| Baby's Age | < 24 hours old | 24 to 48 hours old | Day 3 to 5 | Older than 6 days |
| Doing well | 18 to 24 points | 21 to 24 points | 21 to 36 points Milk in. Nursing 8-10 times per 24 hours. Baby self wakes for most feedings. Has 6-8 wet. Stools following most feedings ** |
|
| Needs assistance | 12 to 16 points | 12 to 16 points at two or more feedings | 16 to 18 points at two or more feedings | |
| or call the lactation consultant at: _______________________ |
A score of 1 or 2 in four or more areas | A score of 1 or 2 in three or more areas Infrequent stool or stool not turning yellow |
Score of less than 18 at two or more feedings
Score of 1 or 2 in any two areas Less than 6-8 wets per 24 hours Milk not in |
|
| Contact the baby's medical doctor IMMEDIATELY |
Lack of urine for longer than 12 hours. Lack of stool for 36 hours |
Lack of urine for longer than 8 hours. Dark Urine (more brown
than yellow) Dry mouth. |
Still having meconium (black sticky) stools Lack of urine for longer than 6 hours |
** Stool frequency is very important in the first 4 to 6 weeks.
In the first few weeks, the number of stools per 24 hours is a
measure of how much milk the baby is getting. The number of stools
per day/week begins changing at 4 to six weeks of age. As baby's
intestine matures there are fewer poopy diapers. AFTER 6 weeks
of age it is not uncommon for an entirely breast fed baby to go
several days without a stool. Constipation means the passage of
dry, hard stools. AFTER 6 weeks of age if baby goes 3 days without
a poopy diaper, call baby's doctor for advice.
Once a baby reaches 5 days of age s/he should have a MINIMUM of
6 to 8 very wet diapers in 24 hours.
Back to Latches Assessment Tool
Adapted from: Jensen, Deborah. Shiela Wallace and Patricia Kelly. "LATCH: A Breastfeeding Charting System and Documentation Tool." JOGNN (1994) 23:27-32.
Copyright Marie Davis, RN, IBCLC 1999
Last reviewed: