Is Your Baby Eating Enough?

Is Your Baby Eating Enough?

February 27th, 2011 by admin  |  No Comments

Of the long list of things new mothers have to worry about, whether or not the baby is eating enough is one of the more common concerns. Although many women worry about baby’s food intake, most babies are getting enough to eat and it’s rare that this becomes an actual problem. Still, a little reassurance can go a long way towards alleviating this common fear of new moms, so here are the ways you can tell your baby is getting enough to eat, even if he seems to be hungry all the time.

Steady Weight Gain

As long as your baby is gaining weight steadily, he is likely getting enough to eat. Your pediatrician will monitor baby’s weight gain at regular check ups. During the first year of life, your baby will likely gain weight at a fairly rapid pace. There is a great deal of variation in weight gain, however, depending on your baby’s body type and genetic predisposition towards being a smaller or larger person. A small baby may gain weight more slowly or gain smaller amounts of weight each month, but as long as the gain stays within a normal range and the baby stays on his growth curve, there is no cause for worry.

For new moms who just can’t stand waiting in between check ups to keep tabs on baby’s weight, most pediatric offices will arrange simple weight checks, where you can bring the baby in and have a nurse check his weight. If you really need to know, this is a better idea than checking baby’s weight on a home scale. Your scale at home may not be sensitive enough or may not be as accurate as the one at the doctor’s office.

Feeding Regularly

Babies who are bottle fed will normally feed on a schedule, while breastfed babies generally feed on demand. Bottle feeding offers the advantage of knowing exactly how many ounces your baby has consumed in a day, while with a breast fed baby there is no way of knowing.

Although your breastfed baby might seem to be hungry all the time, especially compared to a bottle fed baby, there generally is no reason to worry. Breast milk is easier to digest and is therefore absorbed into baby’s body faster than formula. Because of this, breastfed babies are hungry more often than formula fed babies, and may seem to be eating far more often than you would expect. Because every mother is different in how much milk she can store in the breasts and therefore have available for feeding at any given time, there will be a great deal of variation in how often a breastfed baby will eat. As long as your baby feeds regularly and is gaining weight, things are probably fine.

Check the Diapers

A baby who is getting enough to eat will generally have a wet diaper at least every 6 hours and a dirty diaper about every 24 hours – although babies can go several days in between bowel movements, especially breastfed babies who can go up to two weeks. As long as your baby is going through diapers on a regular schedule, odds are good she is getting plenty to eat.

As long as your baby continues to gain weight and to have plenty of wet and dirty diapers, you probably have no need to worry about food intake, even if she seems to want to eat all the time.

How to Know if Baby is Eating Enough

How to Know if Baby is Eating Enough

August 10th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

When bottle feeding, it’s easy to tell how much your baby is eating just by looking at the bottle. It can be a little harder to tell, however, if you are breastfeeding. There are ways of knowing exactly how much your baby is getting from the breast, but it probably isn’t necessary. You can tell baby is getting enough to eat by a few simple signs.

How Much Baby is Getting From the Breast

If your baby has special weight gain circumstances, such as prematurity, you may be asked to do a weight test to find out how much milk baby is getting from the breast. This involves weighing baby just prior to nursing, and then directly afterwards. The increase in weight will tell you how much milk the baby got during that feeding.

For most babies, however, this type of close measuring isn’t necessary or feasible. It requires a very sensitive scale, which can be purchased or rented from the hospital, but really isn’t necessary except in special circumstances.

Other Ways of Gauging Intake

There are some simple ways to tell if your baby is getting enough to eat when nursing. The first and most obvious is weight gain over time. Your pediatrician will weigh your baby every time you come in for a check up, and check it against previous weights on a growth chart. As long as your baby is gaining weight at a normal rate, there is likely nothing to worry about as far as eating habits.

