On-Demand or Switch to Scheduled Feedings?

[PghMom]

My daughter is 4 1/2 months. She nurses 6 or 7 times in 24 hours. Should I continue to nurse on demand? It is getting harder to read her hunger cues...she doesn't "root" anymore as newborns do.

I heard many babies establish their own pattern, but this doesn't seem to be true for us. She can feed anywhere from 2 1/2 - 4 hours apart during the day, and 4 - 10 hours at night.

Would it benefit her to encourage a loose schedule, such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, in order to prepare for when we start solids around 6 months? Of course, I would feed her if she indicated the need earlier than when I had planned.

Appreciate your thoughts!

[tifttu]

I am a very firm believer in on demand feeding. My first had no real schedule, my second was VERY predictable. I just think that with all the food issues in adults, the least we can do is start our babies out letting them hear their own hunger cues rather than eating at specified times. She's still pretty young and it really will spread out and get easier. It already sounds like she's doing better than my DS did ;)

Remember too that when you start solids, it's not a meal. They shouldn't be replacing nursing and should be for fun and practice.

[StillSingingMom]

I'm an on-demand feeder, as well. As early as four months, you can start using sign language with baby- although she may not be able to make signs yet, you may find that she responds to the signs in ways you can understand.

As for scheduling her feedings to prepare her for solids, well... What are you going to do if at six months, she isn't hungry when you want to feed her solids? You can't really force a kid to eat, KWIM? Besides, even at six months, you don't want to suddenly start her eating a ton of solid food. Solids, at first, are JUST for taste and experimentation. NOT for calories.

She likely will settle into a loose schedule eventually. She is still very young. If it were me, I'd start signing to her- "milk", "diaper change", "play"- and see if she responds.

[crystal555rose]

Don't stress out about a schedule. She is very much observing your schedule, so if you nourish yourself regularly she will join the routine when she is ready. As toddlers they are eating machines so although I offer food at mealtimes, I also have snacks waiting. He does not always eat when it is time to eat and that is okay. He is after all just a two year old.

I totally agree with the signing. It seems like you are signing for months then all of the sudden your baby is telling you something through signs. Another unexpected component- my child made up his own signs for things.

Just be open to the experience.

[Amy_G_]

Encourage a pattern,
but don't use a schedule.

A pattern is that most days we get up around x oclock
and we nurse and change diapers and get ready for the day
a nap that lasts as long as baby wants to sleep
some tummy time,
nurse,
in a particular order.

As they get older, they often get very interested in learning a new thing and their interest in food changes. Just go with the flow.

but don't use a schedule that says
up at 8
8:15 nurse for 10 minutes
8:30-9 tummy time
9:00- bath
10:00 nurse and go down for 2 hour nap

you can have those times in your head, but if baby needs or wants to nurse, they should nurse when they need to and similarly for naps and such. loose structure is ok if it makes your days easier.

to make yourself feel better about what is going on,
write down at least 3 days for what baby does and when, how long and in what order. You will find that baby has a pattern, or even their own schedule--but that they may not work on a 24 hour schedule. mine tended to eat well one day, and want to play the next day. then repeat. It's just how they were. they'd also go for a couple months of being kind of not hungry, and then a month of wanting to eat everything in the house. that pattern seems to have continued and they are 9 and 13 years old....

[crystal555rose]

mine tended to eat well one day, and want to play the next day. then repeat. It's just how they were. they'd also go for a couple months of being kind of not hungry, and then a month of wanting to eat everything in the house. that pattern seems to have continued and they are 9 and 13 years old....

I have noticed this with mine. It used to freak me out, but now I realize he is doing fine. I totally agree with the sentiment of your post. Offer consistency but not at the expense of your sanity.

[PghMom]

Thanks, ladies! I guess the former teacher in me craves that schedule, but I agree that a "loose pattern" trumped by baby-demand is much better and healthier!