Since it’s difficult to know whether your baby is getting enough to eat as you’re getting used to breastfeeding, it’s useful to look out for the following signs:They come off your breast on their ownThey’re wetting their nappy every few hours
Breastfeeding usually lasts about 40 minutes, with your baby switching breasts every 5-30 minutes, depending on how long they want to feed for and how much milk is in each breast. The length of time is nothing to worry too much about, if your baby is latching on and feeding for as long as they need on each breast they will be getting all the nutrients they need.
Don’t fear if you notice some weight loss after your baby is born. By the end of the first week, your baby should start putting on weight again., you’ll be happy to know one bowel movement a day is no cause for concern. Newborns can poo up to ten times a day, so anything between one and ten and you’re within the norm. One might not sound like enough, but as long as your baby is wetting their nappy five or six times a day, they’re getting enough to eat.
This can start before you even leave the hospital and is completely normal. Your baby has been covered in amniotic fluid, blood, and vernix, so once the vernix has been wiped away by a nurse your baby will begin to shed the outer layer of their skin. The amount varies depending on how much vernix covered them during birth, the more they had the less they peel, which changes according to when you deliver - premature babies tend to have more vernix.