💡 Ask the Expert👩⚕️: How do I know my baby is feeding enough?
We have Sally Connell - Registered Nurse (RN) and Certified Breast Feeding Specialist (CBS), Beloved Bumps answer your questions. Start asking away, if you have questions all about breastfeeding🤱
My baby is 3 months now. His feeding has recently been increased. He gets hungry quite often. Is it normal?
Do I need to follow a feeding schedule? Can I feed every 2 hours if my baby is fussy/crying?
Absolutely. It is advisable to breast feed your baby on demand, especially in the early months to help establish and maintain your supply. And as I often tell the mums that I visit, our babies are mini humans and not robots. Just as adults eat differing amounts of food at different times of the day according to our appetite and how we are feeling at that time, so do babies. Babies also breast feed for many reasons. Being at the breast makes them feel calm, safe and happy so it is the perfect place to have them when they are crying or unhappy.
My baby is 3 months. I feed him while sleeping at night. does it affect his weight?
I’m unsure of specifically what you are asking I’m afraid. Do you mean that you are feeding your baby in a side lying position in bed at night? If your baby is truly asleep, then he obviously won’t be sucking and swallowing. That would then impact his growth depending on his age and how many other feeds he is having in 24 hours. As a general rule of thumb, if your baby is happy and settled, they are growing well, and having a good diaper output, then they are likely taking in enough milk.
My 2 months old baby is always crying. Do I need to breastfeed her whenever she cries?
It really depends on why your baby is crying. If you have recently fed your baby, and feel that she was actively feeding until she was satisfied, then I would look at why else she might be crying and try to fix that first. Is she showing signs that she might have wind. Does she have a wet or dirty diaper. Is she too hot or too cold. Or does she simply want to be close to your skin as babies do. It is totally fine to latch your baby to calm her if she is simply after some closeness with you and has a need to suck. You can think of your breasts as your little magic power that no one else has.
My baby is having difficulty latching. How can I make sure he is getting enough milk?
It might be worth getting the help of a professional if you are concerned about your baby’s latch. There can be a number of reasons why baby is unable to latch, which a professional can help you to decipher. Often it can be as simple as changing feeding positions, but occasionally it might require more intervention.
What are the kinds of food I should eat more that can help in breastfeeding?
Generally a nice healthy and balanced diet is all that is needed when you are breast feeding. There are a number of substances, foods and even prescription medications which are collectively known as galactagogues and are sometimes recommended when a mother’s supply is low though. All of these work better on some people than others, and also have potential side effects though so it is always advisable to chat to a medical professional first. The single best thing to increase a mother’s supply is simply to latch or pump frequently and on demand.
My 2-month-old baby spits milk an hour after feeding. Am I overfeeding her?
If baby is otherwise happy and settled, and also growing normally then it is unlikely to be cause for alarm. It is quite common in young babies, and generally something they grow out of in time.
Will exercise affect my BF journey or cause my breast to sag more?
My baby is pooping every day . Does it means He is getting enough milk?
If your baby is also getting 6 to 8 wet diapers a day, is otherwise happy and settled and also growing appropriately then it is highly likely that he is getting enough milk.
My baby is not taking age-appropriate milk intake. What can I do?
Every baby is slightly different, so ‘age appropriate’ amounts of milk are only an approximation. If your baby is growing appropriately, is otherwise happy and settled, and has good diaper output then they are likely taking in enough milk for them. If not it would be a good idea to have a chat to your baby’s doctor to rule out any problems.
