Many parents worry about whether breastfeeding is going well. Breastfeeding helpers have tried many ways to evaluate successful breastfeeding. Some of the most reliable signs that let us know that breastfeeding is going well are things that parents can see at home. In fact, parents are usually the best judges of whether breastfeeding is going well. Here are some things to look for:

Before mother starts to make a lot of milk (first 1-3 days of life)

– Baby actively roots for the breast and latches on

– Mother’s breasts and nipples are not painful

After mother starts to make a lot of milk (middle of first week through second month)

– Baby has 5 or more wet diapers with pale pee (every 24 hours)

– Baby has 3 or more stools that are not dark brown or dark green (every 24 hours, picture of normal stools)

– Mother’s breasts and nipples are not painful

– Baby is nursing about 8 to 12 times every 24 hours

– Baby is content after nursing

After the first couple months:

– Baby is happy at the breast

– Mother’s breasts and nipples are comfortable

– It’s normal for older babies to have different feeding and stooling patterns. As babies get older they get better at communicating when they are having a hard time with breastfeeding.

These are just a few of the things that are easy to observe that can reassure families that babies are doing well. If any of these things aren’t true, it may be that breastfeeding is still going fine but it is a good idea to talk with a breastfeeding helper to help rule out any problems or offer appropriate solutions. Breastfeeding helpers can look at a baby’s behavior, weight gain, latch, and mother’s breasts to add more information to what parents have already observed.

Adria and Ruth are happy to talk with you about any concerns that you have. The above list (of course) can not cover all breastfeeding situations. If you are concerned it is always appropriate to call for more information!