Can You Overfeed a Breastfed Baby?

You have probably heard the saying before “you can't overfeed a breastfed baby!” but what does that even mean and is it true?

Firstly, we need to look at the statement in context: you can overfeed a baby with infant formula or even expressed breastmilk from a bottle. It is very important to accurately measure the water and powder when making up formula feeds. Too weak or too strong a ratio can have an impact on your baby’s health and nutrition. And paced bottle feeding is important whatever is inside the bottle - the infant needs time to register satisfaction without being pushed to empty the bottle, drink the last bit or avoid wasting the milk. You can easily overfeed a bottle fed baby by insisting they take more milk than they want.

So, this was the original context of the message about overfeeding. You can overfeed a bottle fed baby but you can't overfeed a breastfed baby.

It was also important for parents used to the strict four-hourly feeding routines of bottle feeding culture to understand. Breastfeeding was most successful when babies were “demand fed” rather than put to the breast on a schedule. Reassurance about not being able to overfeed a breastfed baby was needed when babies fed frequently and many more times than the suggested 6 times in 24 hours.

So you can't overfeed a breastfed baby by forcing them to finish the breast or feeding them frequently. A baby will regulate their feeding patterns according to need as they grow and develop. If they don’t want any more milk, they simply refuse to attach and feed.

So what about babies whose mothers have a fast flow or oversupply of breastmilk? Are they overfeeding their babies?

When milk surges quickly out of the breast in response to the let-down reflex, sometimes it is challenging for a newborn to manage. Coordinating the suck/swallow and breath pattern takes practice. Babies can cough and splutter as they learn, which is alarming o see. They can get frustrated and overwhelmed. Sometimes they even vomit up milk as their stomach reacts to rapid filling.

Read more: Chucky Babies

It is important to understand this is a very common response in a very young baby who is learning what to do with an abundant milk source. it is generally a short-term challenge for young babies which resolves itself as they grow. Responsive breastfeeding is especially important when your supply exceeds your baby’s demand: expecting babies to continue feeding until the breasts feels more comfortable, insisting they go to the second breast for relief when they have indicated satisfaction after the first, or pushing them to continue feeding because of a prescribed timetable will all lead to problems.

While your baby grows and gains more control over the milk coming out of your breast, try different feeding positions which keep them more upright or over the breast, allowing gravity to support them in regulating the flow. Accept there are times they will be very frustrated or annoyed by your fast flow and allow them to come off the breast while you catch the flowing milk in a cloth. Before you know it, this stage will pass and they will be much more relaxed while feeding.