Breast milk digests much faster than formula so breastfed babies typically don't "sleep thru the night" like formula babies. It's very common for breastfed babies to night nurse through their entire first year of life. This is normal and parents shouldn't be shamed for how well their child sleeps "thru the night." We weren't wired that way to begin with (from a survival standpoint.) Anyways...
Pace feeding is CRUCIAL in breastfed babies so their body has time to tell their mind they are full (this can take up to 20 mins!) Babies who overeat typically show the same signs of hunger...crying from pain (too full, rather than enpty) and inconsolable. They know they have a belly ache but not why (too full.) Therefore, they can be willing to take another bottle of milk, thinking the belly pains are from being hungry. This leads to a stretched out stomach and makes for a bad cycle of eating too much.
If baby is fed from the breast at home and only gets a bottle at daycare and the bottles haven't been pace fed, chances are the stomach is already stretched a little. It might take a couple weeks of pace feeding and being a little fussy afterwards to help shrink the stomach back to its appropriate size. Since breast milk changes in macros and calories, the 1 to 1.5 oz per hour rule stands on good measure.
As a "crunchy" mom (who is still nursing my 19 month old) it was also important to me that my daughter did not get any "supplementing" for the first year as well (I won't go into all the 'whys' because a mother's wishes should be respected no matter why (as long as no harm is done.)) As long as baby is growing properly and having adequate diapers there is no need to supplement. I trusted my body that it would do what it was made to do...I think we forget what our bodies are meant for and just how capable and amazing they are.

Reply