breast feeding - scheduled vs demand

[mtb999]

Hi!  I've been reading a few books given to me by friends/relatives and I'm uncertain whether to breast feed on demand (which has been suggested by the midwifes in the hospital I will be delivering at) or to try to schedule feeds (I'm not suggesting strict 4 hourly - but more 3 hourly feeds and try to eventually increase the time between late evening feeds and wee hours of the morning feeds, similar to Gina Ford's program.

What experiences have you had and suggestions do you have?

Thanks!

[nhockaday]

I'm afraid if you plan to do it a certain way, you will find that you just need to be flexible. You can plan on feeding every 2-3 hours (which is what younger babies need. If she sleeps a lot, you must make sure to wake her), but you will find that sometimes your baby wants milk before a scheduled feed. So unless you want a fussy baby, you need to just feed her when she wants it.

Trust me, early on you just need to feed, feed, feed. After a few months, when feedings have slowed down a little , you can schedule feedings.

[Kyles Mom]

i totally agree nhockaday... you will have to feed as much as you can first few weeks and one thing you should really look out for is latching, which will keep your milk supply up too!
and after 2-3 months or so you wouldnt be feeding so much, but still I won't suggest the on schedule one cos it drives mothers and babies crazy. The baby is the boss when they arrive at home so forget all your plans and do what he orders!!! really, nothing goes as planned when they are around!

Here is a related article from Dr.Spocks website

Ask Dr. Jana

Breastfeeding: On Demand or on a Schedule
QUESTION
Which is better, to breastfeed on demand or on a schedule?

— Becky in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
ANSWER   
June 8, 2000
There is no "right" answer to your question, since even the experts debate over whether feeding schedules are appropriate. If you learn to recognize the difference between a demand for attention or comfort and a demand to nurse, most babies will establish very healthy eating patterns on their own, and imposing rigid feeding schedules can be dangerous to your child's health.

In the first several weeks of life, I am a firm believer that babies should be allowed to nurse frequently and not kept to any particular schedule so that breastfeeding and your milk supply can be well-established. Many mothers are given a false impression in the hospital that a baby functions according to the nursery schedule of being fed every 2-3 hours. In reality, it is normal for a baby to nurse 10-12 times or more in a 24 hour period. Frequent nursing is beneficial in triggering the shift from producing colostrum to making mature milk.

After the first few weeks of life, when breastfeeding is well established and your baby is gaining weight well, I think it is perfectly reasonable to try and establish some semblance of a feeding routine based on your baby's cues. You can try to influence your baby's eating habits (within reason) by making sure that you aren't nursing every time your baby fusses. For example, wait 10-15 minutes before nursing to see if your baby can go back to sleep or be calmed down if its only been an hour since the last feeding.

— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.

[Kimba15]

I have to agree with nhockday, feed when your baby is hungry, and you might be wanting to feed her/him as well just to get some relief for yourself.

Babies have been constantly feed by the placenta when they are in the womb and they will need to feed more often when they come out. As time goes on you wont need to feed on demand so much and you can implement a schedule.

Also with breast feeding its not easy, so get as much help from the midwives in the hospital as you can and then afterwards at cafs or through your home visits.

Kimba15

[rose08]

Hi,
I breastfed my baby on demand and found it was good for me and my baby. When they are younger they need more feeds and as breastmilk is digested quite easily they will need feeding more frequently than formula fed babies. Feeding on demand means that your milk supply will regulate itself to the amount of milk your baby needs so that you know your baby is getting enough. As your child gets older, depending on how long you plan to breastfeed, it is easier to get a bit of a routine worked out. You will probably find that your baby settles into a 3-4hourly routine by themselves.

I found the hardest time to feed on demand was when travelling in the car.  I found that when my daughter was younger she 'always' wanted a feed just after i started the car. If i didnt feed her she would scream and so i had to pull over and feed her until SHE decided she was finished. Not particularly good if i was travelling by myself on country roads in the middle of the night.

