The main way to know if your baby is eating well is through weight gain. The baby should be weighed with an interval of 15 days and the baby's weight should always increase.
Other ways to assess the baby's diet can be:
- Clinical Evaluation - the baby must be alert and active. Signs of dehydration such as dry skin, dry, sunken eyes or chapped lips can indicate that the baby is not breastfeeding the desired volume. Diaper test - the baby who is feeding exclusively on breast milk should urinate about eight times a day with clear and diluted urine. The use of cloth diapers facilitates this assessment. In general, with regard to bowel movements, hard and dry stools may indicate that the amount of milk ingested is insufficient, as well as its absence. Breastfeeding management - the baby must breastfeed every 2 or 3 hours, that is, between 8 and 12 times a day.
If after feeding the baby is satisfied, he falls asleep and sometimes even drops of milk running down his mouth are a sign that the milk he drank was enough for that meal.
As long as the baby is gaining weight and I have no other symptoms like irritation and persistent crying, he is being well fed. When the baby does not increase or lose weight it is important to consult the pediatrician to check if there is any health problem.
Sometimes the baby's weight loss occurs when he refuses to eat. Here's what to do in these cases:
Also see if your baby's weight is age-appropriate at:
- The ideal weight of the girl. The right weight of the boy.