hi my baby is a week old today - i was wondering how long should i feed him on demand (breast) for before trying to get him into a bit more of a rountine. for eg he fed last night at 10.30pm, 12am, 1am 2am and then i tried to feed him at 6am but he wouldn't take any decent amount til 7.30am. was a bit worried he had gone too long by this stage?
feeding on demand
- Thread starter jills10uk
- Start date
Evie is 4 months old now and still feed on demand. She has got herself into a routine of sorts- but it's not by the clock. She has a bottle around 7, another around 10, another one at 2 and then her last one at about half 6 before she goes to bed.
At 1 week she was feeding every 2 hours but sometimes it would be 2 hours and sometimes I'd get 5! Are you breastfeeding? A breastfed baby normall feeds more than a formula fed baby.
I think people are mad when they wake their babies up to eat!
If he's hungry he'll let you know hun 
At 1 week she was feeding every 2 hours but sometimes it would be 2 hours and sometimes I'd get 5! Are you breastfeeding? A breastfed baby normall feeds more than a formula fed baby.
I think people are mad when they wake their babies up to eat!
If he's hungry he'll let you know hun People will have different views on this because it is a personal choice thing. You have to do what you think is best for your family.
Some people have strict routines. Some people have no routines. Most people fall in the middle somewhere.
For what it's worth, we had no routine for the first month or so. Then we started getting her ready for bed at the first nappy change after 7pm (which could be anywhere between 7 and 10). I think it was around 3 months that I started to feed her at 11 each night - just taking her out of her cot and giving her a dream feed. Before that it varied whether we were up once or twice a night as she tended to wake every 4 hours or so. Feeding her before I went to bed meant that she only woke once in the night. From this she ended up falling asleep around 7.30 each night so that is now her bedtime. So she eats when she wants and sleeps when she wants throughout the day but we try to feed her at 7pm and 11pm.
OH's sister has a strict routine so that their baby sleeps through the night. But it means they can't always get places in case she falls asleep in the pushchair or car when she's supposed to be awake. I find it easier to get up in the night than to check the time out all day and have to work round DD.
Some people have strict routines. Some people have no routines. Most people fall in the middle somewhere.
For what it's worth, we had no routine for the first month or so. Then we started getting her ready for bed at the first nappy change after 7pm (which could be anywhere between 7 and 10). I think it was around 3 months that I started to feed her at 11 each night - just taking her out of her cot and giving her a dream feed. Before that it varied whether we were up once or twice a night as she tended to wake every 4 hours or so. Feeding her before I went to bed meant that she only woke once in the night. From this she ended up falling asleep around 7.30 each night so that is now her bedtime. So she eats when she wants and sleeps when she wants throughout the day but we try to feed her at 7pm and 11pm.
OH's sister has a strict routine so that their baby sleeps through the night. But it means they can't always get places in case she falls asleep in the pushchair or car when she's supposed to be awake. I find it easier to get up in the night than to check the time out all day and have to work round DD.
IMHO booby fed babies should always be allowed to feed on demand. they know when they're thirsty or hungry - not us - and i personally wouldn't be too impressed if someone told me i could only drink at certain times of day. connor is now 6 months old and still demand feeding.
demand feeding, particularly in the early days, tells our boobs how much milk they should be producing and is v important to establishing a good supply.
by all means try and introduce a sleeping routine (follow your babies cues though - connor was about 4 months old before he decided on his bedtime) but i wouldn't recommend forcing a feeding routine; your LO will tell you when he wants boob
demand feeding, particularly in the early days, tells our boobs how much milk they should be producing and is v important to establishing a good supply.
by all means try and introduce a sleeping routine (follow your babies cues though - connor was about 4 months old before he decided on his bedtime) but i wouldn't recommend forcing a feeding routine; your LO will tell you when he wants boob
I'd say demand feed the first 6 weeks at least as it can take that long for your supply to build up and settle down. Your baby will feed as needed in these early weeks and tbh I am not a fan of set times for BF babies when so small.
