“Am I making enough milk?” is the question I hear most often, from mothers who are struggling, and from mothers whose feeding is actually going well. The anxiety around milk supply is real, and some of it is justified. A lot of it isn’t.
Here’s a clear-eyed look at the genuine indicators, the common myths that create unnecessary panic, and what to do if you have real concerns.
The Short Answer
Most mothers who are concerned about their supply are making enough milk. Perceived low supply, where a mother believes she has insufficient milk despite adequate production, is one of the leading causes of early breastfeeding cessation. It’s also largely preventable with good information and timely support.
That said, genuine low supply does occur. The key is knowing which signs actually indicate a problem, and which are normal newborn behaviour being misread.
Signs That Your Baby IS Getting Enough Milk
The most reliable indicators that a breastfed baby is getting adequate milk are:
Weight gain: After the normal newborn weight drop (typically up to 7–10% of birth weight in the first few days), babies should begin regaining weight and be back to birth weight by around two weeks. After that, the general guide is a gain of at least 150–200g per week in the early weeks, though this varies. Weight gain is checked at every child health nurse visit. If the trajectory is consistently upward, feeding is working.
Wet nappies: From around day 4–5 onwards, a well-fed baby produces at least 5–6 heavily wet nappies per day. This is one of the most straightforward indicators of adequate intake.
Feeding behaviour: A baby who finishes a feed and is settled for a period, even if that period is only 45 minutes to an hour, is generally a baby who fed well. Not all babies will settle for long stretches, and this alone is not a sign of inadequate supply.
Active swallowing during feeds: You should be able to hear rhythmic swallowing during active feeding, a soft “kuh” sound. If you’re not sure whether you can hear it, this is worth checking at a consultation.
Common "Signs" That Don't Actually Mean Low Supply
Here are the things that do NOT reliably indicate a supply problem, despite being frequently cited as concerns:
Your breasts feel soft or no longer full: In the first weeks, many women experience a sudden feeling that their breasts have “emptied” or are no longer producing. This is usually your supply regulating; your body is producing what your baby needs, rather than keeping a large buffer in reserve. Soft breasts do not mean empty breasts.
Your baby feeds frequently: Newborns have tiny stomachs and digest breastmilk quickly. Feeding every 1.5–2 hours, particularly in the evening, is completely normal. Frequent feeding drives supply; it is not evidence of inadequate supply.
Your baby is unsettled after feeds: Unsettled behaviour has many potential causes, such as wind, overtiredness, overstimulation, reflux, or a need for non-nutritive sucking. It can be caused by a feeding problem, but it is not on its own a reliable indicator of supply.
Your pump output is small: Pump output is not a measure of milk supply. Many mothers produce very little with a pump while their baby feeds effectively. The pump is not as efficient as a baby with a good latch.
Someone told you your baby “looked hungry.”: This is not a clinical assessment. Hungry babies can look like babies who want to suck, want to be held, or want stimulation. These are not the same thing.
Signs That DO Warrant Attention
The following are genuinely worth investigating:
- Consistent weight loss, or failure to return to birth weight by two weeks
- Weight gain that plateaus or drops significantly after initial recovery
- Fewer than 5 wet nappies per day from day 5 onwards
- Dark, concentrated urine after the first few days
- A baby who feeds constantly for hours without ever seeming satisfied
- A baby who becomes increasingly lethargic or hard to rouse for feeds
- Persistent pain or nipple damage (which may be causing your baby to feed less effectively)
What Are the Actual Causes of Low Supply?
When genuine low supply does occur, it usually has an identifiable cause. The most common include:
Latch or attachment problems. A baby who isn’t latching deeply isn’t effectively removing milk , and milk removal is what drives production. This is the most common and most treatable cause of supply issues.
Infrequent feeding or long gaps between feeds. Milk production is demand-driven. Less feeding means less signalling for production.
Tongue or lip tie. Restricted tongue function reduces the effectiveness of milk removal, which reduces supply over time.
Medical factors. Hormonal conditions such as PCOS and hypothyroidism, previous breast surgery, and insufficient glandular tissue can all affect supply. These are less common but real, and they’re worth investigating if other causes have been ruled out.
Supplementation with formula without replacing those feeds at the breast. Every formula feed given without a corresponding breastfeed removes a demand signal.
What Should You Do If You're Concerned?
Get an assessment. Don’t wait, don’t just increase formula top-ups without understanding why, and don’t accept “your supply is probably fine” if your gut is telling you something isn’t right.
A proper IBCLC consultation, where someone observes a complete feed, weighs your baby, and assesses what’s actually happening, will give you real information to work with.