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Babies: 0 - 3 Months
Feed on Demand? Really?
I see that suggestion everywhere, but in my culture, it is not done and pediatricians recommend against it. I've always known that you were supposed to put your baby on a strict schedule and stick with it. My mom (who is a doctor) was horrified to learn about feeding on demand, which is touted everywhere in the USA - it's not like you would feed your school-age child on demand, either, there are set meal times, after all.
We were all fed at exactly 6am, 9am etc. through midnight since we were 2 weeks old, before there may have been a night feeding as well. Less later. Apparently that worked perfectly, there were few sleepless nights for the parents (who were working, after all) and my brother turned out an athlete, so... I guess anything works, really, as long as the baby gets enough food.
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Re: Feed on Demand? Really?
Yes.
Really.
::chuckle::
why wake her and feed her if she isnt hungry?
my brother fed on demand and he is also an athlete.
Sarah, 35 bumping from NE Ohio
Married my love 4/22/2006
DD born 10/12/2009
DS born sleeping 2/23/2013 full trisomy 18
Baby 3 due 2/13/2015
What culture? Just out of curiosity. Not trying to begin a debate.
Also if my three year old is hungry you can bet I give him a healthy snack. If it's right before dinner time, usually is, then it will be a very small snack. I don't know if this is your first child but you just wait until you have a toddler melting down because they are hungry when you don't think they should be. You will likely give them a small snack to get them towards the next meal. If not then more power to you and your home.
I'm wondering this as well...
I'm also wondering how you would deal with a screaming, rooting, hungry newborn for an hour and a half until their next "scheduled" feeding...
What culture? Just curious.
And I'm curious as to why feeding on demand is not recommended?
No flames, I honestly would like to know. I know cultures are different and that opinions on child rearing are always changing and I'm not going to bash anyone for their choices. Of course I also won't let a hungry baby cry, but that's my personal philosophy. FWIW, I know my mom fed us on demand and we (she) was raised in Europe. I know the thinking over there currently is on demand as well.
ETA: on demand to a point. I think the problem you often see here is people misinterpreting other cues for signs of hunger.. then you're feeding too often or whatever.. Our pedi suggests on demand but no sooner then every 2 hours, otherwise they're snacking. That makes a difference too.
BFP 5/07 - Kylie born 2/08. BPF 2/09 - Alexandra born 10/09.
TTC since 8/13 - diagnosed difficulty conceiving due to LP defect. Took vitamin B and Vitex Berry to help lengthen.
BFP 2/14 - Missed M/C found at 8.5 weeks. D&C at 9w2d. Partial Molar Pregnancy.
BFP 11/14
My Pregnancy(ies) Blog
Yes. Really.
I can't believe you're comparing an infant to a school-age child. ::scratches head::
My son is 6 months old and his solids mealtimes are somewhat scheduled, but he's pretty much fed on demand as far as nursing goes.
This.
Hell, I feed on demand. It's called snacking. And yes, my DD sometimes need a quick, little half ounce every once in a while. I don't care. It soothes her and she's content.
research shows that feeding on demand promotes health eating habits when children are older.
I was wondering the same thing.
I think she meant in 3 hour blocks. 6/9/12/3/6....etc.
Also, people will raise their kids how they choose. who are we to say which way is right and which way is wrong? Speaking for myself, I am no doctor. My opinion is strictly opinion.
Feeding on demand, whether you are a newborn or an adult is the most healthy way to eat. Eat when you are hungry and just enough that you are satisfied and not overfull. This is the best way to eat no matter what your age. Waiting until you are starving will lead to eating too much in one setting-again, no matter what your age.
:::sighs:::: This is really not a new topic so I don't know why I am responding but I do not get the concept of feeding a child based soley on the clock and not their needs with the exception of when DS was jaundice and would not wake to eat. Do some of the scheduled babies STTN sooner? Maybe, but to me it's not worth making my hungry baby miserable all day for my convience. I agree with OP though. I feed on demand to a point - I am not a human pacifier. (except when the poor baby got his shots then he had free access to the boob as much as he wanted!)
