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Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Can you over feed a breast fed baby?

32 replies

lizzlebizzle33 · 18/01/2018 18:17

Hi my boy is 11 weeks old, we was 9.5lb at birth and has been feeding very well. Hi had him weighed today and he is just over 15.1 lb. I'm just wondering if this gain is average or a bit high as he is already almost too big for his brothers 3 to 6 month hand me downs.

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ThinkOfAWittyNameLater · 18/01/2018 18:18

Nope. BF babies effectively control the supply. You have a healthy, growing baby. Enjoy!

YearOfYouRemember · 18/01/2018 18:19

I fed mine every two hours and I'm sure some thought I was over feeding him as he was a pudding at times. He was long though and never in the right aged clothes once he went into 3 month size. He's now 16 and really tall and slim. I don't think you can.

7to25 · 18/01/2018 18:20

Totally average weight gain and he was big to start with, that is why he is bigger than his brother.

BossWitch · 18/01/2018 18:20

Apparently not. Dd was ebf and was a proper fatty baby though! I didn't worry about it and she evened out herself - from about 7 months to 11 months she grew up instead of out! She's 3 and a half now and is tall and slim.

AtSea1979 · 18/01/2018 18:21

How does the gain look in your book? Is he sill on same percentile?

LittleWitch · 18/01/2018 18:25

Hmm, I think you can. DS1 was bf and he got very fat, very quickly. He was on the 98th centile and head and shoulders taller than the rest of the class until he was about 14 when the others caught up. He’s 6ft 1 now and very robustly built. I blame myself (he was very greedy though - all he did was eat, sleep and grow).

lizzlebizzle33 · 18/01/2018 18:26

He's just about nudged up to the next percentile

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lizzlebizzle33 · 18/01/2018 18:27

I have always fed on demand though and not followed any kind of schedule, I just wondered if I was feeding him too often

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ThinkOfAWittyNameLater · 19/01/2018 06:24

Keep doing what you're doing. It's good to have a chubby baby in case they get sick. My dc1 did this and never regain his chub.

Dc2 was like Michelin man but as soon as crawling started the chub started falling off.

If you're genuinely concerned still, speak to your hv

villainousbroodmare · 19/01/2018 06:32

Certainly you can although most people will say otherwise. I had huge oversupply and DS had a wretched first six weeks with lactose overload and consequent colicky misery. I fed him at every whimper so it was a real vicious circle. The only bit of peace the poor kid got was when I used to leave him each morning for someone else to watch while I walked the dog! He had green explody nappies, bloating and high weight gain. If your child is physically fine, comfortable and nappies are fine, then I doubt there is anything to worry about. But I really dislike this " always feed at every murmur" dogma as it is untrue, and it kept DS and I very miserable for the first bit of his life.

Justanotherzombie · 19/01/2018 06:34

Even if you can, I don't think there's an alternative! I certainly wouldn't be limiting and baby.

GaraMedouar · 19/01/2018 06:38

Nope - they take what they need. I bf on demand all three of mine and they all looked like little buddhas. Once they started moving around they lost the chub.

lizzlebizzle33 · 19/01/2018 08:38

His nappies are fine, 1 dirty nappy a day usually, sometimes every other day ( in told this is normal ) and the usual mustardy colour, never green.
He's a smiley happy little chap, he gets quite gassy as I think he's gulping sone sit down while he's feeding but other than they he seems quite comfortable.
I was just concerned as he weighs at 2 months what ds1 weighed at 5 mo

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lizzlebizzle33 · 19/01/2018 08:41

Omg predictive text is awful, I should really proof read. Hopefully you understand 😂

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LivelyMummy · 19/01/2018 08:45

Just from experience- DD was ebf for the first 6 months. There was no schedule and she fed on demand. She was a proper little fatty. Once she started moving/crawling she lost the fat. I would say don't worry but if you are still concerned speak to your health visitor. This is what they are there for! x

iggleypiggly · 19/01/2018 08:46

No you can’t overfeed a breastfed baby. They take what they need from you. Mine were big chubby babies but once they were active they slimmed down.

Lilonetwo · 19/01/2018 08:46

No you can't, don't worry. It's good to have a chubby baby- especially if they get ill later on.

Don't worry his weight will level out once he starts moving. My chunk gained a pound almost every week from birth to 12 weeks and was 20lb at 12 weeks! He was very chubby until about 10 months. Now he is just very tall (not on the slim side mind you!)

villainousbroodmare · 19/01/2018 08:56

If nappies are fine, as you describe, and the baby is happy and enjoys his feeds then I'm sure all is well. DS was clearly unhappy at that time.

DoubleHelix79 · 19/01/2018 09:10

Don't worry about it, they are very effective at regulating their intake and going up percentages in the early months is normal.

DD constantly fed until about 3/4 months old (although a lot of it was probably comfort feeding) and went up from 34th percentile at birth to 80th percentile. She then stayed at the 80th percentile and is now long and lean, perfectly in proportion.

Krc09 · 19/01/2018 12:32

Hi all! I am wondering the same thing! My Dd is 13.5 weeks old and is having weight well. She nursed about every 2 hours. I’m aftaid I’m over feeding her bc she only wants to nurse to nap or sleep! So during the day I’m almost nursing her every 1.5 hours. I usually put her back on the same breast within the same awake period because she will spudder on the breast and move around like she doesn’t want to milk really until it’s not coming as fast and she can comfort suck. Is this normal?

Also side note she sleeps a good 6-9 hours at night starting at 6pm. Wakes for a feed and will go back down. However at the second wake up around 4am I feed her and she always poops! I think it’s bc my boob is engorged and she’s Getting too much milk. Once I change her diaper she’s up and I can’t get her back to bed for and hour and a half.. any suggestions?

Marcine · 19/01/2018 12:37

It's kind of irrelevant whether you can overfeed them or not, because what else can you do except feed them when they are hungry? You have no idea if they have taken 2oz in 20 minutes or 5oz in 5 minutes at any particular feed, or if they'll want feeding again in one hour or 4 hours, so you just have to trust them to take what they need.

eeanne · 19/01/2018 13:18

Neither of mine would open their mouths or latch on if they didn’t want a feed. Don’t see how it would be possible to overfeed!

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Borriblesrule · 19/01/2018 13:21

If you have oversupply you can overfeed and babies can gain too much weight. Rare , but does happen.

StylishMummy · 19/01/2018 13:39

Physiologically impossible to overfeed a breast fed baby, you're doing great

Marcine · 19/01/2018 13:46

Not sure that's true StylishMummy - in the case of the oversupply as mentioned above, or for eg if a baby has reflux and feeds more than they need to for hunger in an attempt to soothe their throat.

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