Overfeeding a newborn

Is that even possible? Don't they eat when they're hungry and stop when they're full? My baby's nurse just came to my room and when I told her she had eaten again she told me I shouldn't have fed her again. But I could tell she was hungry so I fed her anyways. The nurse said she probably wanted to suck, but I tried the paci first and she would spit it out. This isn't my first baby, I knew what she wanted. Would she have eaten that second bottle (an hour and a half after her first) if she wasn't hungry? What did the nurse expect me to do? Let her cry? I don't think so. Did you feed your newborn only every 3 or 4 hours, or just whenever they were hungry?

All my Drs and nurses stated MANY times to feed on demand.  They still send home papers every checkup saying to feed on demand.  I would ignore that nurse.  If they aren't hungry they won't eat.

 I agree, they won't eat if they're not hungry. ♥

That's what I thought, but she came in and got an attitude with me like I was wrong. I just had to see what the IG ladies had to say about it

 Kinley will do the same thing and I also worried about over feeding her, but then I figured if she takes the bottle and doesn't spit it back up then she must have been hungry. Oh and I also had one of the nurses at the hospital get snotty with me about feeding her when she was hungry after 2hrs instead of making her wait 3 to 4 hrs, I've always let my babies eat on demand. Like you I'm not about to just sit there and let them cry and starve.

As I always breastfeed I don't know how it is with a bottle... Every time my girls would cry I would offer to nurse until they get into a schedule. Newborns can't have a schedule though but I think you should keep track of how many ounces / feeding she's getting - just to make sure she's not being under/overfed.

Some nurses annoy me. Babies are people, and have needs and wants; they aren't robots that conform to a perfect schedule every day. Hell, I could eat a 3 course meal and STILL be hungry an hour later. It all depends.

I feed Reina when she cries for it, and then stop when she's done sucking. She'll spit out the nipple and scream if food wasn't on her mind.

Keep doing what you're doing: following your instincts.

Rein&Sonshines:

Some nurses annoy me. Babies are people, and have needs and wants; they aren't robots that conform to a perfect schedule every day

Most of the nurses she's had have been great, but the one today was just down right rude. When she came in a minute ago to pick up Aryanna she saw an empty bottle on the table and said "oh, you fed her again?" Like I shouldn't have, but it was 3 hours since she ate last and she was obviously hungry because she took the full 2 oz. I guess that nurse just judged me by how I looked and figured I didn't know what I was doing or shouldn't have a baby...I don't know. I'm glad she's gone now though.

Rein&Sonshines:

Keep doing what you're doing: following your instincts.

That's what I'm doing. Nobody is going to know my baby better than me, or tell me what I'm doing is wrong when it's obviously not.

brazilian_mommy:

Newborns can't have a schedule though but I think you should keep track of how many ounces / feeding she's getting - just to make sure she's not being under/overfed.

Before this evening she was content with 2oz every 3-4 hours, I made sure I wrote it down or I'd forget the last time she ate

Wanting~&~Waiting~4Pink:

Oh and I also had one of the nurses at the hospital get snotty with me about feeding her when she was hungry after 2hrs instead of making her wait 3 to 4 hrs,

You think out of all people they would be the ones to know if the baby is hungry...the baby is hungry. It's not like I stick a bottle in her mouth every time she cries/fusses/frowns. I tried other things first, and when they didn't work then I fed her. Some people just need to learn how to keep their opinions to themselves, especially people who work serving other people.

 She might have a fast motabolism too, and require a bit more milk to keep her content.Does it seem to go through her system quickly? If not, then her body might just need it to help get her through a little spurt. They grow so fast around this time. Not every child is going to eat the same amount at the same time span... it's up to you, who's watching her and annalyzing her and keeping up with her.. to figure out how much SHE needs- not up to a nurse who pops in every once in a while.

I didn't have any snotty nurses during labor or afterwards, thankfully. Nobody has ever tried questioning my parenting...lmao...but I also wouldn't let them take her out of the room and outta my sight either. My mom warned one when they brought her back in after giving her her shots and testing in the middle of the night that they better take the binky out of the babes mouth before I noticed it and got upset because at the time I didn't want nipple confusion between my breast and a binkie.

 No disrespect to nurses, because they work VERY hard and are often underappreciated...but I've had some bad experiences with snotty nurses in hospital too.  Definitely trust your mother instinct and ignore her.