Is my Baby Getting Enough Milk?
Although it is difficult to track how much your baby is consuming while at your breast, there is an easy trick to keeping track of how they are feeding.
And the trick is keeping watch on what comes out of the other end. Once your milk comes-in your baby should have five or six wet diapers a day. After the black, tarry looking meconium has been cleared of their system young breastfed babies will have two to five bowel movements every twenty four hours. They should look loose and maybe seedy with a yellow or yellow-green to tan color with only a mild odor. Some babies will have a bowel movement with every feeding.
In the early weeks frequent bowel movements are a good sign that your baby is getting plenty of the hindmilk that is released when you feel the let-down reflex. The hind milk is higher in fat and provides much of the calories your baby will need as they grow.
After about six weeks of age your baby’s bowel movements will be getting further apart and you may see one every other day or so with no signs of constipation.
If your new baby is not having enough wet diapers in the days after your milk comes in be sure to contact your doctor immediately for your baby can get dehydrated very easily at this young age.
Is your baby getting enough milk? Just remember that what goes in must come out and as long as you are keeping track of the frequency of diapers you will have a good idea of how well they are feeding.
