Can a newborn eat too much?

[sidmand]

I know breastfeeding can be in spurts and until your supply gets going it can be an all day thing, but we're doing EBM and a bit of formula so I know how much DD is eating...she's not even a week old and often doing 2-3 oz. at one feeding! According to the Kelly Mom website, her stomach should only hold about 1.5 to 2 oz right now. I know that's just an average though, but it seems like she's eating more and more by the feeding/hour? We're feeding on demand, I'm just wondering if we're thinking other cues are feeding cues when they're not? But so far she's not really spitting up much and I would think if she took more than she could handle, that would be what happens.

If she's just a hungry little thing, that's fine. I was just reading that between one and six months they average about 25 ounces a day and I think she exceeded that already!

[codex57]

You're prolly ok. How big are you and DH? How big is baby? Born early or late? It's likely your baby's eating habits are just on the outliers. Doctors look at the growth rate more than they do the actual amount eaten to see if there's a problem. It's a little hard for your baby to become obese at 1 week of age due to eating too much.

[elephantmeg]

my experience is that if they overeat they spit up, so I wouldn't worry

[JBaxter]

my experience is that if they overeat they spit up, so I wouldn't worry

After 3 babies this is what I found also. My first son was a little piglet and ate and ate my second who was bigger was average eater. At a week keep feeding on demand it will even out. All babies are different there are some great guide books but trust your mommy instinct on if she is hungry or not.

[ahrimie]

i would only be concerned if your baby is getting too big and your doctor says something about too much weight gain. on that note, however, if you're supplementing BM with formula.. i think it could be possible to overfeed or at least give too many calories. your BM and formula don't have the same nutrition/fat content. also, it might not taste as fulfilling to your baby (either one) so they may feel the need to have more.

if obesity runs in your family, i'd be a lot more concerned though... trust your mama instincts :)

[SnuggleBuggles]

Well, my ds is a spitter just b/c I believe his system isn't fully developed (esophagial sphincter) so I wouldn't totally gauge it on that.

Keep up with that nursing on demand and trust that she is getting enough that way. You'll make the right amount for her. :)


Beth

[sidmand]

Thanks for the reassurance. She was a peanut (by my estimation!) at birth and weighed 7 lbs 2 oz. I know that's not tiny tiny, but she seemed so small. She did lose a lot of weight (more than they recommended/expected) by the 3rd day although when she went home, she was back up a little and we had to have her bilirubin levels checked. At that point she had gained a bit more weight and her levels were going down, so we were good for the moment.

My son ate a good amount (and was a spitter upper! so I know that's not necessarily a correlation, but I figured if she was taking too much, it had to go somewhere) and I know he increased amounts fast, I just couldn't remember if it was this fast.

I'm not too worried about being too fat (can a newborn be too fat?). I was more worried that we were giving her a bottle when that's not what she was really looking for, but she seems to be rooting around and telling us pretty well that she's not finished! She still looks a bit yellow to me, so maybe she's just trying to get everything out of her system. We do still need to wake her up once in awhile to eat, but she's getting better about that too.

I like to find things to worry about :) ...hopefully that's all this is.

Thanks again.

[egoldber]

Newborns have a very strong drive to suck, but some more than others. If she's still rooting, I'd put her back on the breast. That's how she brings in your milk and gets that supply established. The more time at the breast the better, at least for the first 6-8 weeks.

[codex57]

Yes, she's barely just born. Don't worry about obesity at all. Worry about getting your milk supply in. After a month, then check her weight to see if obesity might be a problem. Almost certainly won't be, and that's like 3 weeks away.

[sidmand]

Newborns have a very strong drive to suck, but some more than others. If she's still rooting, I'd put her back on the breast. That's how she brings in your milk and gets that supply established. The more time at the breast the better, at least for the first 6-8 weeks.

The only problem there is that I'm exclusively pumping, not nursing directly from the breast (long story, but so far so good) so that was my main concern there. I know a lot of babies have a strong desire to suck and she hadn't been using a pacifier yet at all, but I wasn't sure if that's what she was looking for instead...just something to suck on.

[egoldber]

Obviously I don't know why you're exclusively pumping, but can you let her suck at the breast anyway? Will she not take the breast at all?

[sidmand]

I can definitely try that. I wasn't sure it would help if she's not really nursing, but just kind of "hanging out." We are doing some skin to skin but she hasn't seemed all that interested in the breast itself! My son used to scream when he saw it (a breast) coming, so this is an improvement :) I thought to myself (when the crying and hormones passed) that someday he probably wouldn't be so upset to see a breast...

