Unfortunately, our breasts do not come with a gauge to tell us how much milk we have and how much the baby took out. This can often leave us feeling stressed out, wondering "Did my baby get enough milk?"
We are used to measuring everything in our culture: our calorie intake, the miles per gallon our car gets, how many steps we took in a day….it's unnerving when this one very important thing we CANNOT measure.
Luckily, there are other ways (ways our great-great-grandmothers used) to tell if baby was getting enough. Such as:
1.) Is my baby having consistent wet and dirty diapers?
2.) Is my baby getting bigger, filling out their clothes a bit as the weeks go on?
3.) Is my baby content after nursing sessions (good sessions, where I hear some swallows, my breast is softer, and I see some good, long jaw excursions – not just little flutter sucks – for most of the feeding).
4.) Does my baby appear to have good tone and energy when awake?
Nowadays, we typically take our baby to our provider/pediatrician by day 5 and then again at two weeks to track their weight and see how they are doing. This is usually a very reassuring visit (although quite nerve-wracking at first as a new parent).
If for some reason your baby is not gaining well, however, or you or your doctor are concerned (and they bring up supplementing with formula) that's the time to pick up the phone to schedule a visit with a lactation consultant. The first two weeks are a pretty important time for getting breastfeeding off to a good start, so the earlier you initiate support and care, the better. You CAN turn the ship around, especially if it's still close to shore.
Question: "If I need to supplement, how much does my baby need?"
Well, that depends. I know, that's a frustrating answer but stick with me and we'll get in the ballpark. It's kind of tricky because babies start out (generally) from the womb a little overhydrated, with some good brown fat that helps them get through for awhile (like a bank account to draw on, if you will - Mother Nature's way of giving them some assistance if feedings don't take off right away.
Best practice is to keep baby skin-to-skin on your body, especially in that first day or two, offering them the breast any time they show interest (or at least every 2-3 hours). If you keep them "in the kitchen" (close to your milk) they will often start to scooch over (or fling themselves) to reach the nipple. It's amazing to see, really. Babies are hardwired (like every other mammal on the planet) to search out the breast/nipple and get their food-game on soon after delivery.
Baby's stomachs are small and they don't often need a TON and that's OK. That is also Mother Nature's way of slowly introducing your thick, beautiful, yellowy colostrum (less chance of them aspirating and it going down the "wrong pipe").
It can vary, but we think the infant's stomach capacity is about a teaspoon (per feeding, every 2-3 hours or so) in the first 24 hours.1*
DAY ONE: 5 ml = 1 TEAspoon
DAY TWO: 10-15 ML = 2-3 TEAspoons
DAY THREE: 20-27 ML = 1.5 TABLEspoons
DAY SEVEN: 60 ml = 2 ounces
DAY TEN: 60-81 ml = 2 – 2.5+ ounces
*Disclaimer: Always check with your doctor for specific expectations on intake if baby has any medical issues such as prematurity (being born early), low blood sugar, jaundice (a yellowing of the skin), difficult delivery situations, cardiac issues, or any other type of medical issue.
BONUS: I've created a MUCH more detailed FREE DOWNLOADABLE GUIDE BELOW you can print off and take to the hospital with you, or put on your refrigerator to guide the entire family until you can see your doctor at day 5.
It offers guidance for the minimum feedings and diapers you'd expect to see if things are going well PLUS how many feedings on average babies have in the early days, and what feelings/emotions parents might encounter, day by day.
If your baby has less-than-expected diapers, it is always, always safer to call your health care provider for guidance. Sometimes, we've just missed a diaper and forgot to write it down, but it's better to be safe. And remember to look on both the front and back of a disposable diaper to see if the yellow line has turned blue/green (which means baby has had a wet diaper).
You've got this. And you don't have to do it alone. One day at a time (or the first 5 day run) is all you've got to focus on. You and your team can do this!
If you would like more guidance, schedule a time to meet with me one-on-one, in person or virtually (covered by most insurances) so we can talk through EVERYTHING.
And if you'd like MORE guidance (to get uber-prepared) from a real lactation consultant whose been doing this for 30 years and has seen it all (knock wood), check out Breastfeeding: Getting A Strong Start for the ultimate support system.
Enjoy 15% off in September with code: BBSept15
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