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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

BF to a schedule rather than on demand; share your routine with me?

21 replies

LaTristesse · 28/01/2012 19:55

With DS I fed him on demand until he was 2yrs. Am now expecting DD and would like to, after the first few weeks, consider feeding to a schedule, mainly so I can fit it in with caring for DS and the rest of our routine. However, I have no idea where to start with a schedule. What did you do?

OP posts:

ArthurPewty · 28/01/2012 19:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

LaTristesse · 28/01/2012 19:59

That's why I said after the first few weeks! I'd obviously feed her when she needs it to start with, but surely as she gets older I can swap to a routine?

OP posts:

Sidge · 28/01/2012 19:59

When you have a newborn and another child, your routine has to go out the window a little bit. Or at least you have to prioritise feeding the baby and your other child fits around that.

It won't hurt the older child to watch a bit more TV, or learn to play by themselves or for you to do puzzles one handed etc for a few months!

Grumpla · 28/01/2012 20:00

I don't think that's going to work. Your breasts can't work out how much milk to make unless they get the stimulation from your baby feeding so your supply would probably be out of sync with demand.

You could try pumping & feeding the expressed milk at some feeds if that would be easier but tbh there's a lot of extra faffing about with sterilising etc - wouldn't necessarily save time.

chocolatchaud · 28/01/2012 20:00

I fed DS1 on demand for the first few weeks and then gradually tried to get into a four hour routine. It was just a case of trying to prolong the gap between feeds - play, bath, walk etc. Also, if he was going over the 4 hour mark, I woke him to feed him. It did seem to work out eventually. The times I aimed for were 7,11,3,7.

However, with the other DCs I haven't bothered, and have just let them establish their own routine - which has also happened eventually, perhaps not as quickly though. Good luck!

Sidge · 28/01/2012 20:01

Cross-posted - I don't think they're likely to get into a feeding "routine" for a good few months rather than weeks. Also when summer comes, she may want feeding more often as she'll be thirsty, or when teething and need more comfort.

You may find she naturally fits in to her own routine that luckily fits around your existing one, but don't force it.

thelittlestkiwi · 28/01/2012 20:12

I did a three hour routine as advise by the HV's here in NZ. It was similar to the baby whisperer one and worked well for me.

Basically it was feed when wake up (which took up to an hour, changing nappy halfway through), play, sleep. Then repeat three hours later.

By 4 months I had moved to a 4 hour routine. This worked well for us and I did adapt if necessary. I could predict to within a few minutes when DD would need to be fed. There was very little crying so I never felt like it was cruel. I also introduced a dream feed quite early which was brilliant.

Here they recommend that babies are not awake for more than 1 hour 15 mins until they are well over 4 months.

metalelephant · 28/01/2012 20:13

As I understand it, your baby knows when she's hungry and your breasts will self regulate according to your baby's needs. An attempt to schedule the above may result in an upset and/or underfed baby and underperforming breasts - why risk that? Also, babies go through grow spurts and also often need to suckle just for comfort - your breast gives far more than nourishment.

Breastfeeding should be on demand; as I understand it even formula feeding (which used to be so regimented) is now recommended to be on demand too. Just do what you did with DS 1, I imagine you want to avoid life getting too chaotic with an older child and a baby, but sometimes we just need to accept that life will be a bit crazy for a couple of months till your baby settles in her own routine.

It wasn't easy at first when I have birth to DD with a 3 year old DS1, but baby's feeds are now a lot quite regular (3 months old) and so we're sort of naturally following a schedule - but it's her schedule not mine!

What really helped me in the early days was a sling, I could do a lot around the house and was free to go out without a bulky buggy, I could play with my boy, I could cook and put the dishwasher on. The sling helped the baby fall asleep, and while I breastfed her on the sofa I would read to DS, watch a film with him, sing songs etc. How old is your DS?

Good luck with everything!

metalelephant · 28/01/2012 20:15

yikes, growth spurts, not grow spurts

jan2011 · 28/01/2012 20:24

I am feeding on demand, but it has turned into a bit of a schedule during the day (feeds every 2.5 hours) since baby was 2.5 months (now 4 months) and at night its different she will feed more often and for longer.

TeWihara · 28/01/2012 20:29

What is your routine with your older child, does she go to pre-school or similar?

