Breastfeed on demand or on schedule?

[mehmehsheep]

My baby is two weeks old and I intend to breastfeed her totally. Currently I breastfeed her on demand, whenever she feels hungry. When my sister heard this, she insisted that I should put my baby on a regular schedule. She boasts that her babies are disciplined and easy to take care of. (her babies are totally formula fed)

I would like to ask all mothers who bf totally if they feed on demand or schedule?

 

[Edwinie]

My baby is two weeks old and I intend to breastfeed her totally. Currently I breastfeed her on demand, whenever she feels hungry. When my sister heard this, she insisted that I should put my baby on a regular schedule. She boasts that her babies are disciplined and easy to take care of. (her babies are totally formula fed)

I would like to ask all mothers who bf totally if they feed on demand or schedule?

WHO and MOM recommends breastfeeding on demand.

For the first 2 weeks, my son woke up every 3 hourly to breastfeed. He was quite on time. But subsequently. he started to drink more often at irregular timings and irregular volumes (i pump out). It was tiring for all of us. I wanted to put him on schedule but I can't force him to drink more so that he can last longer (his mouth will shut tight or he will simply start playing) and I also didn't want him to cry too much just to wait for the next feeding time. Actually, I don't mind him cry. But my MIL and older generation do not like kids to cry as they are concern about them getting wind in their system. So it never worked for me. If you latch him, it will be difficult to tell the volume he has drunk.

To me, putting babies on schedule is just to suit our timing and remove the unpredictability of the behavior of babies so that we won't feel lost. There is nothing wrong going for feeding on demand. The only problem is that it can be very tiring. I still remember when I still latched him on instead of pumping. All the inconvenience lies on me. That's why I started pumping, so that my family members can help me to feed him on demand.

It's your choice whether you suit your child or your child suit you. =)

 

[STmummy]

Yes, it's said that routine feeding is so much easier on baby and parent. Tried on my first child when he was born (he is 2 now). I tried to stick to the routine but It's not as easy cos sometimes baby will be sleeping past the scheduled timing, and since baby can sleep more, usually mummies try not to disturb them right? But I did follow the dreamfeed and slowly changing the timing so that baby can learn to sleep through the night. It works for my son and he did start to sleep through at a young age.

Now I am reading 'Baby secrets' (again) which encourages routine feeding, in preparation for my 2nd one. This time round I intend to stick to it obediently. Makes life easier for everyone in long run as I've a toddler to tend to as well.

Btw, I total breastfeed my son for 13 months.
Routine feeding does help and works but you need to really stick to it. Of cos demand feeding works for some babies too.

 

[Amulet]

her babies are formula fed, enough said..

easiest way for breastfeeding babies are feeding on demand as demand = supply..

i did breastfeeding on demand for my girl, she work out her own routine as she grows older, and it's quite on time..

 

[Edwinie]

her babies are formula fed, enough said..

easiest way for breastfeeding babies are feeding on demand as demand = supply..

i did breastfeeding on demand for my girl, she work out her own routine as she grows older, and it's quite on time..

ya. i agree with amulet in letting her girl work out her own routine. =)

 

[PinkDiamonds]

I am all for schedule & routine, but you need to be flexible as well. By having fixed timings for baby to feed you are also in control of the situation. According to Babywise this makes baby feel that the parent is in control of the situation, thus leading to the babies being more confident and secure.

My twin babies are fully BFed.

During the first 4 weeks at least, I think you should try to feed on demand as much as possible to fully establish your milk supply. If you do notice some sort of regularity then try to follow it to see if it works. I BFed on demand in the first 1-2 months cause that's the period when growth spurts occur a lot. Also my twins were small so I wanted to pump up their weights. You should also aim to make sure baby takes a full feeding before falling asleep. If baby doesn't feed fully, you will find that the baby may start to snack. Eg: drink every hour and drink for a few minutes. However, I did notice that they were feeding about every 2-2.5hours, so that was my guide.

Around 3 months onwards I started to establish a schedule. They now feed about every 3 hours & I try to stick to it. My girl twin is already sleeping through the night, while I am currently sleep training my boy twin to sleep longer at night.

It's advisable not to wait until baby cries then feed. Some babies tend to be too worked up that they refuse to latch on, or even feed well. So if you notice baby starting to root, then it's your cue to feed.

