Is it normal that my baby eats too much?

If our baby does not eat or seems to eat little, we are concerned; but if it eats a lot, is this also a problem? The excess is never good, but how do you know if the baby eats a lot?

Infants should eat on demand, whether they drink breast milk or formula milk. That is, every time the baby shows hunger, you should breastfeed or bottle feed it. This usually happens every 2 or 3 hours in the first months of life, spacing from 3 to 4 hours when the baby reaches 6 months, although it depends on each baby.  

Some babies can hold up to 3 hours between feedings from their very first days, while others demand food every hour and a half. Be that as it may, you must respect their needs. Of course, you should know when the baby is really hungry and when it only wants you to be closer to you. 

The main signs of hunger in a baby are: 

– Bite their fists or put them in their mouth 

– Look for the mom’s nipple with their mouth when they are close to the mom’s chest 

– Make movements with the mouth and tongue 

It is important that you lie the baby on your chest before it starts crying. Because when this happens, the bay will be already very hungry and will eat anxiously, which can make it feel bad or vomit. 

Bear in mind that not all feeding sections will have the same duration, since it will depend on the hunger or the energy of the baby at each time. If it seems that the baby is eating more than normal, but it keeps eating, do not take away the food, as this will only cause dissatisfaction and anxiety. 

It is possible that, when your baby starts with complementary feeding, you will feel that it eats eat much more, to such an extent that it seems excessive. It may be because and this period usually coincides with the development of motor skills: crawling, walking, running, etc. And, for this, the baby’s energy needs increases. It moves more, so it needs to eat more.  

As long as the baby’s growth is regular, there is no problem. But if it suddenly starts to gain a lot of weight, it is better to consult the paediatrician since your baby may be eating too much or very caloric and unhealthy foods. 

The baby diet must be based on nutritious and varied foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes and cereals. If your child eats a lot of these, it is unlikely to have a nutrition problem. But if it eats a lot of buns or chips, the diet will be poor in nutrients and can cause obesity. Check with your paediatrician.