can you over feed with breast milk? i cant keep up with expressing? please help

[missytequila]

my baby is 11 weeks and is breast feeding on demand. I also express so that my hubby and babysitter can feed her when I am out. for about 2.5 weeks now, she has been sucking down her 5oz bottles so fast, and wanting even more, maybe 8/9oz per feed. my hubby says I am overfeeding her.... in other words why does she eat/want so much??? and plus...I also seem to be pumping less. I used to wake up totally full in the morning and could pump 5oz or more easily, now I can only get 3oz. what can i do to pump more, I really don't want to be pumping at every feed 3/4 times a day! I am so confused...is my baby over fed? do I need to give her big bottles already? why does she eat so much, so fast?

You cant overfeed a bf baby! Your husband is talking rubbish.

Try a slow flow teat for her on the bottles - its easier to drink from bottles so they dont get the satiety feeling they do when they bf. And it may be that she wants the comfort of being held and sucking longer than actually feeding.

Try expressing in the morning when your breastmilk is at its most abundant - you can try drinking fennel tea to boost your milk supply.

How much do you need to pump? If you can pump 3oz a morning, then you can leave her with a bottle twice a week, and then you always express more off when you miss a feed.

My DS2 is 9 weeks and I can pump 3oz in the morning although then he's hungry all day - if you want to pump more, pump off as much as possible in the morning and be prepared tp take your baby to bed with you for the day for a feedathon which will stimulate your supply.

DS2 (12 weeks) can suck down 240mls in a single bottle and still want me to feed him afterwards.

I do a little expressing everyday (I aim for 60mls or so) but I only need one bottle a week (or maybe 2) so it isn't that big a deal, which is lucky because I am one of those people who just can't get on with expressing.

Also remember, the amount you can express is no indication of how much is actually in the breast.

Your DH is wrong, if the baby is hungry the baby must be fed, please don't try to limit her intake, that is a really bad idea.