Amount of breastmilk needed - Questions and Answers

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Amount of breastmilk needed

How much breastmilk does my baby need?

See also:

How much breastmilk does my baby need?

The first few days

A baby only needs a small amount of breastmilk in the first few days which is why the early breastmilk, or colostrum as it is usually called, is not produced in big amounts but is thick and full of specialized living cells to give a baby the first big immunological boost which is then continued on an ongoing basis with an established breastmilk supply.

A baby after birth goes through what is called hibernation phase when she/he lives off the fat that has been laid down in the last few weeks of a mother’s pregnancy.

Days three and four

Babies are born with the ability to know when they are full which prompts them to stop breastfeeding.

When mothers start to make more milk around days three and four the baby will remove as much milk as needed which sets up the mechanism whereby more milk is then made.

It’s all about the signals that go from the nipple area straight up to the brain via spinal nerves. The mother’s brain then sends triggers to the pituitary gland which in turn releases the hormones that make milk and start the milk flowing.

If a baby is latched well at the breast, and being fed when she/he cues for a breastfeed, then the synchrony between mother and baby should work well.

Trust your baby and your body

Many mothers do wonder how much milk their baby is actually getting and worry about amounts.

Because we have become used to bottle-feeding babies in our culture the idea of knowing or seeing how much milk a baby is drinking has become something that we are used to and think of as normal.

Trust baby and mother's body to get it right. If the baby is latched correctly and being fed using their feeding cues then it is unlikely that there will be a problem.

Remember a baby who is establishing breastfeeding will not behave like a bottle-feeding baby. There may be a few feeds close together which is normal and called cluster feeding. Recent research has shown that a breastfeeding baby may take between 6-18 feeds in a 24 hour period. This is a wide variation and shows that very individual mother-baby pairs are different.

Removing the breastmilk from the breast is very important for establishing a milk supply so don’t ignore the baby’s feeding cues.

Try not to compare breastfeeding with bottle-feeding models or even between your experiences and other breastfeeding mothers.

If a mother is worried and baby seems unsettled ask for advice from the Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) midwife, ring a La Leche League counsellor, Well Child Health provider or a Lactation Consultant.

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Where to get help

Midwives

Healthline - 0800 611 116

Well Child

La Leche League

More information on these and other breastfeeding help providers...

Page last reviewed: 31 July 2008