If you have only 1 baby/child it's easier to do demand feeding. But if you are like me who have 3 children to look after, the only way not to go crazy is to have a routine established. It's also helpful in that I can plan my day better. I know what times they nap so that I can nap too or do other things. Can you imagine if until now I demand feed my twins? I will literally be latching them on all day, leaving very little time to spend with my eldest.

 

[Edwinie]

I am all for schedule & routine, but you need to be flexible as well. By having fixed timings for baby to feed you are also in control of the situation. According to Babywise this makes baby feel that the parent is in control of the situation, thus leading to the babies being more confident and secure.

My twin babies are fully BFed.

During the first 4 weeks at least, I think you should try to feed on demand as much as possible to fully establish your milk supply. If you do notice some sort of regularity then try to follow it to see if it works. I BFed on demand in the first 1-2 months cause that's the period when growth spurts occur a lot. Also my twins were small so I wanted to pump up their weights. You should also aim to make sure baby takes a full feeding before falling asleep. If baby doesn't feed fully, you will find that the baby may start to snack. Eg: drink every hour and drink for a few minutes. However, I did notice that they were feeding about every 2-2.5hours, so that was my guide.

Around 3 months onwards I started to establish a schedule. They now feed about every 3 hours & I try to stick to it. My girl twin is already sleeping through the night, while I am currently sleep training my boy twin to sleep longer at night.

It's advisable not to wait until baby cries then feed. Some babies tend to be too worked up that they refuse to latch on, or even feed well. So if you notice baby starting to root, then it's your cue to feed.

If you have only 1 baby/child it's easier to do demand feeding. But if you are like me who have 3 children to look after, the only way not to go crazy is to have a routine established. It's also helpful in that I can plan my day better. I know what times they nap so that I can nap too or do other things. Can you imagine if until now I demand feed my twins? I will literally be latching them on all day, leaving very little time to spend with my eldest.

True! LOL! It must be a very testing period for you. =) Glad that you are coping well!

 

[ast0212]

Demand feeding is the best for establishing a good supply. More feeding = more milk.

After you have established your supply, it depends on what you prefer. Some people can't live without a routine/schedule themselves and they find it easier to have their baby on one too. Others it hard to stick to a schedule. My mother had me on a feeding schedule as a baby because she thought that was how it was supposed to be. She absolutely hated it.

It's up to you really (and up to your baby too!), what you prefer to do and your lifestyle. I personally do not like routines and schedules so why should I put my baby on one if I find it hard to stick to it myself? Anyway, babies - they are unpredictable especially when teething and growth spurts come. Night wakings, frequent feeding, unsettled periods are all part and parcel of having a baby

 

[PinkDiamonds]

I personally feel that when a regular routine or schedule is established, it's easier to identify certain problems/issues. For example, if baby is regularly drinking every 3 hours and suddenly wants to nurse every 2 hours, it could indicate a growth spurt. If baby used to sleep through the night & suddenly has been waking up, it could mean that baby is feeling unwell or am up to practice a new skill more than to nurse. If baby is behaving out of norm, it could be baby is feeling unwell. That's why I prefer routines/schedules.

I do want to point out that if you choose to go for routines/schedule, there is not need to be rigid. We need to be flexible at times. If baby's feed is 3pm & you're going out at 2pm, by all means nurse before you head out if it makes things easier. Sometimes we try to stick to a regular 3 hour schedule, but baby may wish to nurse at 2.30pm, it's fine to nurse earlier.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is to choose an arrangement you are most comfortable with. It's more important to maintain your own sanity, then only you can take care of your baby better!

 

[mehmehsheep]

Hey ladies, thanks for your wonderful insights.

I guess demand feeding works better for me because I don't see the point of letting the poor baby screaming her head off out of hunger for an hour. I am sure my girl will work out her own schedule when she grows older.

 

[Mummy to Baby V]

I breastfed my boy for 18 months. He was very fussy with a big appetite while I'd had just enough milk supply.
First few weeks, fed on demand day and night to satisfy him, especially during growth spurts. He demanded a feed every 1.5-3 hours and I always gave him a full feed before letting him continue sleeping.

But he didn't develop a schedule until I started him on a nap routine, and stretching his naps using various ways. When he catnaps (nap for 30-45min only), he became cranky and easily tired. When he naps longer, then life was more peaceful for us. With the nap routine in place, he developed a feeding schedule too.

Crying makes latching on difficult and my head spins when baby cries. So early hunger signs like rooting help a lot.

And yes, a schedule works more like a guide to plan my day. Just be flexible about it since babies can be so unpredictable at times.