BF'ers that don't feed on demand

nikinikinine

How often do you nurse your LO's?

My kids eat about every three hours. They can go 4-5 hours if they have a long nap, or 2.5 hours if it's closer to the end of the night (I'll feed them a bit early so they go down with full bellies).

I'm wondering if I'm still feeding them too frequently.

Right now they eat between 6-8 times a day, each time they nurse for about 10 minutes. When I pump (less efficient, I know) I get between 4 and 8 ounces per side in <10 minutes, so I'm guessing that's about what they take at each feed.

Every time I try to space out their feeds they lose their minds crying and then I have two screaming babies. So I've stuck to 3 hours because it seems to keep the peace and sanity. But with their reflux/spitting, I'm wondering if I'm overfeeding them.

schoolsoutbride

I wouldn't stretch beyond 3 hours. I have never figured out how to NOT feed in demand. How do you stretch them out? Mine prob do every two hours.

kimarino13

We were FF at that point, but at 3 months, they still ate every 2-3 hours during the day, and once overnight.

amanda31H

At 3 months we were feeding every 3 hours - except at night.  They were going to bed around 9 and sleeping for 8 hours.  But right around 3.5 months at night they started sleeping 6 or 7 hours, taking a feeding, and then back to sleep.

LoveTravel

I think you're doing great, the boys ate every 3 hours or so when awake and for about the same amount of time (roughly 10-15 minutes).

I don't have any advice with their reflux or sptting...sorry.

monkski

Like PP said, I don't know how you don't feed on demand, because ours let us know when they are hungry! With that said, we have sort of just morphed into a schedule anyways and they still are eating every 2.5 - 3 hours during the day for a total of 6-7 feedings a day, so I would say you are doing just fine.  Ours have never gone longer stretches unless they got in a longer than normal nap or something.

nikinikinine

schoolsoutbride:

I wouldn't stretch beyond 3 hours. I have never figured out how to NOT feed in demand. How do you stretch them out? Mine prob do every two hours.

the nursery at the hospital had them on a 3 hour schedule so when we brought them home we just stuck to that. For the first 8 weeks I woke them up to eat every three hours. I think by doing so I just set their belly clocks?

Don't get me wrong, there are times that they are losing their minds at 2 hours and 25 minutes and I'll feed them. But for the most part they eat between 2 hours 45 min and 3 hours 10 minutes after the last feed.

amanda31H

nikinikinine:

schoolsoutbride:

I wouldn't stretch beyond 3 hours. I have never figured out how to NOT feed in demand. How do you stretch them out? Mine prob do every two hours.

the nursery at the hospital had them on a 3 hour schedule so when we brought them home we just stuck to that. For the first 8 weeks I woke them up to eat every three hours. I think by doing so I just set their belly clocks?

Don't get me wrong, there are times that they are losing their minds at 2 hours and 25 minutes and I'll feed them. But for the most part they eat between 2 hours 45 min and 3 hours 10 minutes after the last feed.

Same thing for us.  It worked great b/c I had planned to do Babywise and did.  Also sometimes I did feed earlier than 3 hours, but for the most part it was like clockwork.

schoolsoutbride

nikinikinine:

schoolsoutbride:

I wouldn't stretch beyond 3 hours. I have never figured out how to NOT feed in demand. How do you stretch them out? Mine prob do every two hours.

the nursery at the hospital had them on a 3 hour schedule so when we brought them home we just stuck to that. For the first 8 weeks I woke them up to eat every three hours. I think by doing so I just set their belly clocks?

Don't get me wrong, there are times that they are losing their minds at 2 hours and 25 minutes and I'll feed them. But for the most part they eat between 2 hours 45 min and 3 hours 10 minutes after the last feed.

That makes sense.  They were every 3 hours while we were at the hospital, but it didn't last long.