When did you start a schedule (DC2)

[purplemurple1]

Do people really feed on demand with DC2, and how while looking after DC1?

I know the advice is feed on demand but we never managed that with DC1 as he lost a lot of weight (dropping to around 5lbs, and dehydrated) and needed to be woken and fed every 3 hrs, from 10days onwards. He is still a hungry boy but stops when full even with his favorite foods, and isn't overweight so it dosn't seem to have harmed him.

So I'm inclined to move to a schedule with DC2 sooner rather than later, but wondering how soon is too soon assuming she is healthy and gaining weight. (Plan to bf at the start but move to formula quite quickly.)
Is 3 to 4 weeks unrealisitc to expect 3hrly formula feeds to be established, do you even need to wait that long?

tia

DD2 is 4 months, gaining weight well and asks for food every 2-3 hours, I'm still feeding on demand and haven't found it a problem. Don't know about formula though.

I would say 2 hourly if you are planning on feeding before baby is hungry. 3 hourly and you will spend more time shushing a hungry baby than feeding her sooner would take.

DD is 14 weeks and I have four children so she does need to fit in with normal family routine. This means feeding to schedule to some degree.

I feed 2 to 2 1/2 hourly through the day. She is then sleeping 11pm-8am without a feed (because of the regular daytime feeds, I think).

I didn't start this until she was about 8 weeks though. Before then she way feeding on demand which generally worked out as 3 hourly through the day and night.

I breast feed every 2 hours during the day and twice overnight. My DD is 3 months.
She gains weight slower than average (ie very slowly drifts down in the red book, although always gains) but HCP are confident at tge moment that this is 'her way' not a medical problem.