When to force three hour feeds?

[stillhopefulforanother]

My DD is 8 weeks. As I have a 2 year old DS I am just going with the flow and letting her graze and feed whenever.

I feel like I should stop feeding on demand and force a three hour pattern. When should I do this?

Thanks

Just out of interest why do you want to do this? Is your little one feeding very frequently?

I'm afraid I have no useful advice to offer, the thought of refusing my DD a feed when she wants it because it's not been 3 hours fills me with fear--she would scream the house down if she didn't get boob

Good point. I suppose it's because I feel I should. She falls asleep on boob and grazes so I worry I'm establishing bad sleep habits.

My son naturally did three hour feeds but it may have been when he was older come to think of it.

my honest opinion is that you shouldn't.

feeding on cue is the best way to keep baby happy and your supply happy.

Never. There is no reason to force a feeding pattern on a baby. Feeding is about much more then nutrition.

My daughter has periods of doing that, especially in the day. Some days she will have a huge nap and then wake up and not be hungry, and other days she is on and off all the time, I really shouldn't bother putting a top on, the amount of time my boobs are out!

You could try going longer between feeds and see how she reacts, but if she is crying from hunger I'd just go with the flow I'm ashamed to say when my daughter has been crying and I know she won't be particularly hungry, I sometimes just give her the boob because it shuts her up calms her!

Never IMO

Never.

You're not establishing anything at 8 weeks.. she's not finished being born yet.

I wouldn't force anything yet.. you'll just get a load of unnecessary crying.

I promise to settles down.. my last was at about 16 weeks.

I am considerably older than 8 weeks, and I would find it very hard if someone I loved tried to force me not to eat and drink more often than three hourly - I like a cup of tea mid-morning, and I am thirsty for it, even though it's only 2 hours since my breakfast.

I don't think I have 'bad habits' :)

Sammie, don't be ashamed to say that :)

Feeding is comfort, calm, reassurance, closeness....it's not just food/drink.

Since when did we think it was a good idea to time comfort, calm, reassurance and closeness?

Sammie - I admit I do the same as well! Which is probably why dd is on 95th centile for weight

I agree that there is no reason to force 3 hourly feelings, you won't create bad habits.

Sammy I am actually extremely glad that as well as providing nutrition for my child, my breasts can provide them with comfort, it's an amazing parenting tool to have and why be ashamed when you use the quickest/best way to comfort them? Surely this is what is best for the child as well as for you?

I bung DD2 to boob anytime she makes a noise remotely cry like, including when she isn't hungry. I feel no shame! She is 15 weeks old and it means I can sit down a lot and so far bf has got well established and is so much easier than having to ff.

I attempted to push DD1 into a 3 hourly feeding routine and ended up ff instead of bf by 16 weeks. I listened to too much 'advice' from many and various sources, who shall remain nameless, as I was a clueless FTM and thought that's what babies should do.

Thanks everyone, great responses. You have reaffirmed what was in my heart, which is just to go with it and provide my lovely girl with the comfort and reassurance that she needs.

I will ignore the advice about three hourly feeds and continue to feed on demand. I know she feeds for comfort sometimes but agree that's just as important.

I also have times when she sleeps for ages then feeds and some days is on and off all day. It's just a little difficult with a toddler. I'm finding it hard to manage their differing needs sometimes. Need to be in two places at once and one of them is not getting their needs met. Ahhhh so hard.

DD used to be a grazer, some days we'd literally spend hours just feeding/dozing on the sofa. She's 7.5 mo now and I wish I could get her to sit calmly for 10 minutes.

Enjoy it while it lasts, DD would happily go 6 hours between feeds now and I'm having to really push food/milk on her as she's too interested in the rest of the world!

I woukdn't force anything, but you can sometimes get a bit longer between feeds but offering a second side, and then a third or fourth even if the baby seems asleep.

A way I managed things was to offer a feed whenever it was convenient to ME, or if having a quick sit down, as it increased the chances of the baby NOT then needing to feed when I wanted to prioritise my toddler.

Didn't ALWAYS work, but 3rd had to fit in with school run so I'd feed him just before whether asking or not, to prevent him asking at the school gate.