It is completely natural for a newborn baby to breastfeed all the time. Babies will ask for feedings every now and then, even when they are full. Because of this, some mothers find it difficult to tell when to continue or stop breastfeeding.
However, this is a trait all new mothers should develop, as overfeeding your baby can cause many problems. So if you need help, here are some of the most common overfeeding baby symptoms you should be aware of with your baby.
One of the most obvious symptoms of overfeeding in an infant is unusually frequent bowel movements. Babies who are one month old or older usually have two bowel movements a day. Those who are more frequent than this may overeat. Some overweight babies can have six or more bowel movements a day. In addition to this, green, watery and explosive stools are also common signs of overfeeding.
Naturally, overfed babies tend to be overweight. Typically, babies can gain up to one pound a week. Exceeding this weight can be a sign of overfeeding. Therefore, it is important to be very aware of this every time you have a routine doctor’s check-up. Or better yet, get into the habit of monitoring your baby’s weight at home as often as possible.
The mother’s breast milk supply can also be used as a measure of whether the baby is overfed. Mothers with too much breast milk are likely to overfeed their babies. These mothers often have a very strong milk ejection reflex and can express more milk than normal. This can cause the baby to vomit and swallow air, eventually causing stomach pain and colic. A good way to assess milk overproduction is to use a breast pump to pump the milk. However, the type of breast pump used and the time of day you are pumping can greatly affect the amount of milk you pump.
Frequent crying and tantrums are also common symptoms of overfed babies. Overfed babies are often grumpy and gain weight steadily over a short period of time. They are also very irritable and may have trouble falling asleep. Babies usually like to be looked after by their mothers. However, overfeeding can be very unpleasant for the baby. So be very careful about your baby’s attitude when breastfeeding. If you continue to ignore these symptoms of overfeeding your baby, your baby may spend less and less time breastfeeding, and will only do so when he or she becomes very hungry. Babies who reach this stage can be dangerously dehydrated and can lose weight dramatically. As a result, mothers may be forced to wean their babies at a very early age.
One of the best ways to prevent your baby from overfeeding is to reduce your breast milk supply. However, it is important to do this gradually. You can start feeding your baby with only one breastfeed at each feeding.
Breastfeeding your baby only once at each feeding will give him or her more hindmilk. Hindmilk is the last milk that comes out of a mother’s breast and contains a lot of fat and calories. Reducing the amount of milk per feeding can also prevent bloating and colic. This way, breast milk will pass through your baby’s digestive system at a normal rate, and most of the nutrients will be absorbed by the body.
If the above methods do not work, you can further reduce the amount of feeding. No matter how often your baby asks for feedings, you should feed your baby every three hours. But first, make sure your baby has been diagnosed as overweight and overfed by a certified medical professional before you get used to this type of routine.