The first few days of a newborn's life is extremely important to a newborn's development, and as such, the amount of food and nutrients that a newborn baby acquires during the first few days needs to be sufficient for the needs of their growing bodies. Newborn babies don't need much during the first day of their lives, however as they slowly grow, the amount of food that newborn babies need will slowly start to go up.
Now, how would you know if your newborn is in fact getting enough food? Here are some of the telltale signs that you need to watch out for:
- Your baby's skin remains wrinkled even beyond the first month of his or her life, and the face hasn't filled out. This can be a sign of inadequate weight gain.
- Your baby doesn't seem satisfied even after a feed.
- Your baby doesn't regain his or her birth weight back by the time that they are at least 14 days old.
- Your breasts don't feel softer after feeds. (this means that your baby hasn't had enough breast milk)
- Babies usually wet around 5-6 diapers by the time that they are five days old, and about 6-8 in a 24 hour period beyond 5 days. If your baby has significantly less diapers that are used, then it might be a sign of underfeeding.
- Your baby poops less than twice a day by the time that they are 5 days old.
- Your baby's skin becomes more yellow, instead of less yellow well beyond the first week.
- Your baby is sleepy and you have to wake them up to feed.
- If your baby has dimples or makes clicking noises during breastfeeding, then it might be a sign that your newborn is not latched on properly, and thus may not be getting enough breast milk.
If you see any of these signs on your newborn baby, then the best thing to do would be to try and supplement their feedings with formula milk. Be aware however that doing so might reduce your milk supply. As with anything, if you have anything that you're worried about regarding your baby, then it would be best to consult your doctor about it so that they can help you better when it comes to what your baby would need in terms of nutrition.
Sources:
https://skylinefamilypractice.net/PtEd/FeedingNewborn.htm
https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a617/how-to-tell-if-your-newborn-is-getting-enough-milk
READ: Public breastfeeding 101: Moms share their best advice
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