New parents have all kinds of questions about breastfeeding and because it's not as simple as seeing the milk draining from a bottle each time their child feeds, they are often worried and ask, "Is my baby getting enough milk?".
The links above will answer many of those questions, but there are also some simple signs which help you gauge if your baby is sucking successfully.

Signs that your baby is sucking successfully
  • Rhythmic sucking - When your baby first latches onto your breast she will be very hungry and making short sucks to get the milk flowing. Once she knows the milk is coming through, she will start to get into a rhythm of longer and slower draws on your nipple.

  • Jaw movements - Even a very small baby can be seen to visibly feed - the jaws are moving up and down and her ears might even wiggle a little as this movement gets into full swing.

  • Baby concentration - If your baby is feeding well you will get to recognise the signs. Apart from closing her eyes or staring at you, she will keep feeding for ten to 20 minutes without pulling away or being distracted by noises elsewhere in the home. If she's feeding well, she won't be distracted during a good feed, even if you're in a cafe or somewhere else noisy. (Don't worry if your baby usually feeds well but is occasionally distracted, from time to time you'll find she's not particularly hungry for her feed at all.) For some babies there are other little signs that they are enjoying their feed. My son, for example, always used to clench his fists with his thumbs in side his fingers rather than outside - but only when he was enjoying a feed!

  • Even weight gain - Look for signs of good weight gain such as chubby cheeks, your baby not being overly cranky and hungry all the time, and making even weight progress against her own growth chart each time you go for a clinic weighing day.

  • Empty boobs - At first, when babies are a bit stop-start with how often they want to feed through a 24-hour period, it will be hard to gauge this, but soon you will get used to how your breasts feel before and after a feed. Understandably, they will feel heavier and rather like a water-filled balloon when full of milk, and softer to the touch and lighter after a good long feed.

Signs that your baby is NOT sucking successfully
  • Erratic sucking - If your baby makes short, half-hearted sucks and seems to stop and start even after the first couple of draws.

  • Pursed lips - Your baby should be able to suck successfully with her whole mouth around your nipple and surrounding breast. If your baby is pursing her lips and her cheeks look as if she is drawing in air rather than milk, she is probably either not getting any milk at all or only a little.

  • Lack of concentration - If after only five minutes or so your baby appears to be more interested in falling off to sleep than completing a feed this could be a sign of insufficient sucking.

  • Other signs - As you'd expect, weight gain may be erratic and your breasts will still feel full after a feed (see above).

What to do about insufficient sucking
For a start, don't worry yourself into making the whole experience even more stressful - both of you are new to this!
Read our Getting Started with Breastfeeding article just to go back over the basics and to give yourself refreshed ideas about how to position yourself and your baby, and how to encourage your baby to latch on correctly.
Think about where and when you feed - are you relaxed, in a mellow setting and is your baby in a calm frame of mind when you pick your feeding times? Obviously sometimes your baby will be crying with hunger so being completely calm isn't always easy, but you could try singing to her to soothe her as you settle down to feed. Don't worry about past half-successful feeding sessions, just think that this is going to be the start of a great new era for both of you.