[egoldber]

I seem to recall you scheduled an early-ish c-section because of your diabetes? If so, you may find that a nipple shield may help her to latch. I used one with Amy until she was about 39 weeks actual gestation (she was born at 34 weeks). They get a bad rap, but the shield saved our nursing relationship. Just something else to try. :)

[sidmand]

I seem to recall you scheduled an early-ish c-section because of your diabetes? If so, you may find that a nipple shield may help her to latch. I used one with Amy until she was about 39 weeks actual gestation (she was born at 34 weeks). They get a bad rap, but the shield saved our nursing relationship. Just something else to try. :)

Wow, good memory! Or maybe I mentioned it more than I realized :)

I tend to forget that although DS and DD were techically full term, they were a bit early too. The c-section was at 38 weeks, so she is 39 weeks actual gestation now, but that is worth a try. I know I did have one with DS (didn't really seem to help and/or I was using it incorrectly).

Although I know it sounds bad, particularly on this board, but I'm not sure I'm totally into nursing. I'm fine with pumping and it's taken me a long time (and a lot of tears!) to realize that and to realize that that's not the end of the world. And my supply is getting up to the point where DD can do BM for almost every feeding (even when she's eating 3 oz per feeding!).

[tnrnchick74]

Although I know it sounds bad, particularly on this board, but I'm not sure I'm totally into nursing. I'm fine with pumping and it's taken me a long time (and a lot of tears!) to realize that and to realize that that's not the end of the world. And my supply is getting up to the point where DD can do BM for almost every feeding (even when she's eating 3 oz per feeding!).

Don't apologize for your personal decision! Pumping takes a lot of committment and time/energy. KUDDOS TO YOU FOR EVEN ATTEMPTING!!! Plenty of babies do just fine on formula too! Do NOT make yourself feel guilty! No one knows your situation, your family dynamics, or your medical history! You are doing awesome!!!

[o_mom]

If you want to try to get some nursing in, a shield may help. A LC or LLL Leader might be able to help you get her sucking more. At only a week old, you certainly aren't committed to any path and EP-ing can be a hard road. Good luck!

[egoldber]

The thing is EPing is really, really hard. And it is also hard to maintain supply long term.

[tnrnchick74]

The thing is EPing is really, really hard. And it is also hard to maintain supply long term.

I'm sure the OP understands this. None of us should question HER decision to EP. We should be supporting her and encouraging her to WHATEVER feeding decision SHE makes. YOU may make another decision, but that is not necessarily what is best for her.

[egoldber]

I'm sure the OP understands this. None of us should question HER decision to EP. We should be supporting her and encouraging her to WHATEVER feeding decision SHE makes. YOU may make another decision, but that is not necessarily what is best for her.

OK, not sure where that came from? Maybe she knows that, maybe she doesn't. If she has never EP'd long term and not had time to research it, then maybe its new information.

IMO it never hurts to offer information. The OP can take that information and use it however she sees fit. I fail to see how that is questioning anyone's decision. If she had come on and said "I am choosing to EP and that's my decision and I have no interest in putting DD to the breast" then I would accept her decision as best for her and her family. But the OP did not say that (or at least not anywhere that I have read) and is considering the suggestion of a nipple shield, so apparently direct breastfeeding is still a consideration for her.

[tnrnchick74]

Maybe I'm just a little sensitive, and I've seen it on this board many times of people being criticized for their decision (especially when its NOT to BF). I read her post and saw the statement "I'm fine with pumping and it's taken me a long time (and a lot of tears!) to realize that and to realize that that's not the end of the world." and take that as she HAS made a decision and it was a particularly difficult decision.

All I'm saying is that the OP needs support to EP. I'm assuming by now she understands how difficult it is. I also know how much guilt some people have regarding breastfeeding and I try very hard to support ANY decision a mom makes...even if its not what I personally will/would choose.

So, I'm not trying to attack anyone. I'm just gently saying to make sure that we DO support her no matter what feeding choice she makes. There is nothing wrong with EP, allowing baby to comfort him/herself at breast, BF, EBF, extended BF, or even totally bottle feeding formula.

[o_mom]

I'm assuming by now she understands how difficult it is.


At one week old, most people have no idea what is in store for long-term EP-ing. Pumping enough for a 7 lb newborn is a completely different situation than being able to supply the needs of a 6-8 mo. I don't know what the OP's situation was with her first DC, so I really don't know if she has this experience. It may seem easy the first few weeks to pump a few times a day and have enough, but most people I know IRL give up EP-ing within a few months.

Just because she is OK with pumping doesn't mean she isn't open to nursing her baby. Beth's suggestion that she try to re-establish that relationship or pointing out the drawbacks of EP-ing is not being unsupportive or guilting.

[egoldber]

I'm just gently saying to make sure that we DO support her no matter what feeding choice she makes. There is nothing wrong with EP, allowing baby to comfort him/herself at breast, BF, EBF, extended BF, or even totally bottle feeding formula.

I can assure you that pretty much no one here is trying to be unsupportive. But the unfortunate truth is that many, many people make feeding decisions based on a lack of accurate information. There is a LOT of really, really bad breastfeeding information out there, a lot of it propagated by doctors, nurses and hospitals.

As someone who supplemented and eventually formula fed my first child, I realize formula has a time and place. But until we live in a world where accurate and unbiased breastfeeding information is available, I don't think its inappropriate to offer someone infortmation that they may or may not realize.