Generally, when parents are concerned about weight in breastfed babies, it’s with regards to not gaining enough rather than gaining too much. However, one mother asked the question today in the forums whether or not it was possible that a baby could gain too much weight while breastfeeding.
The short answer is no. Your baby and your body work together in a truly remarkable way and generally speaking, it is impossible to over feed your baby.
Your body is able to produce exactly the right amount of milk with the right amount of calories in it for your babies. Studies that have looked at moms who have had preemies, show that their milk is actually higher in caloric content and fats than is a mother who had a full term baby. Preemies need more calories and fat and somehow, the body knows that.
Your baby breastfeeds instinctively. It is instinctive not to over feed but to feed until full. It’s also instinctive to suck hard when he’s really hungry (which will yield more calorie dense hind milk) and to suck lightly when he’s thirsty or for comfort. Something I always tell mothers who are concerned with weight gain is that healthy babies don’t starve themselves. Likewise, healthy babies don’t stuff themselves either. Feed on demand and if your baby has rolls and rolls of fat, take lots of pictures!
Excessive Weight Gain
I said it was impossible for babies to gain too much weight by being overfed on breast milk. I didn’t say it was impossible for babies to gain too much weight–it’s just that breastfeeding is not the cause. The trick however, is defining what ‘excessive’ means. The average baby gains about one pound per month for the first six months.
There are a variety of indicators that weight gain is off, and the picture has to be looked at as a whole. The baby’s pediatrician may be concerned if my baby gains more than one pound per month, but maybe not so concerned about yours depending on the presence or absence of other factors.
I always say that mother’s intuition is best. If you are concerned about your baby gaining too much weight, you should ask your pediatrician about it. But chances are good, that your baby simply has a healthy appetite and everything is just fine.