How do I know it’s working?!?!
One feeding question that comes up for all parents is how do we know it’s working? For parents using bottles, this can come down to the simple question of how much should I put in the bottle? If this is you, please read my post on responsive bottle feeding.
When breastfeeding, many parents can feel uneasy not being able to see exactly how much milk is going into their babies. This is understandable, particularly if friends and family who are bottle feeding keep referring to numbers. However, there are some simple signs to look for.
First of all, if milk is going in, something should be coming out again. For your newborn baby minimum wet nappies should reflect your baby’s age in days- day 1 at least one wet nappy, day 2 at least 2 wet nappies and so on until day 5 and beyond when you would expect at least 5 or 6 a day from then on. For dirty nappies, on day 1 your baby should pass black, sticky meconium poo which turns increasingly green then brown-ish before turning yellow by day 5. If you’re seeing this, then you’re on track.
A baby who feeds regularly is also a sign that it’s going well. After the first 24 hours, your baby should start to wake up more and a healthy feeding pattern would be 8-12 feeds in 24 hours lasting somewhere between 5-45 minutes. Your baby should be both sucking and swallowing when feeding. This excellent video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI-O2Sm7p24 shows you exactly how to tell the difference between a suck and a swallow but, if you can hear your baby gulping, things are probably going to plan.
And lastly, weight! A baby who is gaining weight must be feeding well. Weight gain isn’t a linear process and most babies lose weight after birth but, if they’re back to birth weight by 2-3 weeks and then continuing to gain, you’re doing great!
But it’s not all about your baby. Breastfeeding should be comfortable and sustainable for the feeding parent. If you’re struggling, check out information on positioning and attachment.
If you’re not seeing these things then reach out to your midwife, health visitor or make contact with your lactation consultant to talk things through.
