Is My Baby Eating Enough? Signs Your Baby Is Feeding Well

This might be the most common worry in all of new parenthood. Whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding or doing a combination of both you have probably wondered at least once if your baby is actually getting enough. The good news is that your baby gives you clear signals every single day. You just need to know where to look.

Focus on Output Not Ounces

With breastfeeding it is impossible to measure exactly how much milk your baby takes in. That is why pediatricians focus on what comes out. By the end of the first week a well fed baby should be producing six to eight wet diapers per day. Stools should transition from dark meconium to bright yellow by about day five.

Weight Gain Is the Best Indicator

Most newborns lose some weight in the first few days. This is completely normal. A healthy baby should start gaining weight steadily by day four or five at a rate of about 15 to 30 grams per day and should exceed their birth weight by 10 to 14 days.

Your Baby's Growth Curve Is Theirs Alone

Growth charts show a range of normal and that range is wide. What matters is that your baby follows their own curve over time rather than dropping across multiple percentile lines.

Hunger and Fullness Cues to Watch For

Babies tell you when they are hungry by rooting or turning their head toward your chest or hand. Crying is actually a late hunger cue so try to catch the earlier signals. When your baby is full they will slow down their sucking and may turn away or simply fall asleep relaxed and content.

When to Talk to Your Pediatrician

A few signs do warrant a call: fewer than six wet diapers a day after the first week, stools not yellow by day five, excessive weight loss of more than 8% by day four, or a failure to regain birth weight by two weeks.

Trust the Trend

Instead of comparing your baby to anyone else, compare them to themselves last week. That is the trend that tells the real story.