Most babies lose some weight by days three to five and then start gaining weight.
Looking at your baby’s wee and poo is a good guide to the amount of milk they are drinking each day in between weighing your baby.
In the first 48 hours, your baby is likely to have only two or three wet nappies. Wet nappies should then start to become more frequent, with at least six every 24 hours from day five onwards.
At the beginning, your baby will pass a black tar-like stool (poo) called meconium. By day three, this should be changing to a lighter, runnier, greenish stool that is easier to clean up. From day four and for the first few weeks, your baby should pass at least two yellow stools every day, with poos at least the size of a £2 coin. Remember, it’s normal for breastfed babies to pass loose stools.
In summary, from day four or five your baby should have at least six wet and two dirty nappies a day, and the amount of poo varies from baby to baby. After about six to eight weeks your baby may poo less often but with large amounts. You will get to know your baby’s pattern.
You can read more about helping your baby gain weight here.
If you are concerned your baby is not getting enough milk, speak to your breastfeeding supporter, midwife or health visitor or call the National Breastfeeding Helpline.
More information can be found in Off to the Best Start