How to know if you've got enough milk?

[Oneflowerbed]

It might seem like a silly question, but I've been wondering. My almost 3 weeks old baby seems content after feeding and gives us a fair amount of wet and dirty nappies. I've noticed that after his 2/3 hours pm nap, he'll cluster feed. He won't fall asleep, just feed for about 5 minutes at a time, come off it, play around and ask again. He can do that 4/5 times. Both my breasts then feel soft, and he'll ask for more. As he suckles, I can hear him swallow so he does can some, but I can't help but worry? What are the signs that you don't have enough milk?

You have enough milk, OP! You make as much as he needs, so feed little and often and your supply will be perfect for him. Weigh him every couple of weeks if you need reassurance that he is gaining weight properly, but don't obsess over it.

He's 'fussing' at the breast as that is going to up your supply which at three weeks is normal, it's a demand and supply situation. Your breasts should feel soft as you don't really store milk in them it is made when needed - that's why if baby misses a feed over night they might feel full as your body was producing the milk expecting it to be taking - think factory rather than warehouse.

If baby is having lots of wet/ dirty nappies, putting on weight and on the whole seems content you don't have a supply issue.

It's hard as we don't have that gage on the side of our boobs to go 'yup he's had 4 Oz' but honestly it sounds like you are doing great.

Sounds like you have enough op. It's normal but relentless and calms down over time.

Thank you for your replies, I really appreciate!! It's so satisfying to know that you're enough for your baby, that the slightlest worry completely throws you off!! It's so easy to doubt yourself, but I'll stick with it! I'm currently on maternity leave and is home full time, so I'm there when he needs. But how do you deal with family? They're lovely, but sometimes their comments are not helpful... Like, why is he feeding so often, he might not be getting enough, if he was, he wouldn't ask so soon.. Etc

Oh OP those sort of comments from family are the pits. I used to just highlight the amount of weight my babies had put on if any one mentioned they were feeding to much. Also, a fixed stare and nod works too.

Or if I was feeling really annoyed with them I'd tell them to stop and that I wasn't discussing my parenting choices with them.

If he is putting on weight then you’re fine

Thanks for the replies!!! Pointing weight gain is a good point, I'll be using that next time!

Have you given the National breastfeeding helpline a call? I had loads of really good experiences.

Never heard of them, will look into it, thanks!

Cluster feeding is normal and expected in newborn babies, particularly in the evenings. It tends to go on for a few weeks and often calms down by about 6/8 weeks! Wet and dirty nappies is the best reassurance of your milk suplly. What goes in must come out! Tell your relatives that cluster feeding is perfectly normal. It's nature's (and your baby's) way of putting in the demand to establish your milk supply. The first six weeks are important for this. All the cluster feeding will ensure your supply remains very good.

Honeslty OP, sounds like you're doing great. As long as baby is content and producing lots of wet and dirty nappies you are producing enough. Babies love to suckle at the breast, not just for food but for comfort too. They just love being so safe and secure snuggled up with mum, sucking away. Just offer him the breast whenever he wants and you can't go wrong 🤣

It sounds like you're doing amazing and all the right things! Well done you, keep at it, it only gets easier. As for your family members asking, throw the question back at them- do they force themselves to wait a set time between drinks or food or do they just have them as and when they fancy? Why should a baby be any different?

BF is weird as you never feel you know what they had and then you see bottle feeding mums worrying or being happy over a certain amount of milk their baby has taken! Just relax, baby will get the milk they need, things settle down over time, at first there can be times of cluster feeding, I also had times when I did feel really full/sore and totally empty once baby had a feed, this was when he slept for longer stretches, suited me! But again after a while this all settles down. BF gets easier as you go along and baby gets better at it too!

Weight gain good, plenty wet nappies, ignore negative comments by family who don't understand BF! I liked having a good routine in place with sleep and feeds so I knew if baby was fussy for milk or just needing a nap and went with the flow when we had times of cluster feeding. I wouldn't dream of questioning a bottle fed baby's mother about how much/little they were getting! Your using what was designed for feeding your baby, keep at it! :-)

The cluster feeding is perfectly normal and is not a sign that you don't have enough milk. The vast majority of women make enough milk if they feed on demand. It sounds like you're doing a great job.

If you are getting plenty of dirty and wet nappies, baby is usually content when finishing a feed (except during that fussy window), has a normal sleep pattern for their age and isn't showing any signs of dehydration then you have nothing to worry about.

OP sounds completely normal! One thing I did that really reassured me was buy some baby scales from Amazon. I bought the Chicco brand. With covid there weren't any weekly weigh in clinics so I bought my own and weighed baby weekly and could see she was putting on good weight every week

It really gave me the confidence to keep going with breastfeeding

Don't forget that BF babies digest most of their milk quickly (because there is little waste) so they feed more often than bottlefed babies who cannot digest all they drink and produce more waste. Formula sits in their stomachs longer than bm so they seem more content (full and sleepy) after a feed and have fewer feeds longer apart than bf babies. It's perfectly normal for a bf baby to feed every hour or half hour during the day, especially when they are putting on a growth spurt. All the feeding means more supply being made. It's exhausting but so worth it long term.