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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Overfeeding a breastfed baby?

22 replies

mumof1 · 27/05/2004 13:35

I've just come back from getting DS weighed and he's on the 98th centile. He's exclusively breastfed and is 18 weeks old.(he was in SCBU for a few days at birth and was given some formula to top up my expressing - but I don't think that counts!).
The HV was about to lecture me on overfeeding and was asking me about how weaning was going, but was really surprised that he's just breastfed.

What I would really like to know is should I be trying to cut down. We usually go 3-4 hours between a feed. Typical day is 6am, 9:30, 1:30, 4:30 and then a smaller feed both before and after his bath at 7pm. I'm also waking him at 11pm for a feed. I've tried pulling that back to 10pm but he then wakes up at 4am, and obviously I'd rather do 11-6, then 10-4. He usually only takes about 10 minutes for a feed

I can't really see which feed to drop, although to be honest I'm sure some days he grazes a bit as well.

I keep meaning to do bottled water but by the time I tihnk of it he is crying and it's too much faff to sterilise, boil and cool kettle etc.

He's quite an active baby and I leave him on a blanket most of the day. He's very keen on rolling over.

I just wondered if anyone had any thoughts about anything I was doing wrong. The only other thing is that he'll really only feed off my right boob, so I wondered if he was getting too much hind milk. It's rare he will feed off my left side, and usually if he does he is sick!

Thanks for any suggestions. I had convinced myself that because I've been having the odd chocolate biscuit and glass of wine he's getting "junk food" milk from me!

OP posts:

kalex · 27/05/2004 13:40

I don't think you should be cutting down at all!

And I don't think you are doing anything wrong! What percentile is his height on? as long as he is happy and you are happy, don't worry. IMO.

Both mine were high up on the centiles and now at 6 and 2.5 are both in normal ranges for everthing.

Pidge · 27/05/2004 13:40

Sounds like you're doing brilliantly. The whole point of centiles is that they represent a population which will vary. Some babies are big some babies are small. Is there any reason why you need to drop a feed? If you've got a healthy happy baby that's all that matters.

Sari · 27/05/2004 13:42

I think it sounds like you're doing a great job. Ds2 was always on 98th centile too and breastfed. Everyone used to say he was fat - and yes, he did have rolls of fat everywhere; it looked as though he was wearing a pair of flesh trousers. But he was always incredibly active and very healthy and no-one ever suggested he shouldn't be that big. Now he's nearly 2 and has slimmed down quite a lot. I haven't had him weighed for ages but I suspect he's still above average. I'd carry on if I were you and not worry about it.

prufrock · 27/05/2004 14:15

Stop worrying.
Firstly- what you eat has NO bearing on the calorific content of your milk, so carry on with the chocolate and the wine.
Secondly, the weight charts are based on an average of all babies. And breats and bottlefed babies do actually have quite different growth curves in teh first year. It is very usual for bf babies to grow more quickly for the first 6 months or so, and then slow down, so being at the top of the chart is good.
Thirdly, if you were "overfeeding" him - or more accurtely if he was overhelping himself, he'd just throw it all back up. Believe me, I know

Honestly itsounds like you are doing really well. And if he's happy being exclusively bf, there's no reason you shouldn't continue like this for another 8 weeks

Fennel · 27/05/2004 14:25

my dd1 was a fat baby, 91st centile and very chubby, while totally breastfed but she slimmed down rapidly from about 6 months, now she's a slim 4yo. under the 50th centile.

they really do slim down amazingly once they start moving.

Clayhead · 27/05/2004 14:46

Just to second everyone else, I would change nothing, it sounds as if you are doing just fine.

I have had two right boob feeders too!! I thought it was just me!!

I have the opposite; both of mine have hovered around the 25th centile or below, both were bf, ds exclusively for 6 months. I just think they are all different and 18 weeks old is such early days anyway, things can change so much at this age.

Keep it up (especially the choccie biscuits and wine IMHO)

Original poster

mumof1 · 27/05/2004 20:51

Thanks for all your positive comments. I'm not really having a brill time at the moment, and b/f was about the one thing that made me feel more like a "proper mum". It really upset me when I thought the HV was about to launch into lecture mode, she was not unpleasant but it's just made me feel inadequate again when I thought I was doing at least one thing right.

OP posts:

Pook · 27/05/2004 21:00

Don't feel inadequate - it sounds like you're doing brilliantly. I also felt buoyed when I felt down that I was at least making a good job of feeding my dd. It was and is comforting.
My dd rushed maniacally up the centiles - started at 10th, at 18 weeks was on the 75th, but has gradually (she's now 10 months) drifted down towards the 50th. My HV said it was exactly what she'd expect to see in a breast fed baby.
Keep taking comfort in the fact that you're meeting all his nutritional needs, and that he's taking what he needs. When he gets more active I'm sure it'll level out.

Pook · 27/05/2004 21:01

I also blame the biscuits and doughnuts consumed by her mummy "to keep her strength up" while b/feeding.

