When your baby was on formula or breast milk, the advice was to feed him on demand and stop when he showed signs of fullness. You were unlikely to overfeed your baby if you listened to his cues.
But what happens when your baby starts eating solid food: is it possible to overfeed him? The short answer is: yes, if you ignore his cues and are not offering the right foods.
Here’s some advice on how to prevent overfeeding your baby:
- Look out for cues and stop feeding your baby when he is full.
- Feed your baby solids on schedule, not on demand.
- Know what baby should be eating and the recommended portion sizes
Related: Help Your Baby Develop
1. Look Out for Cues and Stop Feeding When Baby's Full
Your little one will know how much food he wants. Do not force your child to eat if he is not hungry or interested—he does not need to finish everything on the plate. Offer smaller portions of healthy food and let him choose how much to eat.
Don’t worry, your baby will eat up during the next meal if he is hungry, or ask for milk if he is still in the weaning stage.
Signs your baby is full
- Turning his face away
- Shaking his head
- Closing his mouth or refusing to open it when you offer food
- Spitting out food
- Appearing uninterested or distracted
Related: Nutrition for Your Toddler
2. Eat on Schedule, Not on Demand
Have a meal schedule for your baby once he’s started on solids. Set a time for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks and let your baby get used to the routine.
When you’re just introducing your little one to solids, you will still need to offer the bottle or breast on demand, but once you have made a complete switch to solids, stick to this schedule.
Related: Getting Ready for Solids
3. Know What Baby Should Be Eating and the Recommended Portion Sizes
For your toddler to obtain all the nutrients he needs, feed him a variety of food from the four main food groups in the correct portions.
Below is a guide to the food groups and how much of each your baby should be eating in a day.
Children 1 to 2 years old
Food groups | Recommended number of servings per day |
Brown rice and wholemeal bread | 2 — 3 |
Fruit | ½— 1 |
Vegetables | ½ |
Meat & Others
| ½ |
Dairy
| 1½
|
Fruit should not be used to replace vegetables in the diet or vice versa because they contain different types of nutrients.
For more information on what 1 serving of each food group means and sample daily meal plans, read Early Nutrition for Babies.
Remember, these are only recommendations—listen to your baby’s cues and you are likely to be on the right track. Good job, mummy and daddy!
Visit Parent Hub, for more useful tips and guides to give your baby a healthy start.
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FAQs
According to pediatric registered dietitian Nicole, it's difficult to overfeed a baby. For breastfed babies, overfeeding is rare since breastfed babies control the pace of sucking and feeding.
Is it possible to feed a baby too much? ›
When fed too much, a baby may also swallow air. This can produce gas, increase discomfort in the belly, and lead to crying. An overfed baby also may spit up more than usual and have loose stools. Although crying from discomfort is not colic, it can make crying more frequent and more intense in an already colicky baby.
How do I know if I am overfeeding my baby? ›
throwing up: This is one of the usual signs when a baby is overfed. They might vomit more frequently, which could eventually cause health issues. Feeling bloated and gassy: Bloating, cramps, and even diarrhea can result from overeating. This occurs particularly if the infant overindulges while drinking from the bottle.
Will babies stop eating when full? ›
Babies come with an incredibly sophisticated self-regulation system: When they're hungry, they eat, and when they're full, they stop. So when babies turn away from the bottle or breast and refuse to even consider another nip, they're telling you they're full.
How to tell when a baby is full? ›
Watch for signs that your baby is full (slowing down, spitting out the bottle or unlatching from breast, closing the mouth, turning away from the breast or bottle) and stop the feeding when these signs appear. As babies grow, they begin to eat more at each feeding and can go longer between feedings.
Is 6 oz too much for newborn? ›
During the first 2 weeks, babies will eat on average 1 - 2 oz at a time. By the end of the first month they eat about 4 oz at a time. By 2 months, increase to 6 oz per feed, and by 4 months, about 6-8 oz per feed. By 4 months, most babies are drinking about 32 oz in 24 hrs.
What causes overfeeding babies? ›
The most common cause of an overfed baby is a parent or caregiver misinterpreting a baby's hunger and fullness cues. When a baby has enough to eat, they turn away from the breast or bottle and do not want to suck. If a parent or caregiver coaxes the baby into eating more or finishing a bottle, overfeeding can occur.
How can I avoid overfeeding my baby? ›
How to prevent overfeeding your baby
- Check that your expectations of your baby's milk requirements are realistic. ...
- Check that your baby is not feeding too quickly. ...
- Follow a semi-demand feeding pattern to minimize the risk of misinterpreting his hunger cues.
Questions to ask when concerned about infant stools
Overfeeding can lead to gassiness, diarrhea, and high weight gain.
What if my baby still acts hungry after feeding? ›
If your baby seems hungry and all of their other needs are met, feed them, even if they have eaten recently. However, if they reject the breast or bottle, don't force it. Try something else to soothe them—and try feeding them again in a half-hour or hour.
Signs Your Baby is Full
Some signs that babies are done eating are: Baby releases or "falls off" your breast. Baby turns away from your nipple. Baby relaxes their body and opens their fists.
Is it possible to overfeed a bottle-fed baby? ›
Yes, it can be easier to accidentally overfeed a bottled-fed baby. This is because it's harder for them to control the speed that their milk flows through the bottle's teat as they feed.
How to tell if baby is overfed? ›
When fed too much, a baby may also swallow air. This can produce gas, increase discomfort in the belly, and lead to crying. An overfed baby also may spit up more than usual and have loose stools. Although crying from discomfort is not colic, it can make crying more frequent and more intense in an already colicky baby.
What are the signs of an underfed baby? ›
Your baby may have some of these symptoms:
- Poor sucking (does not feed well)
- Hard to feed.
- Vomiting or diarrhea.
- Sleeps too much or not enough.
- Fussiness.
- Weak cry.
- Loses weight or does not gain enough weight.
- Stiff or "floppy" muscles.
Your breasts will feel softer and less full as your milk supply adjusts to your baby's needs. This does not mean you have low supply.
Is it possible to overfeed while breastfeeding? ›
It is almost impossible to overfeed an infant while breastfeeding. Babies have a self-regulation system that tells them to eat when they're hungry, and to stop when they're full. Babies will tell you that they're full or hungry by turning towards the nipple (begging for more), or by turning away to signal they're full.
Can a baby be over hungry? ›
A breastfed baby tends to feed at least eight to 12 times in a 24-hour period and if they are fed whenever they show they're hungry (read about feeding cues below), they can't be overfed. At first, they often feed more at night than during the day.
Can you nurse a baby too much? ›
Do not worry about feeding your baby whenever either of you wants to. You cannot overfeed a breastfed baby, and your baby will not become spoiled or demanding if you feed them whenever they're hungry or need comfort.
