How do I know if he’s full?

Question

My son is 3 days old, today is our first day home from the hospital. We stayed an extra night as he is jaundice. The nurses said it was important for him to eat lots and every 2-3 hours. He latched really well and my milk is in. Sometimes in the hospital he would nurse for 1-2 hours on and off before he’d nap. But he just ate and only ate for about 20 minutes and went back to sleep. Is there a way I know that he ate enough? I know to monitor dirty diapers but that is more of a pattern.

Answer

Dirty diapers is usually the best way. When my milk didn't come in and he wasn't getting enough milk I knew something was wrong because he wasn't going to the bathroom.

Answer

Change his diaper after he finishes and then offer the opposite breast. If he is hungry, he will latch and eat again. If he is not hungry, he might latch but just use your breast as a pacifier for a minute before falling back asleep. Also, if he wakes up quickly after falling asleep and wants to eat again, then chances are he wasn't really full when he fell asleep.

Answer

I'm surprised they arent having you feed him by a bottle. Is he still jaundiced? If so they usually want really detailed how much he is eating so we did all bottles in the beginning. Unfortunately jaundice makes babys tired so them falling asleep isnt a good indicator of them being full. I would recommend meeting with a lactation consultant asap so they can weigh baby before and after to see how much he gets in a certain amount of time. Otherwise just feed him every 2 hours and try to wake him up a few times if he falls asleep during the feeding.

Answer

Their little fists will relax when they are full. If their fists are clenched while eating, they are usually still hungry.

How do I know if he’s full?

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