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<h1>Breastfeeding - www.breastfeeding.org.nz</h1>

Enough breastmilk


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How do I know if my baby is getting enough?


Mothers can tell that baby is satisfied and feeling full when baby:
  • releases the nipple and can be moved away from the breast without the mother physically de-latching the baby
  • is relaxed
  • looks very sleepy and contented and often extends her/his legs
  • has what mothers describe as a ‘full look’
  • has stopped giving the feeding cues.
Mothers may notice the sucking bursts getting shorter towards the end of the feed and probably the pauses becoming longer

Babies who are getting enough breastmilk will:
  • Start to have changing bowel motions by around day four of life (from the black and greenish first meconium bowel motions to either starting to turn yellow or yellow).
  • The baby will also have at least six wet nappies in twenty-four hours by day four of life.
  • The baby will be back to birth weight by ten to fourteen days after birth.
  • The baby will gain weight after regaining their birth weight – approx 120-240 grams per week after 10 to fourteen days after birth.
  • The baby demonstrates multiple bursts of sucking during a feed and swallowing sounds are heard.
  • The mother’s breasts may feel softer after a breastfeed although some mothers do not always feel this change.
  • The baby will pass bowel motions three times or more in a twenty-four hour period until the age of around six weeks.
  • The baby is waking and cueing for feeds, alert, active and feeding vigorously.
More information is provided in a factsheet on Breastfeedingonline.com - Is my baby getting enough milk?

If there are concerns about baby's output (urine and bowel motions); weight gain; feeding responsiveness; or if the latch is still painful and nipples damaged then a consultation to assess how breastfeeding is going is recommended. If milk supply is on the low side there are some actions that can be taken to increase amounts but seek advice of you are unsure or worried.

What if my breasts are empty?


A lactating breast is never empty. The breast is always making milk and makes milk even faster with frequent effective milk removal. A baby sucking removes different amounts at most feeds but never removes all the available breastmilk.

When a mother has been breastfeeding frequently and her breasts feel empty this means that the baby will be getting a high fat content from the breastfeed. Also after about six weeks after delivery (and sometimes a little longer) a breastfeeding woman’s breasts may lose that full feeling. It is normal for a breast to feel less full or ‘emptier’ but it does not mean the supply is low or that the breast is empty.

All women have different breasts and different capacities for storing breastmilk which is why it’s not helpful to compare what you and your baby are doing with another breastfeeding mother. Size of breasts is also not a factor with storage capacity.

More information is provided in the following article on the Kellymom.com website - My breasts feel empty! Has my milk supply decreased?

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Page last reviewed: 31 July 2008


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