Overfed on Breast milk - is HV talking sense?

[Bethbe]

Grateful for any sensible advice.

LO is very hungry and has gone from below 25th percentile to over 75th in 8 weeks. At first my dh would give him one formula feed in the evening to give me a rest, but as bf has got more established, this is now EBM.

When I mentioned to the HV that he was taking between 11-13oz of EBM in this last feed she told me it was too much and I should give him boiled water throughout the day to delay feeds.

I'm really confused as I believed that it wasn't possible to overfeed a bf baby, - or does that not apply to EBM.

REALLY appreciate some logical feedback!

Thanks!

you can't overfed a breastfed baby! she's talking nonsense, and you should never give a bf baby water.

the one and only time i gave ds a bottle of ebm at 6 weeks he drank 10 ounces and latched on for a half hour feed right after

babies often clsterfeed in the evenings and this is perfectly normal... they feed lots so hopefully they won't feed as much through the night.

ds was 50th centile at birth and has been 95th ever since so a change in centiles isn't to be worried over.

keep up the good work, sounds like you're doing brilliantly

11-13oz EBM is a very large feed I have to say. My babies never took more that 8oz and that was at 9 months!

My personal view is that we don't know how much breastmilk a baby gets when breastfeeding directly and your baby may actually get that amount when feeding.

I would not space feeds with water but would just breastfeed when baby asks for it. I only gave EBM when I was working so cannot comment about amounts given on a regular basis.

Do you express when you miss the feed? Do you get 13oz in one go?

You cannot overfeed a breastfed baby who is dictating amounts themselves by breastfeeding directly. You could theoretically overfeed with EBM from a bottle as you are dictating the amount the baby takes IYSWIM?

God no!

Don't feed him water or formula- he doesn't need it! He's taking whay he needs.

If he's growing so well that's only becuase he's thriving on what you are providing for him (and if on 25th centile maybe making up for lost time).

Sounds to me as if youa re doing absolutely wonderfully. HV's aren't necessarily as clued up on BF as they should be, more's the shame.

If you need professional reassurance look tup the ABM (asociation of breastfeeding mothers) and telephone their helpline. I have some training in BF although not half as good as Counsellor level.

I should add that I don't think your baby is being overfed as it is just 1 bottle of EBM a day, but I am interested how you get that amount to give in one go. Do you use 2 bottles?

mears, can't answer for bethbe but when i was expressing for dd i used to have to take 2-3 5oz bottles in with me and had a little assembly line going and i could only pump from one side.... the hv never did believe me, lol

ITA with previous posts... your HV is talking nonsense!.. Beleive in yourself and what you baby is telling you.. your clearly satisfying his needs and there is no need to give him water... afterall this is mainly what the formilk is..

It is impossible IMO to overfeed a baby who is bf.
The bf is made specifically for your baby's individual requirements.
I get so when I hear about HV's giving crap advice like this. My HV came in at 10days and told me to top-up bf with formula. We checked with GP, then ignored her completely.
You are doing really well and IMO you should ignore your HV on this occasion

Sorry to over generalise but I found that whatever HV told me was wrong. Your instict is right, just keep feeding your baby as you are, no water, no formula (or sugared water as one HV advised an Mner not long ago!). This is my pet hate, what's the point of Health Visitors?

It is so true that a mothers instict is always right.. My HV was the result of all my problems.. low milk supply due to FF topups, mastitis 4x - prob due to not properly emptying the breast following topups, nipple confusion - again due to topups with bottle.. and i could go on. Just glad she has now retired as she would not be allowed entry into my house again!!

Hi, a BF baby doesn't need water, there is plenty of fluid in the milk. Your baby is so lucky you are able to give it all it needs. Just keep doing what you are doing. This is one HV to ignore.

in my experience if you overfeed a baby they throw it up all over you within a few minutes. I onbly ever had this when bottle feeding (eg formula or ebm) - presumably because it is easy to suck from a bottle so they keep going - and then the stomach rejects it in a few minutes.

If the baby seems happy I would continue as you are.

Mears,

Like PinkTulip, I have a little production-line going on, - AND one side is better than the other.

I express twice a day, - in the morning - about 11, and in the evening around 10:30 before I go to bed (LO will have just gone to bed). I get around 1-2 oz from one breast, and around 6-7 from the other in each session.

I must say though that I have been blessed with iron nipples, and turn up the machine full power and go for it. It takes around 15 mins and at night especially, - I really do suck them dry!

I have tried giving him less EBM in the evening, but he seems to wake up in less than an hour for another feed.

Thanks all for the advice! I'll avoid giving him water for the moment. I'd hate to think I was depriving him of nutrients he's asking for.

I really did think the advice was dodgy, - a bit like puting him on a diet, and he doesn't even look fat, - just a little stocky!

Thanks for the info Bethbe. I just wanted to clarfiy the expressing because it interested me.

Babies feeding from a bottle can be overfed when they are encouraged to drain the amount in the bottle and they will not necessarily vomit it back. When breastfeeding they stop the feed themselves. I do not think your baby is overfed BTW, it was just a response in realtion to the question. It technically is possible to overfeed on EBM in the same way as formula if all feeds are from a bottle.

I expressed for a SCBU and used to express very often throughout the day, gatting milk here and there. I always hand expressed because it was quicker. I kept a stock in the freezer for my DD and another stock for the milk bank.

Anyway - I digress. Sounds as though you have a got a routine going that works for you and your baby. Some breastfed babies pile on a huge amount of weight in the early days. There is no way they should be given water in prefence to breastmilk. Breastmilk babyfat drops off in toddlerhood.

Well done you for exclusively breastfeeding your baby.

Mears: - slightly off-topic, but how do you go about scbu donation?

My dd went from 25th centile (75th for height) up to 75th in 2 weeks and has been there ever since.
My ds went from 50th centile (95th for height) up to 95th in about the same time and, again, has been there ever since.

Respect for your expressing - I never got more than about 6ounces in a session with dd (and only if I expressed while feeding on the other side). With ds I could never be bothered! Too little time.

betheb - the neonatal unit in a hospital where I lived was actively seeking donors. Not all units have milk banks. I might be able to find more info about it for you. Alternatively you could contact your nearest neontatl unit which is normally within the maternity unit.
A midwife used to provide me with sterile bottles and she collected the frozen miklk fortnightly.

breast milk banks

Exclusively bf babies do not need water even in hot weather. That's one of the many marvellous things about b/milk. I do despair - why be in a job where you gave to give out advice when you don't know what you are talking about!!

You are doing brilliantly - please don't let the hv put you off!

I too used to donate to SCBU i used to donate approx 50 - 70 oz per week! this was after a long hard fight to get a decent supply tho.. and also lots of Oats!

this is the list of Milk Banks in the UK

LOL, Mears beat me to it!!