Feeding baby to sleep - problem??

[Bel1991]

Hey all!

This week I had a checkup with our child and family health nurse for my 12 week old little boy. He's going well, though he's on the larger side (97th percentile for weight) and has been consistently in this percentile since in the womb. Even though he's perfect and chunky he's still moving well etc.
I'm EBF on demand, and the nurse suggested I stop feeding him 2 hourly (it's not always 2 hourly, but during the day it is around that on average) and not to feed him to sleep.

After reflecting on it I just don't see why it's a problem to continue this, if he's developing well - he's just big!
I guess I don't really have a question but curious about other peoples thoughts on this also.

Thanks

Interesting one, my DD was ebf on demand and pretty much always asked about every two hours. She was on the 98th percentile for height until at least one year old and I was never told to cut down her feeds.

Personally this doesn't make sense to me, will you not just end up with a hungry baby? How will that help anyone? Plus with ebf you never know how much they are actually taking so the amounts could be widely varying across all those feeds. Perhaps the nurse only really has experience of formula feeding and doesn't really know about breastfeeding. I think I would be ignoring her advice if I was in your shoes.

Sorry pressed send too early, on the the feeding to sleep - I always fed to sleep as I really couldn't see how it was a problem and gave such comfort to small person. They grow out of it, I would just carry on as you are.

@Mattieandmummy

Interesting one, my DD was ebf on demand and pretty much always asked about every two hours. She was on the 98th percentile for height until at least one year old and I was never told to cut down her feeds.

Personally this doesn't make sense to me, will you not just end up with a hungry baby? How will that help anyone? Plus with ebf you never know how much they are actually taking so the amounts could be widely varying across all those feeds. Perhaps the nurse only really has experience of formula feeding and doesn't really know about breastfeeding. I think I would be ignoring her advice if I was in your shoes.

I feel exactly the same way! It just doesn't sit right with me. I think I know my baby very well and I guess if it's working for us then that's all that matters.

Thanks so much for your comment - it's always nice to have backup

You're welcome, if it also helps my really good friend also ebf her baby and she was a really chunky baby. She was told by a doctor that once her baby started crawling and then walking they would slim down and really not to worry about whether she was feeding too much and that is exactly what happened. X

Don't listen to her, she doesn't understand how BF works. Keep doing whatever is working for you and keeping baby happy :)

Trust your instinct, this sounds ridiculous “advice” to me. Feeding on demand is exactly what you should be doing and it sounds like he’s feeding perfectly x