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Is my baby getting enough breast millk?

Advice on ways to tell whether your baby is getting enough breast millk while breastfeeding.

The best way to know that your baby is getting enough milk is to look at their growth, which the midwife and health visitor will check for you, and behaviour (see the well baby).

Your baby should be contented after feeds and should have plenty of wet nappies and pass stools. Each baby will differ in how often they have their bowels open. It might be with every feed or it might be every few days. Breast fed babies do not normally become constipated. Their stools tend to be very soft or even watery and often look like brown tomato seeds.

If you feel that your baby is not contented after feeding or is having only a few wet nappies during the day it may be that it is not fixing at the breast properly. Read back over the section on 'getting started'. It might also be a good idea to seek some help and guidance from a breastfeeding counsellor, your midwife or health visitor.

All babies have growth spurts. When this happens they often feed more than usual for a day or two until your milk production increases to meet their needs. This is quite normal.

At other times your baby might be unsettled because of illness or colic. If in doubt check with a health professional.

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I have a 10 month old exclusively breast fed until 6 months then introduced solids. In addition to solids, up until about a month ago I was still breast feeding 3 times daily, 7am, 3pm and 7pm each feed taking 40 mins to an hour. I dropped the 3pm feed because my baby was gaining the right weight and I heard that it was no longer necessary to feed her during the day. She eats a really good diet of solid food and doesn't appear to be missing her 3pm feed, however I'm now really worried that she may not be getting enough milk for development. So my question is, should I resume her 3pm feed and can i make that a formular feed while the other two feeds remain bf?

by Molly71

12th Aug 2010, 9:46am

i have been told that my ammune system is weak and im suffering alergic reactions and fibromyalgia as part result of this will it still be worth breastfeeding my baby for few days for ammunity or will it not be worth passing my ammune system on
by harrison50	14th May 2010, 4:35pm

Hello, I have a 2 months old baby and now returning to work. Before leaving in the morning I breast fed him and express 110mls -150 mls and then returning in the afternoon, breast feed and then esxpressing the same amount of milk. My baby weighs 6kg. Is this enough for my baby?
by Venacala	26th Nov 2009, 9:42am

To grugru: if you adding the bottle in the evening your baby does not stimulate your breast to produce right amount of milk in the evening. You may let him/her suck on both breast as much as he needs to in the evening and eventually (few days) your milk supply will adjust. You can also stimulate your breast by expressing as much milk in the evening as possible (maybe every hour or so) - you can feed to your baby whatever you express. On the other hand adding a bottle in the evening is not the end of the world, but your breasts will reduce production in that part of the day. I hope it helps.

by Barbs

7th Sep 2009, 11:24am

(for grugru) I have one 3 year old (breastfed til 1) and twin 2 year olds (breastfed til 1). My tips for increasing your milk:
- drink lots of water and eat well
- have warm baths and massage your boobs to remove any tiny milk blockages
- put baby on the boob, your more baby feeds / demands / stimulates the more your body will supply, if you miss a feed by giving fomula your body will think less is required and reduce supply
- express using pump after feeding to clear out any excess / stop any blockages forming / increase demand.
Your baby may be having a growth spurt therefore you body needs to know more is required.
I expressed a lot at the beginning cos my boys were in special care and tube fed with donor milk. I was producing up to 150ml per boob each time. Hope this helps.

by lovemykids

7th Sep 2009, 11:20am

By the end of the day - i feel my breasts aren't producing enough milk so I have been using a top up formula sometimes up to 130mls - I am now worried that I am making this problem worse. Does anyone have any ideas how to increase my milk yield?
by grugru	4th Sep 2009, 10:24am

I am worried that my milk is drying up. My 3 month old always seems to be hungry and guzzles down a bottle of expressed milk even if he's been fed and hour or so before. He seems to be a healthy weight but my breasts don't seem to be as full as they were and I'm concerned he may no longer be getting enough.
by witchgirl	30th Mar 2009, 9:39am

my baby is 4months old and weighs 7.5kgs,i feel this is not good enough please advise
by gift	16th Mar 2009, 9:21am

Good morning, I have a 7 month old baby boy, whom i breastfeed only. I have included rice cereal and baby food into his diet. He weighs about 15 and 1/2 pounds. Many people say that he is small. Is this true?
by Chancey	8th Jan 2009, 9:36am

i have fed my baby for 9 weeks weight gain is slow but steady but my milk seems to have gone watery over the past week. it used to be fairly white in colour is this normal?
by isaacsmum	7th Oct 2008, 9:32am