Rest assured and don’t worry if you notice a decrease in your newborn’s weight during the first ten days after birth. Don’t think that breast milk is useless for him. We have an amazing piece of information for you; the nature of a newborn requires a decrease in his weight at a rate of (5 to 10%) in the first week after birth!
By the end of the tenth day, he will get back to his birth weight, and then he will grow and gain more weight at a rate of (150 – 200g) per week until he is four months old, so breastfeed your newborn, trust yourself and what you give to your baby. Below we offer you the answer to your question, “How do I know that my child is breastfeeding enough?!”
How do I know that my child is breastfeeding enough?!
– Your newborn needs breastfeeding (8- 12) times over the course of (24) hours, especially in the first ten days of his life. The nursing mother must make sure to breastfeed her baby whenever he needs it, and if he sleeps for long hours she should wake him up to feed him, as not having enough milk may cause him dehydration and jaundice.
– The baby moves his lower jaw while breastfeeding, making sounds of sucking and swallowing of milk. The mother should notice these three signs to be sure that the baby is breastfeeding properly. Many newborns, especially in the first ten days of their lives, only move their lips and don’t actually lactate because the feeding process requires a lot of effort from the baby, so they may fall asleep during lactation, while the mother thinks that her baby has had his need of milk; in this case, the mother should make sure her baby is taking his need of milk by waking him up gently and continuing the breastfeeding.
– Babies urinate (6) times and poop (3) times, the color of their stool is yellow, more liquid and may have some mucus. That is normal by the fifth day of the baby’s life, provided that they were breastfed only. These signs indicate that the baby is getting breastfed properly and getting enough milk.
Key benefits of breastfeeding:
Keep in mind that it’s necessary for your baby to take his need of breast milk, which decreases the chance of suffering from diseases in the future by boosting his immunity, unlike babies who have formula, which prevents the mother from resting later because she has to spend long nights taking care of her sick child. On the other hand, breastfeeding is the first step to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight as soon as possible without following a specific diet or doing any intense exercises. Besides, breastfeeding lowers the risk of postpartum depression and creates a beautiful intimate bond between mother and baby.
In conclusion, the more time you spend breastfeeding your baby the more milk flow you will have. It is about demand and supply, meaning that the more milk your baby demands, the more you will have. In addition to this, your newborn should spend up to 20 minutes feeding from each breast every time, and we advise you to dress your baby lightly while feeding so he doesn’t feel warm and sleep before finishing his meal … And by that, you now know the answer to your question “How do I know that my child is breastfeeding enough?!”