I like snacks, too.
Although I prefer mine to have frosting as opposed to being served in a bottle.
Unless beer counts as a snack. Then I like my snack to come in bottle-form.
Eastern Europe. No, actually you were not supposed to feed the baby between 12am and 6 am after they were about 2 weeks, so they would learn to sleep at night. At most, give them some boiled water until they get used to it. (Different if it is a preemie or a sick child). My mom said that babies would quickly learn the schedule and stop crying after a few days.
I don't know yet what I will do, but my mom swears that the schedule was the best thing and she rarely didn't get to sleep through the night after the first month or so. Of course, her children were all 9lbs+ at birth, I could imagine that a 5.5lb child might need more frequent feedings...
Referring back to OP:
We were all fed at exactly 6am, 9am etc. through midnight since we were 2 weeks old, before there may have been a night feeding as well.
I took this to mean they were feed at 6am/9/12pm/3/6/9/12am since she said before that there MIGHT have been a nighttime feeding as well
I rest my case
Wait...you haven't actually had a child yet? This is making more sense now. I am very interested to see what you do when you actually have a newborn screaming in hunger day or night. I am not saying this to be mean, I just think that it is very easy to agree with a schedule feeding type theory until you see your LO hungry and upset and you know that all you have to do is feed them even if it's not "time."
If you do some research, you will find that the children do not "learn the schedule" but instead learn that when they cry their parents will do nothing to help them. The don't learn that it's not time to eat, they learn that no matter what it is they need, their parents will not soothe them. Basically, you are promoting CIO for a newborn (over two weeks) and allowing a child to be hungry. And again, as we all know, sleep for the mom is the most important thing for a newborn child. Forget comfort, closeness, knowing that in this big, new world your mommy will make everything better, and actual food when you are hungry. Let's put our child on a strict schedule so mommy can get some sleep.
ETA: Please don't let your mother make your parenting decisions for you. A LOT of things have changed since our parents had babies (strict schedules, babies do not need water, sleep on their backs). Do your own research and make your own decisions
1) Eating when you're hungry and not allowing yourself to get overly hungry is better for your metabolism. If you're starving but waiting until it's the appropriate time to eat, you're more likely to overeat.
2) Your newborn does not need to learn self-control. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
Babies need a certain amount of calories/nutrition every day. If you feed on a strict schedule you may not be providing your LO with enough nourishment. That is why we feed on demand--babies know their appetites best, not the clock.
And don't we, as adults, feed on demand? When I'm hungry, I eat. My body needs nourishment I'm not going to deny it something nutritious to keep it going.
Hipstrix, are you trying to be insulting or are just clueless? About 1/2 of U.S. children will be on food stamps at some point in their lives. When it comes to child poverty, the U.S. has pockets that are as bad as any third world country.
I did not know one child who went hungry when I was growing up, though we did not have all the modern conveniences (only one car and did not have a dryer but had to use a clothes line).
Not trying to be insulting. My grandparents are from rural Ukraine. My great-grandfather was killed in the pogroms. Our families obviously had different experiences of Eastern Europe.
Jeez. I guess I spoil my son by letting him snack. He's never been an every 3 hours kid, but I am absolutely not going to let him cry because it's not time to eat.
It is time to eat whenever he is hungry. He's a baby. He is not learning bad habits or anything ridiculous and developmentally inappropriate like that- he is learning that Mommy and Daddy love him and will respond to his needs.
And yes, I will say it's developmentally inappropriate to do what you plan on doing and I don't care if I get flamed for criticising someone else's parenting. I'm an Early Childhood Educator and there is no way a 2 week old child can understand that it's not time to eat!
ITA. Seriously, CIO at two weeks? Six hours without eating (or being allowed to eat) at two weeks? A bottle of water instead? These aren't simply parenting decisions, they are medical decisions that go against research.