How Many Wet Diapers for a 9-Month-Old

How Do Know When Your Baby Gets Enough Fluid

An average 9-month-old baby produces at least four to five saturated diapers in a 24-hour period, and sometimes more for outliers. A 9-month-old consuming both liquids and solids should have pale, odorless, straw-colored urine, unless she produces more than five soaking-wet diapers daily, in which case you can expect an even lighter urine output. You don't have to go by wet diapers alone to make sure your baby has enough to eat. If you're breastfeeding, your body will let you know.

How Much Liquid Is Enough?

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At 9 months old, your little guy should take in 16 to 24 ounces of breast milk or formula daily—spread out over four to five feedings or every four to five hours—along with up to 1 cup of solids, given in between liquids. After a feeding, your baby will show contentment. If you're breast-feeding, your breasts will feel softer and the nipples will have returned to their approximate shape from before the feeding.

If your little one hasn't had enough milk or formula, expect some fussiness. If you're still in doubt, gently pinch your baby's skin; well-hydrated baby skin bounces right back, whereas under-hydrated skin will hold the shape of the pinch.

What to Do About Under-Feeding

No two breasts produce the same amount of milk each time. Sometimes, you might even run into an underperformer—a moody booby, if you will. No worries; there's a fix for that.

First, if your 9-month-old boy weighs around 20 pounds or your girl weighs 18 pounds, gains 3 to 5 ounces per week and produces four or five wet diapers a day, you're producing enough milk. Signs that seem like they may indicate low milk production, such as a fussier baby and breast leaking ceasing, do not mean that's what is going on. On the contrary, your baby is likely experiencing a growth spurt and your breasts are adjusting to the demand.

You might, however, experience stunted milk production if you've had hormonal or endocrine problems in the past, you have insufficient glandular tissue, use a pacifier, supplement with formula or use hormonal birth control. If you have any of these issues or your baby doesn't hit her weekly 3- to 5-ounce gain each week, see your health-care provider or an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC).

When to See a Doctor

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Dehydration can onset quickly in 9-month-olds. See a doctor within 12 hours if your baby:

• Vomits, has diarrhea or shows other signs of illness during hot weather
• Produces less than four wet diapers in a 24-hour period
• Has dark, concentrated urine
• Has cracked lips or other dry mucous membranes
• Has sunken eyes or seems unnaturally listless
• Has a sunken fontanel (soft spot).

It's easy, as a parent, to embrace the worst possible scenario and worry when the slightest negative change occurs in your baby's habits. When it come to hydration and diaper output, though, the main thing is that your 9-month-old produces four or five saturated diapers in a 24-hour period. If he is, don't worry; if he isn't, see a doctor.