Can a 7 month old have too much food?!

[Florad]

Sorry such a long post but can't find anything online so hoping someone has experienced similar!

I am aware I may be really overthinking things but just need reassuring or to hear other people's experiences as everything online seems to be about babies not wanting enough solid food. (I'm very grateful that this is not the case at least!)

My baby is 7 months old, started mixture of baby led weaning and purees at 6 months. He is breast fed (about 7 feeds a day) and has 1 bottle a night (gets him to sleep better and gives me a break!) He pretty much feeds himself solids now with help which is great.

I feel like he is never full and I'm following gis lead but just worried in case I am giving him too much.

This is an average days meals-

Breakfast- half a sachet of ready brek porridge mixed with his milk and half a banana.

Lunch- omelette (1 egg) with 2 mushrooms a quarter a small chicken breast and a small bit of grated cheese.

Dinner- cod (about 3x2 inches), cabbage and about 8 pieces of big rigatoni pasta.

I always make a bit extra as things like the pasta he will bite the bit sticking out of his hand and drop bits but he eats almost everything.
He still had the same amount of breastfeeds and for his bottle before bed will drink between 7 and 9oz.

Today he was tired and was getting frustrated feeding himself so I gave him a puree pouch instead (he had already eaten some of what I made him). I decided to just see how much he would have if I let him choose and he finished the pouch (spaghetti bolognaise) and cried that it was finished. I gave him a small bit of the original food just to see what he would do (toast with avocado on) and he acted like he was ravenous and carried on eating.

He is a big baby (20lb at 6 months), hitting all his milestones etc. He doesn't seem uncomfortable etc after, isn't sick.
Has anyone else had a baby like this and did you just keep to recommended portion sizes or go with what they want? All the nhs guidance I can find says that babies will tell you when they are full and to give them what they want!

Where are you getting your “recommended portion sizes” from? I’d read that there are no recommended portion sizes below one as babies’ vary so much - and also self regulate their feeding very well.

From a baby weaning class the health visitor ran but I've pretty much doubled what they said to suit him as had read the same, I think it's that class that's made me doubt myself!

I don't think they can have too much food at that age.

Given his age I assume he hasn't been on solids for that long so you might find that he is going through a bit of a growth spurt and his appetite will settle.

My now 2 year old has always gone through phases where he eats me out of house and home one week, then barely eats a thing the next - I just go with it now!

I let mine eat as much as they wanted once we started weaning. It makes life so much easier.

There's a lot health visitors tell you that they just seem to make up and there's no NHS guidance to support what they say quite often, I have found.

My toddler is 2 and although he was only 3.5lbs born he very quickly gained weight and became chubby! He was a great eater like your baby so I just offered and let him decide how much he wanted. He’s now on the 91st centile for weight and height and still has a great appetite. Like another poster said, babies are good at self regulating so enjoy this phase as my little boy is definitely more fussy now than back when under 1!

How is his weight on his centile line? Some babies just genuinely have big appetites - mine was seemingly never satisfied!

Is he mobile yet? Doing more exercise could make him hungrier than normal

Born on the 75th but 2 weeks early due to complications, had a stint in NICU, dropped down to 25th centile at one point when he was in there, has gradually gone up now on the 98th centile so doing amazingly considering. But he has gone up that many centiles that the health visitor said at 5 months if he wasn't breast fed they'd be saying to reduce his feeds! Surely babies just have what they need? These replies have really reassured me

I'm starting to think that about the health visitors now, feeling much more reassured!

Sorry missed the last question, no not mobile yet

That is good to know thank you! Doubting myself much less, am just loving how much he is enjoying food and then started overthinking it I think!

I don't think you can overfeed a baby.

My daughter loves her food and always had more than the "recommended" portion. (Even as a baby she always had double amount of milk).
People still comments on her eating saying she is an "eating machine". She loves her food and I give her how much she needed .

As long as you give him real food and not baby snacks, he is fine.
Snacks should be portioned out but in terms of real food- give him what he wants.

my nephew was like this - never seemed to stop eating and looked like a bowling ball he was so round!!! Someone even tried to suggest prader Willi syndrome to my sister.. he’s now 5 and very tall, very slim but still weighs a tonne! He must just have heavy bones as he is slim (but solid and very muscular/strong!) enjoy him eating everything , he’ll go through a fussy phase and you’ll miss it!!

I even started thinking prader-willi the day (when he had a whole egg, half an avocado with a piece of fish mashed in and a piece of toast then another full feed from me!) I think he is just an absolute eating machine haha! I just can't believe how much he can fit in when he's only been eating solids for 5 weeks!

Sounds like he's doing great, carry on letting him eat as much as he wants, but I'd definitely concentrate on not letting him have too much sweet food or processed food. If he's got a good appetite he'll gobble that up even faster!
Mine were like this in phases, chubby babies but slimmed down a lot as they got more mobile etc.
Appetite comes in phases so be prepared for next month not wanting to eat at all- then don't start bad food habits... keep trusting.