On demand feeders

[english rose]

Anyone else feel like feeding on demand makes them less in tune with their babies needs?

I'm feeding on demand, but I find that I feed my LO whenever she grizzles. As a result I'm feeding her very often during the day, and I think sometimes she may be bored or tired rather than hungry.

When we're out and about she feeds less, and when we were staying with familt recently she also fed less, as she was being passed around to all my family for cuddles.

I'm worried that if I carry on this way, I'll only be able to get her tp settle by feeding her. I'm starting to know when she's tired rather than hungry, but she often likes a feed to help he setle anyway!

Anyone else feel this way. What do you do to stop from feeding your LOs all the time?!

 

[BevG]

if its been less than 3 hours since she last fed i will run thru all other possibilities before offering her more food. that way i know shes not dirty, cold or sleepy etc before i put more food in her

 

[Samsgirl]

Quite often Hannah will grizzle and it's usually cos she tired. So I usually try to get her to nap if as bev says its less than 3 hours since last feed x

 

[Bunnykins]

I fed on demand with my LO and I was literally feeding him all the time as he constantly grizzled and cried, but I am sure alot of the time he was just tired or bored but tbh if he wasnt that hungry then he wouldnt feed and 99% of the time he did feed so he probably was hungry. I found the same as you that when I was out and about he did need less feeds, but I just carried on feeding him anytime he was unsettled as he wouldnt take a dummy so I was happy to be his dummy, some of my happiest memories are of being snuggled up in a chair with hime all day snoozing and feeding!!!! It does get better though, by about 5 months he was feeding only when he really needed it and not for comfort, and he was only taking 15 mins to feed then he was off playing with his toys!

I was told by everyone that I'd be creating problems in teh future as he'd need me to settle etc etc, he is now nealry 7 months and I stopped BF him at 6 months but carried on feeding him on demand with bottles. He is a perfectly fine, confident and settled baby he goes to bed brilliantly, and self settles himself beautifully I have had no problems with him needing me or being a needy baby, infact quite the opposite. He is very independent and only has his bottle when he is properly hungry, he doesnt want a dummy or any other comforter and he is happy to play by himself on the floor whilst I tidy up or make us lunch etc he doesnt seem bothered about me not being around!!!

Its an individual choice but I personally just went with the flow and spent 5 months basically attached to him knowing it was only in the short term, and eventually I did get my days back!!!

 

[x_larlybelle_x]

I try everythin else first then try the boob. As bunnykins says, he feeds 99% of the time. If he isn't interested he will continue to scream so I try everything again.

 

[Cantstop]

I used to use boob to solve all her grizzles when she was the age of your little one - I think because she could smell it on me it was usually what she wanted when she was like that. When with my hubby or others she would be soothed in other ways (sometimes!). Tbh I always felt it was like the ace up my sleeve and was happy to feed her whenever she wanted, and she's nearly 1 now, still being bf, and there's been no issues with her always expecting it or needing it all the time or anything.

 

[l_maclean]

I worried about that too, but apparently it's very common for LOs to want to feed more at home.

G is generally feeding 2houly in the day, so I'm the same as bev and Clair, if it's not about time for a feed, I try everything else first. I found her dummy also helped, if she was just grumpy she'll take the dummy - but if she's hungry she spits it back pretty quick. Xxx

 

[english rose]

Thanks ladies. I'm quite happy to feed LO often, I just want to feel more confident that that is actually what she wants.

I'm finding that even when I'm sure she's tired and wants a sleep she demands a feed, but then fusses around and gets herself even more stressed out! She will settle better with my hubby, but he's not here in the day. I find I can sometimes settle her in the bouncy chair (I guess cos she's away from me) but I don't want to get into the position where that's the only way she'll settle with me. How to you settle your LOs to sleep if they don't need a feed?

I'll persevere with the 'try everything else' strategy and aim for 2-3 hourly feeds. I do find that Lo likes to feed when she wakes up from a nap, even if she only fed 30mins before. Do your LOs do this, or do they stick to 2-3 hourly feeds regardless of what they do in between?

Thank you!

 

[pinkyprincess]

How old is your LO? I'm on my phone and can't see tickers

 

[Mrs. KM]

Our LOs are akmost the same age and I almost could have written your posts except that the easiest way to get K to settle is to feed her, but she will only stay asleep if she's using me as a pacifier and usually only lasts 20 minutes or so. I often try to get her to sleep other ways and the only thing that really works is putting in my wrap and patting her bum, but even that can take up to an hour to get her to sleep and she's screaming the whole time . I also find it hard to tell if she's tired/hungry/uncomfortable but generally assume that if she just ate within the hour, and has been changed, then she must me tired. It's really frustrating, and I am terrified to go out in public with her because she is so hard to settle. She also always needs to eat when she wakes up no matter when she ate before.

 

[x_larlybelle_x]

Henry always eats when he wakes up, even if he fell asleep eating xxxx

 

[english rose]

How old is your LO? I'm on my phone and can't see tickers

She's 10 weeks old

 

[winnie89]

harry's just starting to get into his routine and i now understand what he wants, when he's hungry he really screams but if he just wants a cuddle of to have his bum changed he just grizzles same when he's tired.

when ur LO is hungry do they root around (search for your nipple) harry does theis when he's hungry he'll turn his head and try and eat my top or if he's lying on my chest he'll try and eat my face and move towards my boobs i did used to just feed him when he cried but he then started to be sick because he was eating to much so i introduced a dummy, when you bf you'll hear them swallowing when they suck continually but dont swallow this is when i give harry his dummy so he falls asleep, also winding him helps settle (i know all the experts say bf babies dont need winding) harry is a really windy baby so needs winding constantly hope this has helped! x

 

[english rose]

My LO sticks her tongue out and sucks on her fist when she wants feeding, but she also does this when she's tired - I guess because she wants to suckle for comfort. It's at this time when I offer her a feed and she seems to want it at first, but then she fusses around and gets really stressed. The trouble is she stresses if I take it away or don't offer it at all, so we're stuck between a rock and a hard place! That's why it's easier when my hubby is around as she will settle to sleep better with him, without thinking she wants the boob. We've tried dummies, and I think they'd be a good solution, but they stress her out. I think I'll have to carry on trying to settle her in her bouncy chair - just not sure what I'd do if we were out and about!

 

[BabyBrain]

I generally wait til Bertie gives me good signs he's hungry, like making his "hoo hoo hoo" noise followed by screaming his head off. If I don't he grazes too much, like taking 2 oz every hour rather than 5oz every 3-4 hours. My mum thinks I'm mean but if I let him graze neither of us gets any proper sleep. His "ack ack ack" noise means he's got a dirty bum but it's taken me ages to tell the difference between the indicators.

Leave her to grizzle and wait for her to really give it some welly and see how you go xxxxxxxxx