Breast feeding on demand

[Littlerayray]

Can someone please let me know what breast feeding on demand really entails? I'm so confused as to whether I should be planning to get the baby in to a strict routine (like so many of the books seem to imply) or just go with it and feed when the baby wants to be fed. Also, my husband keeps saying that we shouldn't feed on demand because we may end up feeding when the baby isn't hungry (it may want something else when crying etc). Does it mean you end up feeding all through the night, or do they get themselves in to a routine in the end?

Thanks! x

 

[kay126]

Hey Hun, I didnt breast feed, but I bottle fed on demand. I never tried to put baby into a routine, baby put himself into one. The first few weeks whether bottle feeding or breast feeding it will feel like your up all night feeding, for the first 5 weeks my baby was feeding every 2 hours night and day. But it gets there in the end, they drop feeds naturally etc. My son didnt sleep through the whole night until he was gone 5 months but we got there in the end! Im an advocate for baby led routines but I promise you, you will know your baby best and learn to read what they want and need better than anybody xx

 

[Esoames]

I am breastfeeding on demand. Basically when Isla starts whinging I give her boob, if she doesn't want it she will soon tell me and I'll try other avenues such as nappy, temperature etc.

I don't understand feeding by a schedule as if I'm hungry I eat, I don't wait until 4 til my next meal. This is my first baby and I'm glad we did it this way. It's very useful when out and about as she will take boob without any bother.

At night it's the same, I fed her when she woke. I did that until 6 months. She would sleep anywhere from 3-7 hrs.

I hope this helps
Emma x

 

[Littlerayray]

Thanks for this info, very helpful.

Emma - did it take long for your baby to get in to a routine with breastfeeding, especially at night?

 

[Esoames]

When Isla was tiny she used to feed every 2/3hrs in the day and 3/4 at night. She started going longer during the night at 8weeks, typically she did 6hrs then 4/5 so I was only doing one night feed.

Then at 4 months she started waking every couple of hours! I did that for a few weeks and at 6 months made the decision to stop night feeds (with support from the hv). She now does 7-7/8 every night. She is fed three decent meals a day as well as several breastfeeds during the day

Emma x

 

[catty1]

I have been breastfeeding on demand since Owen was born 2 weeks ago. At first his feeds seemed completely random so I started writing down the times and durations of each feed and it really helped me get a handle on his 'routine'. He feeds roughly every 2-4 hours and sometimes goes 5 hours at night (against the advice of all the books!). He usually has feeds at around 7.30pm, 11.30pm, 3am and 6am for around 45 mins so I can usually get around 7 hours sleep as long as I go to bed fairly early (9.30 ish)

In terms of knowing the difference between being hungry and just fussy, it's kind of obvious with Owen. he sucks furisously on his hands, my arm, dads chest, anywhere really when hungry and kind of roots around with his head looking for nipple.

I wouldn't calll myself a breasfeeding expert yet but I am quite smug that at his 2 week weigh in this morning he had gained a whole pound - HV was well impressed.

I would just say get stuck in and soon enought you will know what is right for you. I think a combination of demand led and a bit of forced routine is best to meet babies needs and fit in with your life (or what's left of it!)

Good luck

 

[Maria1977]

Exactly what Emma said, whenever baby grizzles put on boob to see if she/he wants fed, will soon turn away if not hungry.

And yeah at first you will be feeding every 2/3 hours, it's relentless but after the first couple of months it will settle down (maybe sooner) and baby generally sets their own pace and routine. You'll just know what to do xxxxx

 

[Cantstop]

I'm breast feeding on demand too - my baby is 3 weeks old today. I've been writing down time and durations of each feed for my reference, and she's feeding every 2-4 hours for about half an hour at a time. I can't wait until a routine establishes - I keep thinking I should be doing something to encourage a routine but giving it a few more weeks to see if one pops up itself. It's canny hard going through the night at the moment but we'll get there!

And to echo what everyone else says - I know when she's hungry cos she sucks her hands and tries to feed off anyone who has hold of her, looks about for the boob, and if I put a finger in her mouth she sucks furiously. If she was crying and it wasn't through hunger we'd go through nappy, winding, uncomfortable etc till we found the problem, but she certainly wouldn't feed if she wasn't hungry!

 

[Maria1977]

I'm breast feeding on demand too - my baby is 3 weeks old today. I've been writing down time and durations of each feed for my reference, and she's feeding every 2-4 hours for about half an hour at a time. I can't wait until a routine establishes - I keep thinking I should be doing something to encourage a routine but giving it a few more weeks to see if one pops up itself. It's canny hard going through the night at the moment but we'll get there!

And to echo what everyone else says - I know when she's hungry cos she sucks her hands and tries to feed off anyone who has hold of her, looks about for the boob, and if I put a finger in her mouth she sucks furiously. If she was crying and it wasn't through hunger we'd go through nappy, winding, uncomfortable etc till we found the problem, but she certainly wouldn't feed if she wasn't hungry!