Spod · 27/05/2004 21:04

mumof1 ... sorry you're feeling crappy... but the feeding pattern you describe is normal... i always wondered if my dd had too much milk too, but its true, when she over eats she throws some back up! sounds to me like you're a terrific breastfeeder, and thats something to be proud of. If you're feeling low, you'll get loads of support from mumsnet... is it anthing inparticular?

gothicmama · 27/05/2004 21:21

mumof1 sounds perfectly normal - does he sshow interest in food - also my HV said you could not overfeed BF baby cos they are then just sick - when you feel the tim eis right to wean then you and DS will just do it I used to boli water in the morning leave to cool and put in serilised cup with spout in the fridge ready to try at the mid morning feed. on another note I do believe the majority of HV treat every mum as inadequate (I had to stop seeing mine it made me so upset)

Original poster

mumof1 · 27/05/2004 21:22

Spod,

he's sometimes a bit sick, but literally a dribble, but about once a week he might throw up a handful - which I usually catch.

Been a bit low for a while. Got HV visiting fortnightly, posted on other threads about being given ADs for PND which I'm not taking, as not convinced have PND, and more importantly worried about taking them with b/f.

Bit of a rough birth, as he managed to get shoulder stuck, and so was not breathing, so was intubated and taken straight to SCBU, where he stayed for 4 days. I feel like I abandoned him there and let strangers look after him. I know rationally this is not the case but am dwelling on it - just feel like I failed him at the start, and now I'm failing him again - don't know how - should I be more disciplined in the way I feed him??

OP posts:

moominmama86 · 27/05/2004 21:34

You are not failing him. In fact, you sound as if you are doing quite beautifully. Try not to worry about what your HV says - no offence to any HVs because there are some great ones out there - but I don't know of anyone who hasn't got my-HV-made-me-feel-like-crap-mum stories to share.

His weight gain will slow down once he becomes more active - and then if you're anything like me you'll be able to worry that he's not putting it on fast enough

cuppy · 27/05/2004 21:42

Just to say mumof1 - when I breastfed my midwife told me you cant overfeed a b/f baby!

gothicmama · 27/05/2004 21:53

mumof one you are doinga fab job if you were not you wouldn't be worried and seeking advice

baldrick · 27/05/2004 22:00

really does sound like you are doing fantastically well btw...they are averages and there will always be a few on the higher and lower levels...your ds must be so healthy with all this....and I'm sorry but at 18 months babies don't move a lot and naturally a bit cuddly...don't worry at all...he's very lucky

baldrick · 27/05/2004 22:01

I mean 18 weeks (18 months indeed)

jane313 · 28/05/2004 13:14

reading your post made me really angry. What a horrible hv. Mine were all mainly nice though a bit inconsistent. I was always told that you can't overfeed a breastfed baby as they will be sick. When my son had acid reflux I was told to try and lenghten the time between feeds because they wanted to rule out being sick from overfeeding first before giving him medication.

A family friend used to claim her daughter in law overbreastfed her grandson because he was so huge until everyone pointed out to her that her son was 6ft 5" and daughter in law 5ft10" so the baby was bound to be massive! (In her day it was 10 min each side every 4 hours, no deviations even if they screamed because otherwise you spoiled them!!)

Its a hard enough job being a mother without people trying to make you feel crap too. I got fed up with hv and drs and others looking shocked that I brestfed after 6 months. Espceially as you felt there was so much pressure to do it at the start.

secur · 28/05/2004 13:29

Message withdrawn

Original poster

mumof1 · 28/05/2004 17:43

To be fair to the HV once I said that he was totally b/f she was reasonably nice and it was probably me feeling insecure that made me feel like I was due a telling off. I just wanted to know what experiences other mums had had.

I think I'll be a bit more organised about bottled water though.

Thanks for all the nice comments.

mumof1

OP posts:

Spod · 29/05/2004 10:37

mumof1, oh poor you, i didnt realise you'd had a rough start... its normal that you'll be feeling low and anxious after a less than perfect start to it all, and like you say, its not necessarily PND. I have felt very low at times (dd is 7.5mths) but i know its not PND. i guess if you've had a baby and you're low people assume PND, which actually doesnt help does it!? As for more structured feeding... i fed on demand, still do (except for solids which she has at more or less same time). I felt that on-demand feeding was the best way for me, felt more natural and i'm sure i have a very contented baby because of it. She knows I'm there as and when she needs me, sometimes its only for a quick suckle and reassurance, sometimes its for a proper feed.... I'm not sure how you could be more structured with bf'ing. But it sounds like you're doing just great the way things are. If he feeds well and happily then keep going as you are.... and keep munching the chocolate biscuits!!!

luckymum · 29/05/2004 11:04

Mumof1 - you're doing really well with the b/f (loads better than I ever did). Just wanted to send you some encouragement. You both had a traumatic start and even though you don't think you have PND, that sort of stress really does affect the way you feel. I was in a similar situation and also felt that I'd abandoned my child to the hospital staff (still do to some extent), I lost my confidence and it took quite a while to realise just what the problem was. AD's weren't the answer for me (although I'm not saying thats the case for you or anyone else) I just had to get my head around what happened to us. Have you told the HV or GP about how you feel about the birth?

You are doing a great job - don't let anyone make you feel otherwise.

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