.