Oscar still has a night feed, sometimes a couple, but we co-sleep so soon as he starts creating I hear him (he's the only thing I hear with my ear plugs in lol, even the slightest little whimper!) I feed him laying on my side and I usually go straight back to sleep while he's feeding, will wake up with his face on my shoulder (best thing sight to wake up to )

 

[Stunned]

I breastfeed on demand too. It would be impossible to breastfeed on a routine cos you can't see how much baby is drinking from your boob - it could be only a couple of ounces or 10oz! Baby will only take what they want at the time and stop when they are full.

When Eva was tiny she would feed every 1.5 to 2 hrs in the day time and sleep through the night (from 3 weeks old). My HV told me that she had to feed more often during the day to make up for the fac that she didn't feed during the night. There were some rough moments when I felt I couldn't take being the milk machine any more!

Eva and I finally got into a routine of roughly fixed times for feeding since she started weaning. Now she will happily go 3 to 4 hours between breastfeeds. Her routine is generally 2 breastfeeds and breakfast by 10.30am, a quick breastfeed at 12ish, lunch with water at 1.30pm, breastfeed 3.30ish, dinner with water at 5.30, breastfeed at 6.30, 7oz formula at 7.30 before bedtime and then finally a dream breastfeed at 11pm!

Hope this helps!

 

[Jones]

i breast feed my baby's nearly 10 weeks old...she feeds 3 hourly or around that....i do have a loose routine with her where il wake her if she goesd over 4 hours without feed....a breast feeding book stated u shuld try and give her final dream feed at 11pm............to which i bn adhering too....so she tends to have a feed at 5, 8 and then 11- gets put down to sleep at 12.30am and sleep through till 8am-10am..this may seem a long time without feed however my baby is putting on more than enough weight , shes 11lb 9 and a half oz at 10 weeks old!

 

[Rayoflight]

I've breastfed my son exclusively for the past six months. Demand fed too. He just got himself into a routine. At first I was downloading apps to time feeds but after about a month something just 'clicked' and I went with the flow.

If he's not hungry he will always let me know.

If you do decide to not feed on demand, please be aware that restricting feeds can have an effect on you. You can get blocked ducts which can lead to breast infection (mastitis) which is extremely painful, stressful and can mean the end of breastfeeding for many mums. Trust your baby and your body. They know what to do better than any book or clock.

From the girl who obsessed over all the books, attempted a strict routine, and nearly had a nervous breakdown in the process! I swear I will use the CLB book as bog roll when we run out. Reading it back now, 6 months later, I can't believe how silly it sounds.

Xxx

 

[bethx]

Im breast feeding on demand too.. Cept I have a greedy little monkey who likes to feed every hour at least... When we are out he will go 2 hours and on the odd occasion 3 but at home he likes to have little and often.. Not to bad in the day but at night its tiring.. we're co-sleeping atm as he refuses to sleep in his basket and will only sleep on his belly so i feel safer with him next to me cos i can keep an eye on him. My mother keeps telling me I have to stop feeding him as much and I am trying to make him wait a little as every hour is rather alot but if my babys hungry id rather just let him feed... I dont like to wait for food when im hungry

 

[boobarr]

Breastfeeding on demand is just that, feeding when baby gives hunger cues.

 

[purplehippy]

Daisy is 12 days old and cries/roots etc to feed, every 3 hours usually. There have been the odd variations in time, just as she sometimes feeds for half an hour, sometimes an hour, and on day 10 she fed for hours.

She is a sucky baby though, and requires boob to settle. She also will not feed even when hungry, unless she has a clean nappy on.

My first ended up bottlefed and it is very different - She had a routine early on, slept through early on. With Daisy, she sets her own timetable though I have woken her for a feed if it's been over 4 hours. But that's because the midwives etc tell me to, just as they have pushed me into not co-sleeping. I admit I feel safer knowing I can get her to sleep in the basket now (she wouldn't - til I started swaddling her 2 nights ago).

If you want boobfeeding and routine, expect problems to happen - doesn't mean they will but don't get too upset if your milk dries, or your boobs get inflamed!

 

[JJ Mum]

I love breastfeeding on demand, when he is hungry he will tell me. I check nappy, the have a rough idea that 1 hour 30 mins after a feed he needs a sleep and gets stroppy, check he is not bored , (gets windgy easily), and it's roughtly 3 hours apart between feeds. So you will know and fallinto a routene.

We now have porridge at 7am, then boob. 1030am boob, 1pm boob, 330pm boob, 5 pm dinner and 6pm boob. 7 pm boob, bath at 8pm then 820 boob, sounds alot but he takes what he needs, and once he eats more solids , we will be down to 3/4 feeds .

Ps the evening stacking of extra feeds is a pain sometimes, but he then sleeps from 830/9pm till 7am , which is lovely!