A general rule of thumb is that a baby needs 2 - 2.5 oz of breast milk or formula per pound of weight. Allowing baby less than that with a specified goal of keeping baby under the 50th percentile on the weight charts is terrible, since underfeeding can cause failure to thrive, which can be deadly. Of course, babies also need to eat adequately to promote healthy brain development and physical development.

Re: the OP's issue, 4 oz every 4 hours round the clock would be adequate for a baby weighing 10 - 12lbs. 4 oz every 4 hours for 4 feeds during the day and nothing at night would only be adequate for a baby weighing 6.4 - 8lbs, and would be inadequate for a 14 week old unless the baby was a premie who was only about 2 - 3 weeks adjusted age.

I just want to say that we're only getting one side of the story here. Always worth remembering before we go condemning anyone.

Uh, babies are supposed to be fat.

Anonymous wrote:This just makes me so sad.
I can tolerate many, many kinds of parenting and child-rearing philosophies - even ones I truly disagree agree with. But this story is just terrible. Best wishes on finding a new job, OP. And best wishes for that poor baby.

This story may be upsetting but terrible, no. This might be one of those examples of "first world problems".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MB asked me not to feed the baby so much, because she couldn't produce milk and disnt want a 'fat formula baby'. The baby would scream from hunger all day long, and it's very sad but I had to sneak in extra food! She was home on materniry leave but hid in her room all day 'pumping'. I didn't see her for the 10hrs I was at the house, and she didn't even know her own baby because they had a night nurse. I didn't feel bad feeding the baby without her consent, because my MB is anorexic and doesn't eat. How would she know how to feed a baby? When she would complain about not making milk, I so wanted to tell her "maybe if you ate food you could breast feed"

Most breastfed babies get chunky, breast milk has a much higher fat content.

Untrue. If anything, formula-fed babies are chunkier.

It really just depends on the baby. I've seen chunky breastfed babies and chunky formula fed babies..

I was breast-fed exclusively for one year (not even solids -- crazy, I know) and was so fucking fat that you could roll me across the floor.

I'm slim as an adult.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MB asked me not to feed the baby so much, because she couldn't produce milk and disnt want a 'fat formula baby'. The baby would scream from hunger all day long, and it's very sad but I had to sneak in extra food! She was home on materniry leave but hid in her room all day 'pumping'. I didn't see her for the 10hrs I was at the house, and she didn't even know her own baby because they had a night nurse. I didn't feel bad feeding the baby without her consent, because my MB is anorexic and doesn't eat. How would she know how to feed a baby? When she would complain about not making milk, I so wanted to tell her "maybe if you ate food you could breast feed"

Most breastfed babies get chunky, breast milk has a much higher fat content.

Untrue. If anything, formula-fed babies are chunkier.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My last day is Friday, their family will take care of him until they find a replacement. I don't know the name of his pediatrician, when i asked for it they gave me a odd look and i mentioned i always get the pediatricians name in case of emergency but they started i don't need it. If an emergency occurs they will handle it. To the poster who suggested i sneak more food they only leave x amount of breast milk for the day and no way would i pick a formula and give that since babies can have allergies and i don't want to get him sick.

You've done the right thing.

+1

Horrific.

Are they from another country by any chance? I have NEVER heard of parents not leaving the ped's name and number with their nanny, and I've known some terrible MBs and DBs!

This just makes me so sad.
I can tolerate many, many kinds of parenting and child-rearing philosophies - even ones I truly disagree agree with. But this story is just terrible. Best wishes on finding a new job, OP. And best wishes for that poor baby.

The parents sound really nuts.

Anonymous wrote:My last day is Friday, their family will take care of him until they find a replacement. I don't know the name of his pediatrician, when i asked for it they gave me a odd look and i mentioned i always get the pediatricians name in case of emergency but they started i don't need it. If an emergency occurs they will handle it. To the poster who suggested i sneak more food they only leave x amount of breast milk for the day and no way would i pick a formula and give that since babies can have allergies and i don't want to get him sick.

You've done the right thing.