Can you overfeed a breastfed baby?

Well, well, well, looks like someone's got a case of the "can you overfeed a breastfed baby" jitters! 

First things first, let's address the elephant in the room: yes, technically, you can overfeed a breastfed baby. It's like they say, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. But don't panic! It's very rare, and there are some telltale signs that your little milk monster is getting a little too much of a good thing.

So, how do you know whether you are overfeeding your bubba?

How to know when your baby is full?

Babies have a natural ability to self-regulate their intake when they are breastfed. Unlike bottle-fed babies, whereby the parent often does all of the feeding, breastfed babies are completely in tune with how much they want to eat on any given day of the week.

Here's 4 ways to recognise when your baby is full:

• Your baby turns their head away from the breast.
• Your baby closes their mouth or pushes the nipple away.
• Your baby falls asleep or becomes less interested in feeding.
• Your baby releases the breast on their own accord.

It's important to pay attention to these signs and not force your baby to continue feeding if they are showing signs of being full. When fed from the bottle, the tell-tale signs of an overfed baby are not as apparent as when feeding from the breast. So, if you are worried about overfeeding your breastfed baby, there is no need to panic too much as your baby will do a lot of the regulating for you.

4 signs your baby is being overfed.

Now, on the off chance that your little milk monster just doesn't know when to stop feeding, there are also some key signs to watch out for when monitoring how much food intake your baby is receiving. If you're worried about transforming from being a nurturing provider to a full-on dairy dispenser, here are 4 signs your bubba has had enough milk for one day: 

• Your baby is packing on the pounds faster than a sumo wrestler.
• Your baby is constantly burping or farting like a frat boy.
• Your baby is showing signs of discomfort.
• Your baby has loose, watery stools more than 5 times a day.

If any of these symptoms sound familiar, it's time to take a step back and reassess your feeding strategy. We all know how tempting it can be to use breastfeeding as a cure-all for every problem under the sun. But, sometimes your baby just needs a good burp or a clean diaper instead.

How to prevent overfeeding bubba?

For anyone who is still a little nervous about potentially overfeeding your breastfed baby, firstly, that's a perfectly normal response and you're not going crazy. Although you may think you're being a worry-wart, that's actually a good thing too!

To help ensure that you're totally comfortable with your first time breastfeeding venture, here are 5 easy ways to prevent overfeeding your baby when feeding from the breast:

• Only offer the breast on demand, when your baby is hungry.
• Look for cues such as sucking on hands or rooting before feeding.
• Don't use the breast as a pacifier to calm your baby down.
• Wait for your baby to finish feeding on one breast first.
• Pay attention to your baby's weight.

And remember, if all else fails, there's no shame in calling in reinforcements. Reach out to your paediatrician for some guidance and support. They've seen it all, and they're not judging.

Well, maybe a little bit. After all, they are doctors.

Happy feeding! 🤗