How to Tell If Your Newborn Is Getting Enough Milk

Wondering whether your newborn is getting enough milk is incredibly common, especially if you are breastfeeding and cannot see how much milk your baby has taken.

Rather than relying on one feed or one sign, look at the overall picture. A baby who is feeding effectively should show signs of active drinking, produce the expected wet nappies and gain weight as feeding becomes established. Their behaviour during and after feeds can provide useful clues too.

For breastfed babies, you may see or hear swallowing, notice rounded cheeks during sucking and find that your baby seems calm during feeds. For formula-fed babies, weight gain and wet and dirty nappies are useful indicators. If anything about your baby’s feeding, nappies or weight worries you, ask your midwife or health visitor to assess them.

Signs a breastfed newborn is getting milk

Breastfeeding can feel uncertain at first because there is no measurement on the side of the breast telling you how much your baby has drunk.

Watching how your baby feeds is more useful.

The NHS says that a baby who is getting milk will usually begin with a few quick sucks before moving into longer, rhythmic sucking and swallowing, with occasional pauses.

You may be able to hear or see your baby swallowing. Their cheeks should remain rounded rather than becoming hollow as they suck.

Your baby should generally seem calm and relaxed during the feed and come away from the breast by themselves when they have finished.

After feeding, their mouth should look moist and they may appear content and satisfied.

These signs are more useful when considered together. One short or unsettled feed does not necessarily mean there is a problem.

What a good breastfeeding latch can look like

Effective attachment helps your baby remove milk from the breast.

According to NHS guidance, a well-attached baby takes a large mouthful of breast rather than sucking only on the nipple. Their chin should touch the breast, and their nose should not be squashed into it.

Breastfeeding should not remain painful throughout the feed. The first few sucks can feel strong, but persistent nipple or breast pain can be a sign that positioning or attachment needs checking.

After the feed, your nipple should look much the same as it did beforehand rather than flattened, pinched or white.

If you are unsure, ask a midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding specialist to watch your baby feed. Seeing what happens during an entire feed can be much more helpful than trying to judge attachment from a photograph or description.

Wet nappies are an important clue

Your baby’s nappies are one of the most practical ways to see whether milk is going in.

The number of wet nappies normally increases during the first days after birth.

NHS guidance says that during the first 48 hours, a breastfed newborn is likely to have only two or three wet nappies. From day five onwards, there should generally be at least six heavy, wet nappies every 24 hours.

Disposable nappies can make it difficult to judge what “wet” feels like. The NHS suggests putting two to four tablespoons of water into a clean nappy so you can get a sense of the weight you are looking for.

Formula-fed babies should also produce around six wet nappies a day from a few days after birth. Their urine should generally be clear or pale yellow.

If your baby’s wet nappies are fewer than expected, speak to your midwife or health visitor.

Dirty nappies change during the first days

Your baby’s poo changes noticeably after birth.

At first, newborns pass meconium, a dark, sticky stool.

For breastfed babies, the NHS says that from around the fourth day, babies should generally pass at least two soft, yellow poos about the size of a £2 coin each day during the first few weeks.

Formula-fed babies may have firmer and sometimes less frequent stools than breastfed babies. Their poo normally changes from meconium to a paler yellow or yellowish-brown colour during the first week.

Nappy patterns can vary, so do not diagnose a feeding problem from one unusual nappy.

If your baby’s poo is not changing as expected, they have very few wet or dirty nappies, or you are worried about what you are seeing, ask your midwife or health visitor.

Weight gain gives a wider picture

Weight is another important way healthcare professionals assess whether a newborn is receiving enough milk.

Babies normally lose some of their birth weight during the first days after delivery.

Your baby’s weight will then be monitored to make sure they are growing appropriately.

Weight should not be considered in isolation. Your midwife or health visitor will look at your baby’s feeding, nappies, health and growth together.

If your baby has lost more weight than expected or is not gaining as expected, you may be given an individual feeding plan.

That might involve more frequent feeds, help with breastfeeding attachment, expressing milk, supplementation or another approach based on your baby’s needs.

Follow the plan provided by your healthcare team rather than trying to correct weight concerns by yourself.

How can you tell if a formula-fed newborn is getting enough?

With formula feeding, you can see how much milk is offered, but the number on the bottle still does not tell the whole story.