The more your baby feeds the better atm. Making them wait when so small for a feed seems mean to me. They don't understand the concept and are simply hungry and wanting comfort and food. Also you have to consider when they have growth spurts they are going to want and need to feed more often so set times are pointless.
FWIW by about 10 weeks our LO had settled down into regular feeding and also a bedtime feed and then often going 6-8 hours overnight. Some nights he wakes up and needs a feed but often sleeps through. He is fed on demand more or less in the day still though. He has fallen into his own routine there mostly so its not like its all over the place and unpredictable.
I'd go with the flow for a fair while and let your LO guide you as to how much and when. Your boobs will increase in supply and then settle down once its established. Trying to set a routine too early will mess with this and may end up causing more problems and end in you having to introduce formula etc which you really won't have to do if you get through these early weeks.
The more your baby feeds the better atm. Making them wait when so small for a feed seems mean to me. They don't understand the concept and are simply hungry and wanting comfort and food. Also you have to consider when they have growth spurts they are going to want and need to feed more often so set times are pointless.
FWIW by about 10 weeks our LO had settled down into regular feeding and also a bedtime feed and then often going 6-8 hours overnight. Some nights he wakes up and needs a feed but often sleeps through. He is fed on demand more or less in the day still though. He has fallen into his own routine there mostly so its not like its all over the place and unpredictable.
I'd go with the flow for a fair while and let your LO guide you as to how much and when. Your boobs will increase in supply and then settle down once its established. Trying to set a routine too early will mess with this and may end up causing more problems and end in you having to introduce formula etc which you really won't have to do if you get through these early weeks.
Cooper is just over 12 wks now and he's still feed on demand As the other ladies have said it may mess your supply up if you try and set a routine so early on. I know it feels like they on the boob all the time but it does get better. Also i wouldn't wake baby up to feed him he'll let you know when he's hungry! lol. Well done for getting this far.. it can be hard work BF but its so so worth it xx
As the other ladies have said it may mess your supply up if you try and set a routine so early on. I know it feels like they on the boob all the time but it does get better. Also i wouldn't wake baby up to feed him he'll let you know when he's hungry! lol. Well done for getting this far.. it can be hard work BF but its so so worth it xxthanks for the replies - i just wondered if i was doing something wrong that he fed so close together last night. the only reason i woke him was because the midwife told me to not let him go more than 4 hrs but i think that since he is putting on weight (5.5oz in 2 days!!!) ill let him dictate and not complain about getting an extra hours sleep!!
Re the feeding at least every 4 hours.
In the first week or two it is important that they don't go hours and hours between feeds for a number of reasons. One bing they can become jaundiced so regular feeds are important. Second is that often if they sleep a lot and don't feed they tend to become sleepier and don't have enough energy to feed. So starting a vicious circle.
If weight gain has been good and you are getting wet nappies then I'd not worry overly if there is an extra hour between feeds. If it was an extra 2-3 each time I'd be a bit concerned and try to encourage more regular feeds to help supply and baby. But an extra hour at night, make the most of it
In the first week or two it is important that they don't go hours and hours between feeds for a number of reasons. One bing they can become jaundiced so regular feeds are important. Second is that often if they sleep a lot and don't feed they tend to become sleepier and don't have enough energy to feed. So starting a vicious circle.
If weight gain has been good and you are getting wet nappies then I'd not worry overly if there is an extra hour between feeds. If it was an extra 2-3 each time I'd be a bit concerned and try to encourage more regular feeds to help supply and baby. But an extra hour at night, make the most of it
flowergirl
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2007
- Messages
- 858
- Reaction score
- 0
Keep doing as you are doing! Feed on demand. In the early weeks this could be as often as every hour- I know it was for me. My LO was in a bit of a back to front routine initially so I offered boob every 2 hours during the day to try to lengthen the time she spent asleep at night. As she was a very sucky baby she would happily latch on and feed but I know this won't work for everyone.
I am still demand feeding at the moment.
I am still demand feeding at the moment.