DS is 4 weeks old, he has been forced into a routine of sorts by his older sister's schedule, he copes fine with feeding every day at 6am, 7.30am (last chance feed) then not again until I'm back from the pre-school run around 10am, another feed before we go out 11.30am, then back out and back again for another feed at 12.30am.

But it is regular because the rest of the time the pushchair puts him to sleep!

There is no such thing in the afternoon when both are at home. But then I haven't found it all that difficult to feed and look after DD to be honest.

WoollyHead · 28/01/2012 20:30

Life with a baby and an older child is v chaotic. The unexpected happens all the time and going with the flow in general is in my experience an essential part of surviving, alongside lowering your standards a bit. Even leaving the house can be a major exercise that can be derailed at any moment by either child's unpredictable needs, or if you're really unlucky both! Honestly, going with the flow with feeding is much easier than getting het up about establishing routine and trying to impose order on what will inevitably be a chaotic situation. Your older child may not have the patience for you to be to and fro trying to settle baby for a nap at a set time, or if they get hungry 'early' then dealing with a crying baby whilst also dealing with an inevitably demanding older child may fray your temper and raise your blood ppressure more than simply feeding them and letting the relaxing oxytocin flow.

It won't always be like that, but if you expect it for the first few months at least then you may find it less stressful . I think a good sling is a second time mum's most useful tool.

TeWihara · 28/01/2012 20:39

That is very true woolly, I always have extremely low expectations, as long as the kids aren't both crying at the same time everything is fine as far as I'm concerned!

awomenscorned · 28/01/2012 20:46

I think trying to get baby into a routine when BF would be more work stress than just bobbing them on the boob. Your DS will adapt as will you.

theverysuccessfulone · 28/01/2012 20:47

have you thought of using a baby carrier or stretchy wrap (great for little babies) so you can breastfeed keeping your hands free?

Purplehonesty · 28/01/2012 20:55

I had a schedule with ds as soon as I came out of hospital but that was more his doing than mine; basically he slept all day and woke every 4 hours for a feed right from the word go so I just carried on with it!
I don't think my relatives saw him with his eyes open for weeks he was either on boob or asleep. I really hope dc2 due in july will be as kind to me!!
Good luck with the new little one and let us know how you get on

Caz10 · 28/01/2012 20:55

Agree with the poster above who said the schedule is shaped by the older dc- i couldn't feed dd2 during nursery run times for example and it seemed natural/sensible to sit down and feed when I got back home, that kind of thing. So a routine really has evolved. Having said that, there have been plenty if times when it's a case of drop everything and feed the baby- dd1 loves it because I switch the tv on!
Roughly I'd say I was feeding at 6am, 8:30am, then 2.5hrly throughout the day till she was 6mths- then solids came along!

JollySergeantJackrum · 28/01/2012 21:38

We have done baby whisperer routines since DS was 3.5 months, starting off with a 3 hour routine feeding at 7, 10, 1, 4, 7 and moving to a 4 hour routine 7, 11, 3, 7. Now DS is 9 months 4 hourly is a bit often but we've yet to find something that works.

There has been no issue with my supply, but I'm aware that this doesn't happen for everyone. I think next time I'll have a better idea of how to deal with a baby and will have more likelihood of being able to decide if they're tired or hungry and so a routine will be less necessary.

luckysocks · 29/01/2012 21:11

DS fed ALL the time when he was tiny and I wanted to find a balance too, to introduce some structure into the day for my own sanity!

It took a while for us but I basically started doing everything I could to keep him awake during feeds (it was summer, so undressed to his nappy, tickle his feet, etc etc) to get as much into him as I could. As he started to feed for longer I started to gradually increase the gaps between his feeds. We eventually fell into a 3 hourly feeding routine, although it took more than just a few weeks.

I'm a bit nervous about this side of things when DC2 comes along, too.

Iggly · 29/01/2012 21:42

I've got a two year old and 8 week old. I did think about doing a routine but actually realise there's no point as not every day is the same. Basically if DD is due a feed I'll feed, if I can't I can preempt and feed her earlier (eg if I know I'll be driving etc). Seems to work ok so far!

ChipsnCheese · 29/01/2012 21:49

My DD2 hasn't had a schedule but now we need to impose one as I'm about to return to work. You really don't need it if she is near you all the time. Enjoy the freedom while you can! Just, as Iggly suggests, you might want to feed before you leave the house.

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