Overfeeding?

[rollonoctober2019]

Hi, so my LO is almost 6 weeks and over that time his milk intake has just gone up and up. Now we are at between 36 and 42oz a day, sometimes seeming like he still wants more. mostly expressed BM but having to use formula to top up as I can't produce enough to keep up with that sort of demand. We have tried everything else to settle him but he's always rooting, sucking his hands and a feed is the only thing that settles him even though he'll eat til he spits it up.Have contacted HV and she says as it's mostly BM and he's gaining weight, if he wants it just give him it and isn't concerned, But it's exhausting and I'm getting almost no sleep. Anyone else got any experience with particularly hungry babies?

Bottle feeding, even BM can lead to overfeeding as the baby doesn't have to work as hard to get milk.

What is his weight gain and nappy output like? How much does he take and how often? Total amount isn't particularly useful. Has reflux been mentioned? He could be feeding to soothe the burn from acid coming up?

Is there a reason for mostly expressed rather than direct BF (I don't want to drag anything up, just wondering)

Hi! Thanks for reply. Nappy output is fine and weight gain has been just under a pound a week the last few weeks. Expressing due to latching problems but determined to still give him breast milk if I can. Phoned the health visitor today and said I'm still not sure it's right and he seems to want to feed an awful lot so have been advised to try infacol and then if that doesn't help they'll look into reflux. So fingers crossed it'll start to settle now as mummy needs a sleep!

And up to 6 ounces In a bottle every 2-4 hours!

There's a big growth and development spurt around 6 weeks. Constant feeding is normal.

You can't over feed a baby, they would just posset if they took too much

To get a true reflection on quantity it depends on how big your baby is? If your baby is a big baby anyway proportionally it's not so much as it is for a small baby

I have a "small baby" (born 4lb9) and she drinks almost double what the equation says (150ml/kg/24hrs) but at regular intervals and is happy in between. My consultants and HV are v happy and tell me to give her as much as she will take. She only occasionally brings a little bit back up.

Mine was just like this (20 weeks now) and his appetite has evened out. His growth is fine but he has jumped up the centiles. As long as he isn't being sick, my HV said not to worry. Is he sicking up much? Mine was much more settled on a combination of infacol and colief though.

Second the PP above who mentioned whether he could be feeding to sooth reflux. I suspect there might have been an element of that with my baby with hindsight. I also think he gave hunger queues when overtired so might not have been necessarily hungry. But who knows, you have my sympathies, it was a hard time!

He does spit up not every feed but when he does it looks like it's pretty much the whole bottle so soothing reflux sounds like it could be what he's doing wee scone. And he was born 8,3 then dropped 10% by day 6 but is 12lb now, so a decent sized wee boy!

Based on the equation he should be having 29oz a day. So yes he takes more but on the lower limit not drastically which is prob why your HV isn't concerned

Have a look at paced bottle feeding. Gives baby more time for the body to feel full.

@TheBabyAteMyBrain you absolutely can overfeed by bottle feeding