But which ever option you choose if you need any info on breastfeeding i know that www.breastfeeding.asn.au is a good website.

Best of luck with your delivery

[joyMegha]

Feeding on demand would be the right way because they are the boss ; let them drive as they decide and generally their instincts turn out to be right (unless they are under excessive medication -  as it happened when my 18-week baby was on antibiotics and I found his appetite greatly increased).

So you have to make some sacrifice by obeying when he demands. That would be the right approach I'd  say by my experience.

All the best.

[patience]

I fed my son on demand and for me that was the best way to go. I have a few friends who are lactation consultants and although I figured this was the only way to go, their explanation of why to feed on demand helped. My son from the moment he was born latched on and nursed for an hour. He continued with many frequent feeding for a long time and eventually settled into his own schedule after a while.

Hope this helps and just make sure whatever you decide feels right to you:)

[Kappasweet]

It is not proper to breastfeed on a schedule.  It could pretty easily result in a lower supply of breastmilk for baby, and a greater likelihood of having to supplement with formula to accomodate growth spurts, etc.  We are on month 13 and going strong, of course as your baby gets older and incorporates solids feedings can settle into a schedule.  But those first 6 months or so, the breast should be available for baby whenever s/he is hungry/thirsty.

[Kappasweet]

I also wanted to add, there is a baby feeding behavior called 'cluster feeding' that basically all breastfed babies do.  They do this to increase your supply, as well as accomodate early growth spurts.  It is not a problem, is not pathological, and does not mean you have a supply problem or your baby is not getting enough.  All babies do it, you may be feeding in clusters, so schedules are not a good idea.  Definitely leave schedules for after solids feedings start.

[ishhh]

It should be on demand.

[sush]

hey dear one should feed the baby when it demands.. i totally believe in this as many elders suggested me this and i m doing the same..

[NMY]

I also think that it should be on demand, however, my gal, when she was very young that time she easily fell into asleep when having the breat feeding.  She was fed very little then sleeping, thus the supply is not enough from me.  Later I pumped out so as to maintain the supply of the milk being enough for her.

[oohmama]

i breast feed on demand, it was more frequent when she was jz a few months old but now that she's started solid feeding, id say its around 4 hr intervals. but sometimes i think she jz likes to bf/play even she's not that hungry,she shifts frm one breast to the other & then back again.

[KUAngie]

On demand at the beginning. As they get older 3-6 mo, and they have more of a sleeping schedule, they fall into a feeding schedule too.

My baby cluster fed in the evenings for awhile too.

Another great resourse is kellymom.com

Angie

[THen]

Ooooh, I feel out of place.      I breastfed on a loose schedule.   
At the beginning it was closer to 2 1/2 hrs. I think.  But for me, it made my babies happy, and my life a lot easier.  All but my first baby (he didn't have that rooting reflex) latched on well and fed well.  At the beginning, I did have to help one of mine stay awake for a full feeding, but then we were good for 2.5 to 3 hrs.  I'm not saying don't feed the baby if he/she is hungry.  No way!  But when my babies were used to the feed-play-sleep, feed-play-sleep pattern, it helped me know what my baby wanted and expected.  If he cried and I knew he'd eaten recently, I would think more on the lines of, "Does he need a diaper change?  Does he have gas?  Maybe he is just bored." If it was close to his usual time to sleep, I knew he was tired and wanted to go to bed.  One of my babies, unlike the others, didn't have those distict cries that let me know, "Oh, he's wet," or "Oh, he's hungry." So, the schedule helped a lot.  (By the way, have you heard of Dustan Baby Language?)

I'm not talking about a strict schedule, and you know, if the baby is teething or isn't feeling well, I was all for letting him suck just for the comfort of it. 
But, my babies, being creatures of habit, having a loose pattern helped our family.  The babies knew what to expect (babies are sooooo smart) and I think they were secure in having a "schedule." 

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