Are bottle-fed babies generally bigger/heavier than breastfed babies?

[birthofawoman]

I met a 6-month-old very cute, very chunky baby the other day (my DS's cousin) - much chunkier than I imagine my 6-week-old will be at 6 months (although me not being able to imagine it doesn't mean he won't be). My DS has always been on the smaller side... I carried and measured small during pregnancy, and he weight 6 lbs 10 oz at birth. Currently, he's gaining weight perfectly but is still considered a more petit baby.

The 6-month-old baby is formula fed, and it got me thinking (just out of curiosity) whether bottle fed babies (whether fed breastmilk or formula) generally gain more weight than breastfed babies? If that were the case, I imagine it'd be because they're made the finish a bottle (someone else's idea of how much they should feed), whereas breastfed babies take exactly as much as they wish/need and stop once they're satisfied that they've reached that point? I could be completely off the mark here, I'm just curious!

Or could it be to do with what's in formula? When I told my mum about the chunky baby, her first comment was "He'a on formula, isn't he?".

Would love to hear your responses! It's 4am and my curiosity has gotten the better of me tonight!

I find @GameFrame comment interesting as it reflects an attitude I've seen on MN quite a lot which is where people think of babies as mini adults and therefore try and apply the same principles.

A fat baby is not the same as a fat adult. A baby wanting some comfort from BF is not the same as an adult stuffing down a full pack of doughnuts because they're emotionally eating.

I think @IncyWincyMouseRat is right, some people have completely lost touch about the natural behaviour of babies. I see similar theories expressed about sleep too.

Feeding on demand is supposed to be about feeding babies whenever they are hungry. It is not about feeding babies every time they are upset about anything (e.g. if they get a bump).

I was advised at my 6 week check not to worry too much if DDs growth slows as the curve is different for breastfed babies.

But the baby isn't always actively feeding, that's the point! A hungry baby gulps down the milk whilst a baby seeking comfort acts more like a baby using a dummy.

Feeding on demand is supposed to be about feeding babies whenever they are hungry. It is not about feeding babies every time they are upset about anything (e.g. if they get a bump).

No. That's right.

And most people don't do that. Only some people who don't understand the concept of feeding on demand.

My baby was on the 91st percentile when born, ff, by 3 months had dropped to the 50th percentile and at 2 is still there. He only ever eats what he needs, always has.

The growth curve can be different for BF/FF babies. But it depends on the baby really. You may be surprised by how chunky your baby will be by 6m old! DS1 was only 5lb at birth, DS2 was 6lb 6oz - both were feckin' enormous by 6m . Especially DS1 actually. Both were BF.

A bf was an excellent comfort when they had a bump!

If the baby is using your boob like a dummy, give the baby a dummy! Some women really relish being shackled to their baby at every opportunity. Those are the ones that end up with children unable to comfort themselves without food.

If the baby is using your boob like a dummy, give the baby a dummy! Some women really relish being shackled to their baby at every opportunity. Those are the ones that end up with children unable to comfort themselves without food

What a load of ignorant tosh.

@TheDowagerCuntess You'd be amazed by the amount of bf mothers who use bf for comforting, rather than feeding.

I think it depends on the baby. But a surprising thing that an experienced lactation consultant told me is that everyone thinks ff babies gain weight faster than b/f but actually b/f babies gain faster in the early weeks. In the absence of feeding problems that is I guess.

You do know dummy is a short form of dummy nipple aka a substitute for a breast!

Nothing wrong with dummies if you want to use them but it's not better than feeding them if you're happy to do that either.

I have two children (one adopted, one birth child) they were both ff. One is on the 25th and one on the 75th.
Neither of mine were ‘made’ to finish a bottle. I don’t know any ff babies that are.
The breast feeding mamas that I know tend to use bf as a comfort in the same way I would use a dummy.

Would I, GameFrame?

You do realise that the - in your own words - 'tit' is therefore performing a different act? Comforting, rather than feeding?

There's a reason dummies are shaped the way they are....

Why do you have such an issue with breastfeeding Game?
If the baby is using your boob like a dummy, give the baby a dummy!
Why? A dummy was invented as a breast substitute. They are not compulsory.
My children were breastfed and are completely able to comfort themselves without food. As are the majority of other children I know, both BF and FF. Why do you care so much what other mothers do?

It really depends on the individual child. Both my DC were ff from 2 weeks. They were never made to finish a bottle (couldn’t have made them even if I’d tried). Both self-regulated when they were weaned and still do today at 13 and 11. I’ve never made them finish a meal if they said they were full.

The charts in the red books are based on breastfed babies.

The growth patterns of breast and bottle fed babies do differ as statistically bottle fed babies are heavier (I think after a certain point - 4 months maybe?) just because the mechanics of bottle feeding means babies are less in control of how much they consume so tend to consume more.

Statistically bottle fed babies are bigger after a few weeks and are more inclined to obesity later on. That isn’t necessarily causality though - it could be other factors such as social class and feeding habits post babyhood.
Experientially, my exclusively breast fed babies remained on or above 95th centile through toddlerhood. The youngest is now tiny at 19years , under 5’, size 4-6 in children’s shoes.

DD was mix fed for around 5 weeks then formula fed from then. She was and still is very petite. She was on 15th centile when born and then dropped to the 9th where she has stayed. She's 3.5 now.

My DS is small and I find I do get judged negatively for breastfeeding him as if it's somehow my fault he's small and I should 'just give up and put him on the bottle'. I find it sad that this is such a common opinion nowadays.

My DS was 9lb 6oz so 80 something percentile at birth. He was ebf on demand (pretty much whenever he cried) maintained until 4 months when he got more interested in the world that feeding then slid down to just under 50th. No one was too worried. He is now an amazingly active toddler who is pretty slender and eats when he is hungry and doesn’t when he’s not (exactly the same food on offer). I think it depends a lot on the baby, most of the babies I knew were ebf and they varied completely in weight - although I don’t recall any FF babies that were not chunky I only knew about 3 so that’s hardly a statistically significant sample!

Lol! I understand that a dummy is shaped like a nipple! I was wondering why some mothers would prefer to act as a human dummy, rather than offering a dummy? It must be a need on the mother's part. The baby would be very happy with a dummy (also, not associating comfort with food).

Breasts are designed to comfort babies. If you don't want to or can't comfort the baby yourself you can use a plastic substitute.

Well exactly! Why on earth wouldn't you?! Why would you want to be tied to your baby 24/7 when they'd be perfectly happy with a dummy - it speaks to a need in the mother/martyrdom.