Babies vary in how much they want at each feed.

The NHS recommends feeding responsively rather than trying to make your baby finish a predetermined amount. Newborns tend to feed little and often, and a larger feed does not necessarily mean they will wait longer before wanting milk again.

Your baby’s weight gain and wet and dirty nappies are useful indicators of whether they are getting enough formula.

During feeds, watch your baby as well as the bottle.

They may stop sucking, turn their head away, push the bottle away or spill milk when they need a break or have had enough.

Do not force your baby to finish a bottle.

If your baby consistently takes much less formula than expected or you are worried about their growth or nappies, speak to your health visitor.

Does frequent feeding mean your baby is not getting enough?

Not necessarily.

Newborn babies feed frequently, and breastfed babies may sometimes want several feeds very close together.

The NHS says breastfeeding can be as frequent as every hour in the early days. Feeding frequency can change as your baby grows.

Some babies also cluster feed, which means they want to feed particularly frequently during certain periods.

Frequent feeding by itself does not prove that your milk supply is low.

Look for active swallowing, appropriate nappies, weight gain and how your baby behaves during feeds.

If your baby seems to breastfeed constantly but you rarely notice swallowing, they do not appear satisfied after feeds, or you are worried about their weight, ask for skilled feeding support.

Does expressing tell you how much milk you make?

The amount you can express is not a reliable measurement of your total milk supply.

A breast pump removes milk differently from a baby, and the amount expressed can vary between sessions.

You might express a small amount even though your baby feeds effectively at the breast.

If you are worried about supply, look at your baby’s feeding behaviour, nappies and weight rather than using the amount you can pump as the main test.

A midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding specialist can also watch a feed and help assess whether your baby is transferring milk effectively.

What if your breasts no longer feel full?

Changes in how your breasts feel do not necessarily mean your milk has disappeared.

Breasts often feel different as milk production adjusts to your baby’s needs.

Likewise, not leaking milk or not feeling a strong let-down does not automatically mean you have a low supply.

Your baby’s feeding and growth provide more useful information than breast fullness alone.

If you notice a change alongside fewer wet nappies, poor weight gain or ineffective feeding, ask for advice.

Signs your baby may need feeding support

Sometimes the concern is not simply how often your baby feeds but how effectively they are feeding.

A baby who is very sleepy or difficult to wake may not feed often enough without help.

During breastfeeding, repeated difficulty attaching, very short ineffective feeds, persistent pain or an absence of swallowing are reasons to ask someone experienced to assess a feed.

With bottle feeding, seek advice if your baby repeatedly struggles to take milk, seems distressed during feeds or consistently takes very little.

Your baby’s nappies and weight are particularly important if feeding itself is difficult.

Early support can help identify whether the issue is positioning, attachment, feeding technique, illness or something else that needs assessment.

Try not to judge milk intake from one feed

Newborn feeding is rarely identical from one feed to the next.

A breastfeed may be short and effective, while another lasts longer. A formula-fed baby may drink more at one feed and less at another.

One unsettled feed does not necessarily mean your baby is underfed.

Instead, consider the pattern across the day and over time.

Is your baby feeding regularly? Do you see signs of active milk transfer? Are nappies progressing as expected? Is your baby’s weight being monitored? Do they appear alert and well when awake?

If several parts of that picture concern you, contact your midwife or health visitor.

When to get professional advice

Speak to your midwife, health visitor, GP or another qualified healthcare professional if you are worried that your newborn is not getting enough milk.

Ask for help if your baby is unusually sleepy or difficult to wake for feeds, repeatedly refuses feeds, feeds much less often than expected, does not seem to swallow effectively or has fewer wet or dirty nappies than expected.

If you are breastfeeding, seek support if feeding is persistently painful, your nipples are damaged, your baby struggles to attach or you are worried about milk supply. A midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding specialist can observe a feed and help assess milk transfer.

For formula-fed babies, ask for advice if your baby consistently takes very little, regularly seems distressed during feeds or you are concerned about their weight gain.

If your baby has been given an individual feeding plan because of weight loss, prematurity, jaundice, illness or another concern, follow that plan rather than changing feeding frequency or supplementation yourself.

If your baby has difficulty breathing, becomes unresponsive, is choking or appears seriously unwell, seek urgent medical help.