Written by: Wendy, IBCLC
One of the top questions on breastfeeding parents’ minds is whether their baby is getting enough milk. If you are breastfeeding directly, the amount of milk that your baby consumes can feel like a bit of a mystery. After all, unlike bottle feeding, you can’t see how much milk your baby is taking in. If you are a pumping mama, you likely also have questions about how much milk your baby needs, and how much you should be pumping per session and per day.
ALL BABIES ARE DIFFERENT
It's important to understand that while there are guidelines and estimates about how much milk a baby needs, they are truly only guidelines and estimates. All babies are different, and their needs change based on their moods, their development, weight/size, and hunger. Things like growth spurts, sleep patterns, and illness can change the amount of breast milk a they need.
Additionally, each of us has a different breast storage capacity, which is the amount of milk our breasts store at once. Breast storage capacity doesn’t have to do with how large or small your breasts are, but how much they can store. It affects how much milk our babies take during each session and how much we can pump at once. This is one of the reasons why some pumping parents may get 2-3 ounces each time they pump, whereas other pumping parents might get 5-6 ounces. Both can be totally normal.
Finally, a baby’s temperament and sucking ability can impact how frequently they feed and how much they need each session. Ever notice that some seem to be snackers, taking short, frequent meals throughout the day? Others seem to space their feeding further apart and take in more milk per session. This is all normal because it’s all about how much milk they take in overall. Either pattern works as long as your baby is growing well.
SO, HOW MUCH BREAST MILK DO BABIES NEED?
The amount of milk a baby needs changes based on their age. Babies need very small amounts of breast milk when they are first born, then this number increases. Once they are about one month old, the number of ounces they need holds pretty steady. Then, once solids are introduced and they gradually replace breastfeeding, the amount of milk they need begins to decrease. Here’s what to know.
First Few Days of Life
During the first two days after birth, newborns need minimal breast milk, about half an ounce per feeding. This milk is known as colostrum.
First Two Weeks of Life
After the initial first few days, babies will start taking 1 to 2 ounces per feed as your milk supply comes in. This lasts for about the first two weeks of life.
One Month to Six Months
Once babies hit about one month old and your milk supply is fully established, research tells us that babies need an average of about 25 ounces of breast milk in 24 hours. This number is just an average, and is different from one baby/parent to another. It also changes based on factors like growth spurts, illnesses, and developmental changes.
After Solids Are Introduced
Most babies are ready to add solids into their feeding routines when they are about six months old and show signs that they are developmentally ready (can sit up on their own, are interested in foods, don’t push food out of their mouths with their tongues). However, replacing breast milk with solids is a process, and breast milk remains the primary food for babies through the first year of life.
Your breast milk supply may decrease at the end of the first year. This happens because your baby begins to eat solid foods and get calories from them. Pumping mamas begin to pump less as their babies take fewer bottles. This is normal, and as long as your baby is growing well and eating some solids to replace breast milk, you are right on track.
HOW TO KNOW BABY IS GETTING ENOUGH BREAST MILK
When you are exclusively breastfeeding, it’s super common to wonder if your baby is getting enough. You can’t count the number of ounces they are consuming so it can be hard to know if things are on track. The good news is that there are some simple ways to figure out if your baby is getting enough.
The clearest, most concrete piece of data we use to determine if your baby is getting enough breast milk is to weigh them. Each baby has their own weight curve, but as long as they are gaining weight steadily, they're probably getting enough. This is one of the reasons it’s important to visit your pediatrician regularly in the first few weeks and months of life. They will be tracking your baby’s weight gain and letting you know if there are any concerns.
If you're struggling with breastfeeding, you may need more weigh-ins to make sure things are going well. Don’t hesitate to make extra appointments with your pediatrician for weigh-ins. If you are working with a lactation professional who has a scale, you can do weigh-ins this way, too.
But weight checks aren’t the only way that you can tell your baby is getting enough milk.
There are other signs to look for, such as:
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Your little one comes to the breast frequently—usually every 1-3 hours in the early days—and you are feeding them on demand
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Their diapers are normal; in the early weeks, you want to see 5-6 so wet diapers a day, and 3-4 poopy diapers
There are some other signs that your baby is getting enough, though these can be a little subjective and not always reliable. These signs include hearing swallowing and gulping while nursing; your baby seems relaxed and satisfied after a feeding; feeling that your breasts were full before a feeding and less full after a feed.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you are having questions about how much your baby needs and whether they are getting enough, you are far from alone. So many parents have these concerns! Even once you learn more about how much milk a baby needs and how to determine if they are getting enough, you may still have lingering questions. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your pediatrician, doctor, midwife, or a lactation professional, such as an IBCLC, for help and support.
