Probably my biggest challenge so far, and a significant problem for many moms, are related in some way to breastfeeding.

• Is my baby getting enough to eat?
• How long should he or she feed?
• How often should I feed him?
• Should I wake him up if he hasn’t eaten in a while or let him sleep?
• What do I do if I can’t get him to latch on?
• Should it hurt or be sore?

We could go on and on and on with questions.  I took a breastfeeding class before my son was born, and I’m still slightly baffled.  One of the most important questions, and the one that should be answered first and foremost is whether your baby is getting enough to eat.  Babies need to eat frequently, around 4oz every 2-4 hours in the beginning.  But its very hard to gauge amounts when you breastfeed.  You cant simply measure out the formula and make sure your baby is getting at or close to those 4oz he or she needs.  I know personally I can’t go by the amount of time my son is at the breast either, since I’ve noticed my supply is different at certain times of day.  He may take more, or less time at each feeding.  So how do you tell?  I’ve called nurses several times in the past week, and looked at a ton of sites.  The number one response to my queries is to be asked in return how many dirty diapers he has.  More specifically, how many wet and how many soiled.  This seems to be the key.  The golden answer is that your baby should have at least 2 poops a day, any size, and at least 6 or more wet diapers a day.  Chances are, if you’re changing your babies diapers more than six times a day, and notice he is having at least 2 bowel movements, he or she is getting plenty to eat.  There are other ways to tell as well, but this seems to be the most common and most trusted method.

If you’re still worried, I found a great little quiz you can take at parents.com to help stop the guessing game.  It asks about more than just dirty diapers.  Be sure to check it out.