If you can’t wait for a check up to find out if baby is eating enough, you can call your doctor’s office and ask to come in for a simple weight check. You won’t see the doctor, but a nurse will check your baby’s weight. Alternatively, you can watch for a few simple signs that baby is doing just fine.

A baby who is getting enough milk should have a wet diaper at least every 6 hours. The frequency of bowel movements is less important, especially in a breastfed infant. Because breast milk is used so effectively by your baby’s body, there is often little waste. A breastfed baby may go as long as two weeks between bowel movements. This is not a cause for concern unless there is some sign of discomfort or straining. Breastfed babies rarely become constipated, and as long as there are no other signs it’s not likely a sign of lack of food either. If you are concerned about how long baby has gone without a bowel movement, call your pediatrician.

Your baby will also give you signals of hunger and satisfaction. After a feeding, baby should appear sated and relaxed. If you see signs of rooting, fussing or sucking motions, baby might still be feeling hungry. Falling asleep or being easily distracted from the breast are signs baby’s tummy is full.

Your baby will eat different amounts at various feedings based on the time of day, baby’s mood and energy level, and other factors such as distractions. Don’t worry if baby comes off the breast before you think enough time has passed for a full feeding. Babies are very good at letting us know when they are hungry, and they also know when they are not hungry. Take your cues from your baby and you are unlikely to encounter any problems with the quantity of the feedings.

What to Expect at Baby’s First Check Up

What to Expect at Baby’s First Check Up

March 12th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Your newborn will probably be due for his first in-office visit with his doctor at two to four weeks old. This first check up is a great time to address any concerns you might have as a new mother, and also an exciting chance to see how your little one is growing and changing.

At this visit, your baby will be weighed and have his head circumference and length measured. Then the doctor will give your newborn a thorough physical, and ask you some questions about his progress. Depending on your baby’s vaccination schedule, he may be due for immunization shots at this visit.

What the Doctor is Looking For

Your baby’s doctor will check his eyes, ears and mouth, and listen to his heart and lungs to make sure everything appears and sounds normal. The doctor will also check baby’s genitals to ensure everything is normal and also to check the progress of healing if your baby boy was circumcised. Next, the doctor will lay baby on his back and bicycle his legs to check for normal hip function.

Your baby’s weight and height will be recorded on a growth chart, which will track his progress throughout childhood. You will probably be given a percentile into which your baby falls for height, weight, and head circumference. The percentile simply tells you what percentage of babies fall above or below your baby at that age for these measurements. New parents are often concerned about percentiles, but there is no reason to be! As long as your baby continues to follow his growth curve, the percentiles are nothing to worry about.

Questions the Doctor May Ask You

Much of the discussion will revolve around baby’s sleep and feeding patterns. The doctor will want to know how often baby feeds; you will be asked how long she stays on the breast if nursing, or how much she takes in a bottle if using formula. Although it might seem like a strange question, your doctor will want to know how many wet and dirty diapers your baby has every day. This is important to ensure baby is getting enough food and liquid. You will also be asked how long her stretches of sleep are, and what type of pattern they follow.

In addition to checking her ears and eyes, the doctor will ask you some questions regarding sight and hearing. You will likely be asked whether your baby turns her head at the sound of your voice, and if she startles at loud noises. Sight questions might include whether baby makes eye contact with you or follows an object with her eyes. These questions will help your baby’s doctor to determine that your baby’s eyes and ears are functioning properly. Finally, you will be asked about baby’s strength and gross motor skills, such as ability to lift her head.

Questions You May Have

When your baby’s doctor has completed the examination, it will be your turn to address any concerns you might have. It’s a good idea to keep a list of the questions that have come up since bringing your baby home, so that you don’t forget what you wanted to ask. Don’t be afraid to speak up even if you think a question is silly. Your baby’s doctor is there to help you to understand your new baby’s development.

This first visit will set the tone for all your baby’s future check ups, which will follow the same pattern. Your doctor will probably want to see baby again at two months old for her next check up.