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concerned about overfeeding

kalmte214kalmte214 member
in Breastfeeding
In 3 weeks, I'll be going back to work full time (DS will be 9 weeks).  He breastfeeds frequently at home.  We've introduced the bottle, and he has had no problem accepting the bottle or switching between bottle and breast.

I'm really worried that he'll overeat/be overfed.  We're doing a "dry run" today--I'm pumping, DH is giving him bottles--to get a feel for how much milk he'll need when I do go back to work.  So far, he has continued to give hunger cues, regardless of how much milk he has consumed. 

Will he stop eating when full? I don't want to control or schedule how much and when he eats.
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Re: concerned about overfeeding

  • kalmte214kalmte214 member
    Tongue thrusting and rooting.

    We offered the pacifier after 3 ounces this morning, but he spits it out (he very rarely takes one in general).

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  • kalmte214kalmte214 member
    casey78 said:
    Have you read up on paced bottle feeding? Kellymom has a good handout. Basically, you need to use a very slow flow nipple and made baby work for that milk. If the milk comes too easily, baby's brain might not get the signal that the tummy is full -- or he may just keep sucking because that's what he's used to doing.
    Yes, we have and have been doing this.

    I'm wondering if he's just unhappy because he's used to being able to suck anytime and as long as he wants (for hunger, for comfort, for sleep, etc).
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  • mommatotwo2mommatotwo2 member
    It will take a little while for baby to adjust, and while it's a good idea to do the practice run, baby is going to want to nurse on demand if you are nearby. General rule of thumb is an ounce per hour for an EBF baby, sometimes a little more if baby is sleeping through the night. Total average is 25 oz per day. When my LO first started daycare, she was eating about 16 oz in a 10.5-11 hour day and I couldn't keep up. I realized she was getting her fourth bottle (they were 4 oz each) within 20 minutes of me picking her up, several times she was even having a bottle when I got there, which was completely silly, since I'd be full and ready to nurse at that point.  So I asked them to hold off her bottle if it was going to happen within a half  hour of the days end. That 4th bottle was used as an "emergency bottle", if I were stuck in traffic or something. After some time went by and she'd never been using that 4 oz bottle, I'd send her with a 2 oz emergency bottle. Then, after we'd added solids at 6 months, she never took that extra bottle, so we stopped sending it. She took three, 4 oz bottles for months, she dropped her own 3rd feeding around 9 months, and I was only gone about 9.5-10 hours. at that point, so I just increased the bottles to 5 oz and so she got 10 oz in 10 hours. I nursed very last thing before leaving for work in the morning, and then as soon as we got home, before bed, and until 10 months, once or twice in the middle of the night. Good luck, a lot of it is just trial and error and seeing what works best for baby and for you.
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  • sarahandeddiejune212008sarahandeddiejune212008 member
    My first DD took three 3oz bottles from 9weeks - 8 months. I was gone for about 9 hours a day. I made sure to feed her right before I left and I nursed her as soon as I got home. When she was 11 months she switched to two 4oz bottles (I was on summer break from 8 months - 11 months).
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