is it possible to overfeed?

Mrs_Grissom · Apr 8th, 2012, 19:50 PM

basically a well meaning family member (who is also a nurse) warned me not to overfeed my baby today. LO is 5 weeks old and is eating 6 lots of 180ml as opposed to 5 lots of 150ml as recommended on the box for his age but the health visitor told me its not possible to overfeed him, as he was only 6lb4 when he was born and dropped a lot of weight she says he's just making up for lost time and also insists if he eats too much he'll throw it up anyway so not to worry as its not possible to overfeed at this age... has anyone else had advice about overfeeding? can anyone tell me how much their 5 week old eats? x

fairykate · Apr 9th, 2012, 03:46 AM

You can't overfeed, no. Ignore what the pack says, my LO was taking more than he should at 5 weeks and over time he went up a little bit but is now happy on an amount that should be too little according to the box! He also has 7 bottles a day not 6, as he pretty much eats every 3hrs (apart from in the night when he goes 11pm - 6am.

Frooty · Apr 9th, 2012, 11:40 AM

Sorry but yes u can overfeed some babies cry for other stuff rather than milk all the time could be thirst or need to be cuddled. I think what they mean by overfeed is if ur giving lo a bottle less than an hr before they had the last one xx

MaybBaby · Apr 9th, 2012, 12:31 PM

wow, im not sure to be honest, i think they'll take how much they want, (Hello mrs grissom again!!

) - my dom is 7 weeks + and he still is only taking 90ml/3oz IF IM LUCKY...thats every 2ish hours, i keep worrying he should be on more but he seems satisfied

x

Samie18 · Apr 9th, 2012, 13:31 PM

My little one refuses the bottle as soon as she has had enough and even if you put the bottle to her mouth she will keep her lips shut and turn away so in my view you can't overfeed. She is 5 months and stayed just above the 50th centile since day 1 =o)

summer rain · Apr 9th, 2012, 14:18 PM

You can over feed but I don't think it's the case in your situation OP, it's very hard to over feed a baby and having one extra bottle a day or one more oz in a bottle or both is not going to do any harm. Babies also go through what for some is one never ending growth spurt in the first few weeks and their intake is more at this time xx

clairealfie · Apr 9th, 2012, 14:50 PM

My LO was on the 98th centile at birth and has been on the 99.6th ever since. He eats loads! I ebf till about week 6 but after that he was on 6 x 6oz at least if not more. He's always eaten loads more than the box says but stayed on his lines so don't worry about it. He shuts his mouth when he's had enough and he'll just let it pour out if he doesn't want it.

ERConnell · Apr 10th, 2012, 03:05 AM

My LO is 7 weeks and has anything from 3-6 ounces per feed (between 90ml and 180ml) and has that 7 times a day x

eulmh82 · Apr 10th, 2012, 04:59 AM

I was told you can;t overfeed them as they will either refuse it or throw it back up. I do worry about the same though. i try to look out for the signs that he;s hungry like when he starts to eat his fist and smack his lips together. Also if it's not been that long since a feed I try to change his nappy first and cuddle him or play and if he's still crying I try a bottle. It's so hard isn;t it to know what to do.

MumToEva · Apr 10th, 2012, 09:15 AM

My little one has reflux, and if I let her take too much, particularly in the evenings when she tends to cluster feed, then the whole lot comes straight back up again, whereas if I keep an eye on what she's taking and not allow her to over do it then it stays down. So I reckon there is such a thing as over feeding! But that's a different situation than u. As someone else said, if you were feeding every hour, then it might be that you were mistaking cues for tired etc as hungry, but sounds like your doing it exactly right to me! The guidelines are for the average baby- some will feed more than that, spme will feed less. Baby knows best!

