overfeeding and spitting up

[@llli*dame]

When I started breast feeding my daughter two months ago the general advice was not to worry about her eating too much because she would stop when she got enough.

However I think that I have raised a glutton.

I'm not sure how much she weighs, but she looks as if she has grown a lot in the last few weeks. Also she spits up very often and I wonder if she takes in more than she can hold.

I think have a hard time telling when she is hungry as most of the hunger signs we are told to look for are also primitive reflexes.

[@llli*carm3]

I've gotten the good advice "you can't overfeed a breastfed baby" from several people -my doctor, my LLL leader, my mother, etc. And in my experience, there's nothing wrong with offering to feed whenever you think baby might want it. They nurse for reasons other than food, right? comfort, to go to sleep, etc.

It is also normal for breastfed babies to gain rapidly in the beginning, and then taper off around 6 months as they become more active. Spit-up is not a problem as long as baby is gaining weight and is not in distress during the spitting up.

My baby has been a fast gainer too- when people make comments about her being so chubby, I just smile and say she's enjoying being fat while it's really cute to be that way

[@llli*mommal]

You haven't raised a glutton. As the PP said, babies seek the breast for the most natural of reasons- because they are hungry, because they are tired, hurting, needful of reassurance, cold, sleepy, scared... This is just nature's design for human infants. It's why human milk is relatively high in sugar and low in protein and fat compared to the milk of animals who nurse only a few times a day- our babies are designed to feed frequently.

Growing a lot is normal during infancy. And it tends to happen in spurts- all of a sudden you realize your LO has outgrown all of her clothes. But again, as the PP mentioned, growth will start to level off at around 4-6 months.

The spit-up is normal and not a sign of overfeeding. It's more a symptom of baby having relatively weak muscle tone in the sphincters which keep stomach contents down in the stomach. Like all of a baby's muscles, those sphincters are fairly weak when the baby is born. But they will get stronger with time and spitting will likely decrease a lot once your baby spends more time sitting upright (babies usually master getting into a sitting position around 6 months- some will master it much earlier, some will do it later).

Don't worry about hunger signs. If you're ever in doubt about whether or not your baby is hungry, just nurse her! If she doesn't need to eat, she won't. Or she'll take a few sips and then be done. It's far better to nurse more often than baby needs than less often.

Mama, what is your primary concern? That you're nursing her too often? That she'll get fat? That you're hurting her development in some way by nursing on demand? Because none of these things are things you should worry about.

[@llli*dame]

I suppose my primary concern is that she has reflux and nurses to deal with the symptoms. Or that some other need she has in not being met.

And I do worry about her gaining too much too fast or developing bad eating habits.

[@llli*carm3]

Your two month old is not developing bad eating habits. She is growing faster than she will at any other time in her life, and that takes a lot of calories. Breastmilk is digested verty quickly, and babies have tiny tummies, so it makes sense that they need to eat often! And by nursing her on demand, you are meeting her every need for food, shelter, love, warmth, comfort, etc. As long as she's also got a dry diaper, you're doing great!

[@llli*orisue]

You haven't raised a glutton. As the PP said, babies seek the breast for the most natural of reasons- because they are hungry, because they are tired, hurting, needful of reassurance, cold, sleepy, scared... This is just nature's design for human infants. It's why human milk is relatively high in sugar and low in protein and fat compared to the milk of animals who nurse only a few times a day- our babies are designed to feed frequently.

Growing a lot is normal during infancy. And it tends to happen in spurts- all of a sudden you realize your LO has outgrown all of her clothes. But again, as the PP mentioned, growth will start to level off at around 4-6 months.

The spit-up is normal and not a sign of overfeeding. It's more a symptom of baby having relatively weak muscle tone in the sphincters which keep stomach contents down in the stomach. Like all of a baby's muscles, those sphincters are fairly weak when the baby is born. But they will get stronger with time and spitting will likely decrease a lot once your baby spends more time sitting upright (babies usually master getting into a sitting position around 6 months- some will master it much earlier, some will do it later).

Don't worry about hunger signs. If you're ever in doubt about whether or not your baby is hungry, just nurse her! If she doesn't need to eat, she won't. Or she'll take a few sips and then be done. It's far better to nurse more often than baby needs than less often.

Mama, what is your primary concern? That you're nursing her too often? That she'll get fat? That you're hurting her development in some way by nursing on demand? Because none of these things are things you should worry about.

Couldn't agree more.

[@llli*sassypants]

Are you nursing on both sides per feeding?

When DS was that age he spit up huge amounts and I eventually figured out that it was because I was essentially forcing him to nurse on both breasts, becasue that is what the "experts" said I should be doing. I had literature saying that by such-and-such an age your infant should be nursing on both breasts per feeding. Once I started paying attention to him, instead of the literature, and let him eat and comfort nurse all on one side, his spit up lessened considerably. I was one of those women who always made a lot of milk and NEVER needed to offer both breasts in one nursing session.

I am not saying this is like you, but something to think about.

[@llli*maddieb]

sassypants raises a good point. This is a good explanation of why following baby’s cues-not only about when to nurse, but how long and whether or not to switch sides- rather than some ones preconceived ‘rules’ is so important.

Some breastfed babies are very rapid gainers early on. It is fine and normal and not developing any bad habits. most babies spit up, some a lot. This is considered normal. If baby has reflux and nursing sooths baby, that is good, right? You want baby to be soothed.

As mommal explained, breastfeeding is really about so much more than eating, and even the 'eating' part of it is so very different than eating solid foods. And babies are so very different than children, and a two year olds normal eating habits will be very different than a 6 year olds, which is very different than a 16 year olds. As long as your baby or child is doing what is developmentally normal for their stage in development, you can be sure all is fine in that regard. And your baby is.


I had oversupply with all my kids, they also had reflux, and they all gained rapidly in the first several months and my middle son, in particular, was quite a chunker as a baby. One is still a baby but my two oldest are school age now and healthy, strong boys who eat 'normally' and are not in any way overweight.

[@llli*mommal]

even the 'eating' part of it is so very different than eating solid foods. And babies are so very different than children, and a two year olds normal eating habits will be very different than a 6 year olds, which is very different than a 16 year olds. As long as your baby or child is doing what is developmentally normal for their stage in development, you can be sure all is fine in that regard. And your baby is.

Exactly. Would it be healthy for an adult to eat 12 times a day and gain 1-2 lbs (or more) per month? No. But that is healthy for a young baby. Let your baby be a baby, and don't worry about "habits" at this point. There is nothing constant about the first year except that your baby will change all the time.

[@llli*1happymomof2boys]

I suppose my primary concern is that she has reflux and nurses to deal with the symptoms. Or that some other need she has in not being met.

And I do worry about her gaining too much too fast or developing bad eating habits.

What you are describing doesn't really sound like reflux (my oldest had GERD). If it were GERD, she wouldn't be gaining weight, and what comes out of her mouth would not dribble, it would pour and it would do it rather more forcefully than what you are describing. And she would tend to cry or complain when she spits up.

There are other symptoms that would indicate GERD (arching away from you during nursing, showing signs that she is in pain or having some discomfort).

Unless you are seeing some of these things, I wouldn't worry about reflux. Regular spit-up can make you think that more liquid is coming out than what is actually there.