6 Red Flags Your Baby Isn't Eating Enough

According to the AAP, watching your baby's weight is a great way to determine if they are getting enough to eat. Babies usually double their birth weight by 4 to 6 months of age, and triple it by their first birthday. On average, infants should gain 4 to 7 ounces per week in their first 4 to 6 months, and 3 to 5 ounces per week from ages 6 to 18 months.

But, if you don't have an infant scale at home, how do you know if your baby is gaining weight between appointments? Jody Segrave-Daly, IBCLC and infant feeding specialist, recommends taking your baby in for weight checks regularly, even if you don't have a well-child appointment. "I am a huge fan of frequent weight checks the first six months and then monthly after that for the entire first year of life for exclusively breastfed babies. Moms weigh their babies at their doctor's office or at some hospital-sponsored mommy groups. If a scale is affordable, I suggest buying one before having your baby, as a scale is the best tool we have for adequate weight growth," Segrave-Daly tells Romper.

She’s seen babies fall off the weight chart between appointments, which is why a home scale can be helpful. "The problem is babies may gain enough during the first two weeks of life and then slowly begin to lose weight, and it isn't caught until their two month weight check/immunization appointment. A scale is everything."

“A baby who is very fussy right after feeding or shortly after may be hungry and not taking in enough during the feeding. Breastfeeding mothers may also notice that their breasts feel softer following a feed. If the breasts still feel full, the baby may not have gotten as much milk as expected,” Carbone tells Romper.

Also, “clusterfeeding” can be misleading. It’s not often normal for your baby to want to eat all day long. This may also be a sign that they aren’t getting enough food. Segrave-Daly adds, "It is important to know if a mother has any risk factors for the delayed onset of a full milk supply to know if timely supplementation is needed."

Haas says that the rule of “one wet diaper per day of life” during that first week is super important, and by the time your baby is a week old, they should have an average of six wet diapers per day, with three to four poopy diapers. If you find that your baby is peeing or pooping less than those, it’s worth a call to your pediatrician.

Other diaper-related red flags include dark yellow pee or red specks, which may be signs of dehydration.

While it's easy to compare your baby to others, or to their older siblings, it's way more important to monitor their own progress on their own growth curve.

“Every baby's feeding needs are unique. If a baby is overall healthy and is maintaining good growth at regular pediatrician checkups, then it is not cause for concern to be eating less often than expected,” Haas says. But if the change is “associated with signs of illness like fever, lethargy, cough or cold symptoms,” then she says it’s time to take them to your pediatrician.

While having a sleepy baby seems normal (and even great), according to the Mayo Clinic your baby should be "alert and active" in between feedings, and generally seem healthy. If they don't, it might be a sign that they aren't eating enough.

According to Christie Del Castillo-Hegyi, MD, board-certified emergency physician and newborn brain injury researcher, not getting enough to eat can even impact brain development. "Weight gain is important for a baby’s brain development, as a child who is not gaining weight does not have the extra calories and nutrients necessary for their brain to grow," she says.

Meeting certain milestones, like rolling over, smiling, and making sounds is important. Not doing these things could be a sign your baby isn’t getting enough breast milk or formula, or later on, that they aren't getting enough or the right types of solid food.