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Guzzleguts! Worried about overfeeding

My ds is now 27days old and after many bfing issues I'm currently (and hopefully temporarily) mix feeding ebm by bottle and ff (about 60% ebm 40%ff), as he was having top ups of ff anyway. This has only been since his bfed at 9.30am yesterday but he seems to be consuming a huge amount!

The guidelines on the formula suggest he should be having 5x 5oz/150ml feeds so 25oz/750mls in total. The calculators I can find for amount of feed in 24hrs say 2.5-2.7xweight in lbs, he weighed 9lbs on Tuesday so= 23-24 oz/ 690-720mls, even if he now weighed 10lb (ridiculous I know) that's only 25-27oz/ 750-780mls.
Yesterday he had 3x 15min bfeeds then 28oz/850mls throughout the day, today he's had one 15min bfeed (still trying one in the night) and 34oz/1010mls so far and he may still want another feed before the nights over!!

Is he just very hungry? Or am I overfeeding him? Offering him the recommended 5oz/150mls then only making up more if after that and burping he's still acting hungry and getting upset and rooting for more. Although admittedly he is clearly feeding more than 5 times in 24hours.
Any ideas where I'm going wrong? Or is he just a little piglet?

xx

Replies

  • He's probably just hungry, they cant be greedy at that age so if he's eating he must need it. The backs of formula are guides only, Dylan always ate far more (there again he's a big boy image) if he's happy carry on doing what your doing at 4 weeks Dylan fed 6-7 times in a 24 hour period and he's a very healthy 28 week old now whos as happy as larry and the hv wanted to pinch last time I took him to be weighed :lol:

    Good luck with the bf, expressing that amount is impressive

    xxxxx
  • Hi
    well I'd say they're really only guidelines that are on the boxes. My DD was a little piggy with her milk too and I fed on demand. I, and this is my opinion, don't actually think you can "overfeed" as a baby would only take what they're happy with. Don't worry, it could be a growth spurt too but if your HV isn't concerned (don't see why she would be though, think they'd only worry if he wasn't taking enough & not gaining weight).
    Keep doing what you're doing, he'll let you know when he's had enough :\) xx
  • I would ignore the box. Amelia occasionally had 950mls when she was just 2 to 3 weeks old. She was having a growth spurt is all. Now she's on 6-7 feeds a day of between 3-5oz each time. She's completely average on the weight chart so I don't think you can overfeed your baby. If he doesn't want it or has had too much - he'll be sick.
  • I'm under the impression that babies will just sick up what is 'overfed' so I honestly wouldn't worry. I think the amounts are particularly inaccurate as you're mixed feeding and EBM clearly has different nutritional values to measured formula. The boxes are just guidelines. Lucas has around 30-35oz a day over 6-7 feeds and according to his weight I don't think that's enough, but he is gaining weight perfectly on his percentile line so I'm not worrying and neither should you hon!

    I'm starting to relactate now after 4 weeks of FF and know I will start worrying when I can't measure what he's having! We just have to trust our instincts I think.

    Keep up the good work hon!

    Hxx
  • babies can't overfeed hun, he'll sick up anything that's too much x
  • Thanks girls, he had just as much yesterday and not been sick, in fact he's spitting up less than from the boob. Going to clinic tomorrow as think it's only sensible to have him weighed weekly while his feedings all over the shop and fingers crossed they're happy with him.

    Good luck renri, that can't be easy xx
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