Can you 'overfeed' a bf baby ?

[podkin]

Just wondered if you can give a baby too much breast milk. Do they know when to stop ? Sounds a bit silly I know but my dd is not one for screaming the place down when she's hungry so I just stick her on if she's a bit whingy. This can happen fairly frequently on some days ie every hour or so...or is it just so called 'cluster feeding' ? It's just that she's getting to be a right porker !

The definitive answer is no, you can't overfeed when bf'ing. Ds is a lovely little porker as well and he used to like to feed very regularly - he slept through the night from a few weeks old which I put down to his cluster feeding during the day. Does your dd sleep well? Sounds like you're doing a good job.

NO imo
some health visitors seem to think you can but with mine if they wanted feeding they got fed and that was it. it made two very happy bouncy babies
feed on demand and dont worry about patterns /feeding times
somedays they feed lots somedays they dont just chill and enjoy the wonderful gift you are sharing with your baby x

If they take too much milk, they just puke out the excess. A bit gross, but doesn't do them any harm.

And babies are meant to be porky. If they get ill, they can lose weight quite sharply, so the pudge is there as protection.

Thanks for all your comments - this is what I thought tbh but wondered if there were any differing views. Roobie - yes my dd has slept through from a few weeks old and tends to feed more in the evening to 'stock up' for the night. She is particularly hungry now though and I am just about to feed her again for the 3rd time in about an hour ! Ah well, I was going to put the christmas tree up this afternoon - it'll have to wait !

There are differing views: there is the view stated on here, and then there is my mother's view. Amazing how she tried to turn one of the things in my life that I have been most successful at into yet another thing I was doing wrong. Pah.

My mum thinks bf is 'weird' but her generation were told that bottle was best...I think she is coming round to it now though...best to just smile sweetly when they make comments, and carry on regardless !

good for you podkin keep at it !