Doctor said we're overfeeding four week old?

[_jellybean_]

Hi girls. My baby girl is formula fed, and it eating between 35 and 40 ounces per day. The doctor said we could make her obese, and that she should be eating less. I think he said 3 oz. per pound per day. Any thoughts?

 

[Missy86]

I don't think you can overfed a baby.

It does sound a lot but if she is drinking it and not throwing up everywhere she must need it
Ignore the doctor, most of them don't understand that babies are fed on demand anyway

 

[MrsButterfly]

You are not going to make a baby obese! They can only take as much milk as they need and anything more just comes straight back up. My lo has always been a big eater - he's 98th centile for everything so has a big appetite! Think he was on around 40oz of milk fairly early on. The general rule of thumb even with ff is to feed on demand in those early days and if they're not hungry they won't take it.

I spoke to some fairly unhelpful doctors in the early days. Found the HV much better and understood you can't leave a hungry baby in fear that you've already given too much milk which is pretty much what my GP suggested I do.

 

[Keyval]

You can't overfeed a 4 week old . I'd find a new doctor .

 

[schnoogles]

That does seem a lot, however my LO always ate more then the milk manufacturers said he should for his age and he's certainly not overweight. I don't think babies really over eat, I was always told that they just what they need. Is he sick after feeding often?
They do change how much they have as they go along, if the baby is having a growth spurt then they eat much more. My baby steadily built up 40oz a day until he was about 14lb and nearly 3 months, now he has dropped to about 25-30oz a day but he has just got over the 12 week growth spurt. Personally I go with what the baby wants. If they are hungry what are you supposed to do? Leave them to scream? X

 

[dgirllamius]

I had this said to me by the assistant of our doctor. The doctor himself said nothing.

I asked my midwife and she said you can't overfeed a baby. They know when they've had enough.

 

[bubblychick]

I was accused of over feeding DD because she was putting on weight very quickly and the midwife told me I could end up making her obese it took 3 days of her screaming from hunger as we reduced her bottles to say stuff it and carry on she's now a perfect 2 year old and has always been within the correct centiles. Your the mother your baby will let you know when they have had enough.

 

[_jellybean_]

Thanks everyone. I wasn't at the appt., DH was, and I asked more questions about it. The doctor made it clear that it wasn't a big deal, and that he was only giving his opinion, and that he's sure that there were even doctors in his practice that would disagree with him. I know a pp mentioned that they'd find another doctor, but I love the doctors at lo's practice, I was just a bit irritated about what this doctor said.

So we're just going to continue feeding on demand. Thank you again. All replies were very helpful.

 

[Twinkie210]

My Dr. always said 2.5oz per pound per day is an estimate, but baby could eat more or less than this number. He always told me you can NOT overfeed a baby, they would either refuse to eat any more or throw up. My first was a very chunky baby (always wore atleast a size bigger clothes than his age) but thinned out when he started walking and now has to wear "slim" pants.

 

[jowen]

2-2.5 oz per lbs (baby's weight) per day
most doctors recommend this
that being said, all babies are different
it does seem like a lot, but maybe he is just a hungry kid!

 

[CoffeePuffin]

You can't overfeed a baby, if they take in too much they'll just bring it back up.

 

[LynseyPynsey]

I was told the same thing! She said he must be wanting to comfort suck so to give him a bottle. Needless to say, her information about essentially starving him went straight out the window.

 

[pinktiara]

my dr actually suggested with my firs that i should feed him less or make him wait because he was eating every hour and a half I asked her if she would be there at 2am when he was crying and hungry lol

 

[Lol89]

Hi,

My lo is 6 weeks and over 12lb so on the 98th percentile, he easily takes 6-7 5oz bottles a day, and I was told he was being overfed by my HV. At all his weigh ins he has been spot on his centile so isn't putting on more than the recommended weight as yet and is a very content baby! Am just wondering if any of you have had issues with dirty nappies, how many on average did you change a day at this point? With my lo he went through a stage of doing one per feed but has gradually over the last week or so cut back to doing an average of 4 a day. Just wondering if any if your babies were similar in this respect? I'm sure his digestive system just needs to catch up as he was a big baby born and has always been hungry!

Thanks!

 

[Ktothema]

I've had hvs and paediatricians saying ds was over fed, he was on 7-8 4oz bottles a day at 2 weeks. I learned the hard way with Dd to just ignore them. Very much enjoyed it when he dropped down a percentile and HV questioned what he was eating that I got to reply "I'm sorry, but you told me I was over feeding him last month" Thankfully we have a good gp who realised ds was a) hungry b) suffering from reflux and c) just settling to his own line, which he's stayed on now.

 

[MummyMana]

My baby is extremely hungry for her age! My health visitor seems to think she'll be obese because the amount of milk will stretch her stomach. Her stomach which 6 Weeks ago was the size of a marble, and will continue to grow until she is an adult. I tried explaining to her that the idea of a chubby baby leading to an obese child/adult was uterus ridiculous by pointing out that I was the Michelin baby, yet as an adult (before falling pregnant) had a bmi of 16. :L

I don't believe it is possible to overfeed a baby, however all these "health professionals" and guidelines scare me

 

[pinktiara]

Its so true drs go by charts and what the average baby should be im sorry my son was always off those charts and I never followed what the dr said hes not 3 and a half and tall and skinny like I was at his age