Signs of an effective breastfeed

“I haven’t got enough milk” “I can’t tell how much he’s having”. These are often the feelings of a breastfeeding mother. However, although you cannot see the volume of a feed when breastfeeding there are a number of other ways to know that your baby is getting enough milk. Read through the steps below to guide you.

• Your baby detaches from the breast spontaneously
• You notice wet and dirty nappies
• Each feed is between 5-40 minutes
• Your baby is feeding 8-10 times within a 24 hour period
• Your baby is settled after a feed
• They also wake for the next feed
• Your nipples aren’t sore and haven’t changed shape following a feed.

The following list goes into more detail and is a useful checklist to knowing you’re doing well.

UNICEF UK mothers breastfeeding checklist