Guide to breastfeeding

Is your baby nursing well?

The Canadian Paediatric Society offers these checkpoints for knowing that your baby is feeding well.

• You hear short swallowing sounds (making a caw sound) which gradually lengthen and deepen as your milk is released.

• Your areola, and your baby's jaw muscles move evenly as your baby sucks. You'll be able to see the movement of your baby's jaw right up to the ears.

• Your baby is content or asleep after feeding. The nursing process doesn't hurt you.

Your baby is not feeding well when:

• You hear a lot of lip smacking.

• You notice there's very little swallowing.

• Your baby isn't content after eating. The nursing process is painful for you.

Is your baby drinking enough?

Without a way to measure how much a breast-feeding baby is drinking, many parents feel anxious that he might not be getting enough. You can be assured that your baby is receiving adequate nutrition if, after the first week, when milk production has increased:

• You see your baby swallowing during a feeding, and he seems content and satisfied after feeding.

• Your baby nurses well at least eight times a day during the first few months.

• His bowel movements are soft or liquid and occur once or more daily for the first month. They are probably yellow or a green shade.

• His urine is pale yellow. He has six to eight wet diapers daily. (It's hard to determine if a diaper is wet when you use disposable diapers.)

• Your doctor feels your baby's weight gain is adequate.