These are ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY not indicators of low supply:
- A baby nurses frequently (every hour or more.)
- The baby is fussy.
- Your baby guzzles down a bottle of formula or expressed breastmilk after being fed. Many babies will willingly take a bottle even after they have a full feeding at the breast. Read more here from board-certified lactation consultant Kathy Kuhn about why baby may do this and how this can affect milk supply. Of course, if you regularly supplement baby after nursing, your milk supply will drop.
- Your breasts don't leak milk, or only leak a little, or stop leaking.
- You never feel "full" or never become engorged. Your breasts do not increase in size during pregnancy.
- Your breasts feel "softer."
- You never feel let down.
- You get very little or no milk when you pump.
- Your milk hasn't come in by day 4. Milk can come in anywhere between days 2-5. Before then, you are producing colostrum and your baby can thrive on that, but may need to feed quite frequently (cluster feeding every hour or more.)
These CAN BE (but are not necessarily) indicators of low supply. These are the only indicators of possible low milk supply.
- Weight loss or slow weight gain. Now it is important to know that babies generally lose 5-7% of their body weight in the first week or so of life. So, it would be perfectly fine for an 8 pound baby to lose about 9 oz (dropping to 7 lbs. 5 oz.). Even a 10% weight loss can be normal (loss of about 13 oz. dropping to 7 lbs. 3 oz. for an 8 lb. baby) can be considered normal, but at that point you should be sure to be evaluated by a pediatrician and going in for regular weight checks. I also can't urge you enough to seek out a GOOD LC. What is breastfeeding friendly expectations for weight gain? Most pediatricians will look for a return to birth weight by the age of two weeks. The AVERAGE weight gain per week for a nursing infant is 6 oz, but anywhere between 4-7 oz per week is acceptable.
- Low wet/poopy diaper counts. In the early days, baby typically has one dirty diaper for each day of life (1 on day one, 2 on day two...). After day 4, stools should be yellow and baby should have at least 3-4 stools daily that are the size of a US quarter (2.5 cm) or larger. Some babies stool every time they nurse, or even more often--this is normal, too. The normal stool of a breastfed baby is loose (soft to runny) and may be seedy or curdy. In the early days, baby typically has one wet diaper for each day of life (1 on day one, 2 on day two...). Once mom's milk comes in, expect 5-6+ wet diaper every 24 hours. To feel what a sufficiently wet diaper is like, pour 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of water into a clean diaper. A piece of tissue in a disposable diaper will help you determine if the diaper is wet
How do I know my baby is getting enough milk?
You can tell your baby is getting enough milk by keeping track of the number of wet and dirty diapers. In the first few days, when your milk is low in volume and high in nutrients, your baby will have only 1 or 2 wet diapers per day. After your milk supply has increased, your baby should have 5 to 6 wet diapers and 3 to 4 dirty diapers every day. Consult your pediatrician if you are concerned about your baby's weight gain.
The chart below shows the minimum number of diapers for healthy, full-term babies. It is fine if your baby has more.
Baby's Age
|
Wet Diapers
|
Dirty Diapers Color and Texture
|
Day 1
|
1
|
Thick, tarry and black
|
Day 2
|
2
|
Thick, tarry and black
|
| Day 3 | 3 | Greenish yellow |
Day 4
or when milk increases)
|
5 - 6 | Greenish yellow |
| Day 5 | 5 - 6 | Seedy, watery mustard color |
| Day 6 | 5 - 6 | Seedy, watery mustard color |
Day 7
|
5 - 6
|
Seedy, watery mustard color
|
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