How to recognize the symptoms of baby overfeeding
It is completely natural for newborn babies to breastfeed all the time. Even if they are full, babies will continually ask to be fed from time to time. Because of this, some mothers find it very difficult to know when to continue or stop breastfeeding.
However, this is a trait that all new mothers need to develop, as overfeeding their babies can lead to a host of problems. So if you need help, here are some of the most common baby overfeeding symptoms to look out for in your babies.
One of the most obvious symptoms of a baby’s overfeeding is an unusually frequent bowel movement. Babies a month or older normally have a bowel movement twice a day. Those who do it more frequently than this could be overfed. Some overweight babies may have six or more bowel movements a day. Aside from that, green, watery, explosive stools are also very common signs of overeating.
Naturally, an overfed baby tends to be overweight. Normally, babies can gain one pound of body weight per week. Gaining weight beyond this can be a possible sign of overeating. So keep this in mind every time you go for a routine checkup. Or better yet, get in the habit of checking your baby’s weight at home as often as possible.
The mother’s milk supply can also be used as an indicator of whether or not the baby is overfed. Mothers with too large a milk supply are very likely to overfeed their babies. These mothers often have a very strong milk ejection reflex and may express milk in larger amounts than normal. This can cause the baby to choke and swallow air, which can eventually lead to stomachaches and colic. A good way to test for oversupply of milk is to express milk with a breast pump. However, the type of breast pump used and the time of day the milk is taken can greatly affect the volume expressed.
Frequent crying and short temper are also common symptoms of baby overfeeding. An overfed baby is usually cranky and will gain weight steadily over a very short period of time. They are also very irritable and may have trouble sleeping. Babies normally love to be breastfed by their mothers. However, overfeeding can be very unpleasant for babies. So be very mindful of your baby’s attitude when she breastfeeds. If you continue to ignore these signs of baby overfeeding, your baby may spend less and less time nursing and will only breastfeed when she is very hungry. Babies who reach this stage can become dangerously dehydrated and can lose weight drastically. As a result, mothers may be forced to wean their children at a very young age.
One of the best ways to avoid overfeeding your baby is to simply reduce your milk supply. However, it is very important to do it very gradually. You can start by breastfeeding your baby with only one breast per feeding session.
Feeding the baby only one breast per feeding session gives him more hindmilk. Hind milk is the last milk to come out of the mother’s breast, which is very high in fat and calories. Reducing the amount of milk per feeding session also prevents bloating and colic. In this way, the milk passes through the baby’s digestive system at a regular rate and most of the nutrients are absorbed by the body.
If the method mentioned above does not work, you can further reduce the feeding amounts. No matter how often your baby asks to be fed, she should only feed him once every three hours. But first, make sure your baby has been diagnosed by a certified medical professional as an overweight and overfed baby before adapting this type of routine.