Is My Baby Getting Enough Milk? Signs, Wet Nappies and Weight

Nearly every new parent wonders whether their baby is feeding enough, especially if you are breastfeeding and cannot see how much milk goes in. You do not need to measure anything: nappies, weight and your baby's behaviour at and after feeds give you the picture.

This guide follows NHS and UNICEF UK Baby Friendly advice, and it applies to breastfed and formula-fed babies. It is general information, and your midwife, health visitor or GP know your baby, so they are the people to ask about your own baby.

Wet and dirty nappies, day by day

For breastfed babies, the NHS and UNICEF UK describe this pattern:

The NHS notes that it can be hard to tell whether a disposable nappy is wet. To get an idea of what to look and feel for, take an unused nappy and add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water.

For formula-fed babies, the NHS says your baby should have around 6 wet nappies a day from a few days after the birth, with clear or pale yellow urine or nappies that feel heavy. After the dark, sticky meconium of the first day or two, the poo should become pale yellow or yellowish brown within the first week, and your baby should be having at least 1 poo a day.

Weight: the other half of the picture

The NHS says steady weight gain is one of the signs that your baby is healthy and feeding well, and that it is normal for babies to lose some weight in the first few days after birth. Your baby will be weighed at birth, again during the first week, and during their first 2 weeks to make sure they are regaining their birth weight. Most babies are at or above their birth weight by 3 weeks.

UNICEF UK's breastfeeding leaflet puts it this way for breastfed babies: your baby should be back to birth weight by two weeks and then continue to gain weight. If your baby loses a large amount of weight or does not regain their birth weight by 3 weeks, the NHS says a midwife or health visitor will support you, talk to you about how feeding is going and may ask to watch a feed.

After the first 2 weeks, the NHS says healthy babies should be weighed no more than once a month up to 6 months, unless you ask for it or there are concerns. Each weight goes on a centile chart in the red book (your baby's personal child health record). For more on tracking weight, see our baby weight tracking guide.

How your baby feeds and how they seem afterwards

The NHS lists these signs that a breastfed baby is getting enough milk:

• They start feeds with a few rapid sucks, followed by long, rhythmic sucks and swallows with occasional pauses.
• You can hear and see them swallowing, and their cheeks stay rounded, not hollow, while sucking.
• They seem calm and relaxed during feeds, come off the breast on their own at the end and look content and satisfied after most feeds.
• Their mouth looks moist after feeds.
• Your breasts feel softer after feeds and your nipple looks more or less the same as before, not flattened, pinched or white.
• They appear healthy and alert when they are awake.

The NHS and UNICEF UK say to feed your baby as often as they want and for as long as they want, and UNICEF UK adds that it is not possible to overfeed a breastfed baby. For a formula-fed baby, the NHS says to feed when they show signs they want it, such as becoming restless, turning their head and opening their mouth (rooting), or sucking their fist or fingers, and to try to feed before they cry, because crying is a late sign of hunger. Babies tend to feed little and often, so they may not finish a bottle.

If your baby has formula: how much is enough?

The NHS says newborn babies need quite small amounts of formula to start with, that the amount varies from baby to baby, and that having a big feed does not mean your baby will go longer between feeds. For a guide by your baby's weight, try the formula amount calculator, and to plan how many tins you will need, use the formula tin calculator. Follow the preparation table on your tin, and do not add extra powder or water.

When to ask for help

• If you have concerns about how much milk your baby is getting, the NHS says it is important to ask for help early. Speak to your midwife, health visitor or a breastfeeding specialist. They can watch a feed and help with positioning and attachment.
• If your baby has not pooed in the last 24 to 48 hours, speak to your midwife or health visitor, because UNICEF UK's leaflet says this may mean they are not getting enough milk.
• The NHS lists signs of dehydration in a baby as a sunken soft spot (fontanelle) on top of the head, sunken eyes, few or no tears when they cry, fewer wet nappies than usual, and being drowsy or irritable. It says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if your baby has fewer wet nappies, few or no tears, a sunken fontanelle or seems drowsy.
• The NHS says to call 999 or go to A&E if there are signs of dehydration and your baby is sleepier than normal or difficult to wake, has blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue, or is having difficulty breathing.

For breastfeeding support, UNICEF UK's leaflet lists the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212, open 9.30am to 9.30pm, 365 days a year, and the NCT helpline on 0300 330 0700.

If you are in the US: what the AAP says

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) uses similar markers for a breastfed newborn. It looks for no more than 8 to 10% of birth weight lost in the first few days before weight starts to rise again, at least 3 to 4 yellow, loose stools a day and 6 or more wet diapers a day by 5 to 7 days old, and nursing at least 8 to 12 times in 24 hours. It also recommends the first checkup with a pediatrician or family physician no more than 48 hours after hospital discharge, partly so that weight can be checked. In the UK, follow the NHS numbers above.

Frequently asked questions