Apr 8th, 2012, 19:50 PM	#1
Mrs_Grissom Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Small town in Lincolnshire. Posts: 1,829	is it possible to overfeed? basically a well meaning family member (who is also a nurse) warned me not to overfeed my baby today. LO is 5 weeks old and is eating 6 lots of 180ml as opposed to 5 lots of 150ml as recommended on the box for his age but the health visitor told me its not possible to overfeed him, as he was only 6lb4 when he was born and dropped a lot of weight she says he's just making up for lost time and also insists if he eats too much he'll throw it up anyway so not to worry as its not possible to overfeed at this age... has anyone else had advice about overfeeding? can anyone tell me how much their 5 week old eats? x

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Apr 9th, 2012, 03:46 AM	#2
fairykate Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Kent, UK Posts: 1,614	You can't overfeed, no. Ignore what the pack says, my LO was taking more than he should at 5 weeks and over time he went up a little bit but is now happy on an amount that should be too little according to the box! He also has 7 bottles a day not 6, as he pretty much eats every 3hrs (apart from in the night when he goes 11pm - 6am.

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Apr 9th, 2012, 11:40 AM	#3
Frooty Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: South Wales Posts: 2,567	Sorry but yes u can overfeed some babies cry for other stuff rather than milk all the time could be thirst or need to be cuddled. I think what they mean by overfeed is if ur giving lo a bottle less than an hr before they had the last one xx

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Apr 9th, 2012, 12:31 PM	#4
MaybBaby Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: B'ham UK Posts: 2,190	wow, im not sure to be honest, i think they'll take how much they want, (Hello mrs grissom again!! ) - my dom is 7 weeks + and he still is only taking 90ml/3oz IF IM LUCKY...thats every 2ish hours, i keep worrying he should be on more but he seems satisfied x

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Apr 9th, 2012, 13:31 PM	#5
Samie18 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Norfolk Posts: 1,409	My little one refuses the bottle as soon as she has had enough and even if you put the bottle to her mouth she will keep her lips shut and turn away so in my view you can't overfeed. She is 5 months and stayed just above the 50th centile since day 1 =o)

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Apr 9th, 2012, 14:18 PM	#6
summer rain Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: May 2010 Location: South East England Posts: 16,394	You can over feed but I don't think it's the case in your situation OP, it's very hard to over feed a baby and having one extra bottle a day or one more oz in a bottle or both is not going to do any harm. Babies also go through what for some is one never ending growth spurt in the first few weeks and their intake is more at this time xx

Status: Offline

Apr 9th, 2012, 14:50 PM	#7
clairealfie Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 900	My LO was on the 98th centile at birth and has been on the 99.6th ever since. He eats loads! I ebf till about week 6 but after that he was on 6 x 6oz at least if not more. He's always eaten loads more than the box says but stayed on his lines so don't worry about it. He shuts his mouth when he's had enough and he'll just let it pour out if he doesn't want it.

Status: Offline

Apr 10th, 2012, 03:05 AM	#8
ERConnell Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 3,725	My LO is 7 weeks and has anything from 3-6 ounces per feed (between 90ml and 180ml) and has that 7 times a day x

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Apr 10th, 2012, 04:59 AM	#9
eulmh82 Pregnant (Expecting) BnB Addict Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: East Midlands Posts: 3,099	I was told you can;t overfeed them as they will either refuse it or throw it back up. I do worry about the same though. i try to look out for the signs that he;s hungry like when he starts to eat his fist and smack his lips together. Also if it's not been that long since a feed I try to change his nappy first and cuddle him or play and if he's still crying I try a bottle. It's so hard isn;t it to know what to do.

Status: Offline

Apr 10th, 2012, 09:15 AM	#10
MumToEva Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 1,488	My little one has reflux, and if I let her take too much, particularly in the evenings when she tends to cluster feed, then the whole lot comes straight back up again, whereas if I keep an eye on what she's taking and not allow her to over do it then it stays down. So I reckon there is such a thing as over feeding! But that's a different situation than u. As someone else said, if you were feeding every hour, then it might be that you were mistaking cues for tired etc as hungry, but sounds like your doing it exactly right to me! The guidelines are for the average baby- some will feed more than that, spme will feed less. Baby knows best!

Status: Offline

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