Anyone else's baby eating waaay too much for size?

[Menelly]

My 3 week old is 8.25 lbs, and everything I read says he should be eating about 21-22 oz of formula a day. Well, he's surpassed that already today and it's only 7pm! He's averaging 28-32oz a day! He's gained 2 lbs in 2 weeks! (Little piggy!)

I never ever make him finish a bottle, he isn't spitting up, doesn't seem too gassy or in pain at all... is it possible he's just starving? Or is this something to worry about? This is my first formula fed newborn, so I'm feeling unconfident. Thanks!

 

[BabyHopes1974]

It's probably just a growth spurt?

 

[wifey2013]

It could be a growth spurt. My LO eats a lot too. He's not overweight and growing beautifully. He's now almost 3 months and he's eating 6.5oz every 3-4 hours. He almost always finishes the bottle. He seems satisfied, and I don't offer him more, because even if I put in 8oz he'd finish the bottle! Sometimes I'll give him 7oz in the morning because he sleeps like a champ through the night from 11pm-7pm!

 

[hanni]

My LO is the same. He can easily wolf down a 5oz bottle and then cry for more shortly after and does this every 3/4 hours as well as being breast fed too. He's gone from being 9lb 1 at birth to 10lb at 19 days old!
I'd just put it down to being a growth spurt. He's not fat at all and doesn't look 10lb, he's just heavy!

 

[MindUtopia]

Ignore the guidelines. They're just that 'guidelines' (and in large part they're developed by the formula manufacturers anyway to get parents to make up as much formula as possible to offer their LO, rather than as maximum amounts that you shouldn't surpass). Babies don't follow guidelines and I wouldn't worry about doing so either. If he's hungry, feed him. You don't need to worry about feeding him too much unless you're forcing it or he's vomiting after every feed. Sounds like he's just hungry, so you're doing exactly the right thing.

 

[StranjeGirl]

DD1 was like this and turned into the biggest baby ever (over 21lb at 4 months old) THe doctor told me to feed her if she was hungry and it was nothing to worry about. She is 3 now and still loves to eat, but has thinned out quite a bit. SHe is still 97th percentile for weight, but is also 95th percentile for height so she is very proportional. I think babies know how much their body needs for growth so I wouldn't worry at all!