The best way to judge that your baby is getting enough breast milk is by observing him or her during a breastfeed. The baby should be seen to have good patterns of swallowing throughout the feed, becoming more relaxed and sleepy as the feed progresses.

It is important to remember in a breast-fed baby, we watch what goes out – not what goes in. Urine output should be at least 6 pale yellow to clear wet nappies each day. Bowel movements initially in a young baby should be 1 to 2 yellow poos each day, enough to cover a 50 cent piece (but it could be many more). An older baby may only use its bowels to a much greater extent once or twice a fortnight ; as long as the baby is exclusively breastfed, constipation is not an issue. A baby that is wetting and dirtying plenty of nappies cannot be underfed – it has to come from somewhere!

As far as weighing is concerned, scales vary as does the clothing on the baby. Weigh the infant in similar clothing and on the same scales as far as possible. Do not become too hung up on weight – the rules about weight gain are taken from the observation of growth from formula fed babies, and do not necessarily relate to breastfed infants.

A 45-year veteran, Marjorie Watharow has been a midwife at The Hills Private Hospital in Sydney for the past 30 years and has now transferred, along with the rest of The Hills maternity unit, to the state-of-the art and luxurious Norwest Private Hospital in Baulkam Hills, NSW.