Many new mothers are concerned about the possibility of underfeeding their baby when breast feeding them, and whilst this is very unlikely, it is a remote possibility.

Breast milk is a wonderful thing, and it regulates itself so that the baby gets as much milk as he needs when he feeds. As the baby grows and becomes hungrier, the amount of milk produced in the breast increases to match his increased hunger.

One way in which a mother can check her baby is getting enough milk is to check the diapers. If the diaper is heavy and soiled on a regular basis, she will know her baby is feeding well, however if the diaper is very light with hardly any soiling, it may be indicative that the baby is not feeding correctly.


Other signs a new mother can look out for in their new baby which shows they may be underfeeding are as follows.

One sign of under-nourishment is wrinkles in the baby's skin. Most babies are wrinkled when they are born, but these tend to fill out in the first few weeks. If they remain wrinkled it could be a sign of dehydration and a small or no weight gain.
The baby may appear to be hungry even after he has been fed. If this is a constant problem, it is worth mentioning to your health visitor or doctor.

The reverse can be true. As well as underfeeding, baby's can very occasionally be overfed.

Signs of overfeeding include:
Vomiting after feeds (The baby's tummy is too full and he is rejecting the extra milk)
Loose watery stools

If your baby seems to be vomiting excessively (Not just spitting), then it could be indicative of something more serious. Advice from your doctor or health visitor should always be sought in these types of cases as there could be a problem with their digestive system or they may have an allergy of some sort.

Babies usually start on solid food round about 4-6 months, but breast milk should remain their mainstay until they are at least a year old. This will ensure he maintains an adequate intake of all the vitamins and nutrition he needs in that important fist year of his life.

As he gets older, he will gradually be weaned from his breast milk until his diet consists of a whole variety of food which will give him his nutrients.

Babies grow at different speeds, and comparing your child's growth to the growth of the child next door or at school, is not always a good idea. Paediatricians are able to plot a child's growth on a chart which is specially designed for this purpose. and as long as your child falls somewhere in that chart even at the lower or higher end, then they are growing "normally"