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Feeding baby on a strict schedule?

1K views 22 replies 18 participants last post by  Kailey's mom 
#1 ·
Is there any benefit of feeding a baby on a strict schedule? So, if the baby is hungry before the next scheduled feeding, do you make him/her wait until it's time?
 
#8 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by mothragirl View Post
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i don't think you'll find any support for scheduled feeding on this site.
I know, I was seeing if I could see the cons of schedule feedings, even links to websites with good infomation about why babies should be demand fed. By the way, I believe in feeding babies "on demand"
 
#10 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisCountryGirl View Post
I know, I was seeing if I could see the cons of schedule feedings, even links to websites with good infomation about why babies should be demand fed. By the way, I believe in feeding babies "on demand"
Well, you might ask specifically for, "Can anyone give me some links on why strict scheduling for feeding baby is bad?"

Otherwise, you're not actually communicating very well what your real desire is here, to be totally honest with you.
 
#11 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Amris View Post
Well, you might ask specifically for, "Can anyone give me some links on why strict scheduling for feeding baby is bad?"

Otherwise, you're not actually communicating very well what your real desire is here, to be totally honest with you.

Sorry, I'm not a good communicator
 
#12 ·
Babies are great at self-regulating. Schedules do little more than teach the baby not to trust his own body to tell when to eat. Breastfed babies don't just nurse for hunger but for thirst and comfort as well, and both of those needs are perfectly valid and should be taken care of. When babies are going through growth spurts, frequent feedings boost mother's milk production.

Babies fed on cue won't over-feed on breastmilk. I believe they did a study on diluted bm and found that babies compensated the calorific loss by drinking more. Babies' bodies are incredibly well designed to get the amount of calories/nutrients they need. Leaving baby without food and drink for too long might make him eat more at the next feeding to compensate, and thus make him uncapable of recognising his limits. This can become a situation where baby is uncomfortable before feedings and uncomfortable after. Nobody wants an uncomfortable baby


A couple of links related to the topic:
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#13 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by anubis View Post
Babies are great at self-regulating. Schedules do little more than teach the baby not to trust his own body to tell when to eat.

[...]

Babies' bodies are incredibly well designed to get the amount of calories/nutrients they need. Leaving baby without food and drink for too long might make him eat more at the next feeding to compensate, and thus make him uncapable of recognising his limits.
I wonder if scheduled feedings are at least part of the reason many of US have lost the ability to self-regulate our calorie intakes? Since we come into the world with such well-designed metabolisms, I'm inclined to think it doesn't just "change" without some outside interference.
 
#14 ·
I think babies put themselves on their own schedule, at least my twins did. They got hungry around the same time everyday, napped the same time, etc. But no, I wouldnt make them wait until 12 to eat if they were hungry at 11.
 
#15 ·
imo this push towards scheduling has come about partially because of our society's need to CONTROL, especially babies and children.

the thing is, babies are smart. they're very wise and if you 'listen' to them, they will tell you exactly what they need and when.

physically, feeding schedules are not good because it overrides baby's innate drive to eat when hungry. i could see it causing blood sugar regulation issues as well.

psychologically, i think it sets up an adversarial, authoritarian relationship with the parents from the get-go. ("i'll tell YOU when it's time to eat".) it also deadens the mother's instincts to meet baby's needs.

finally, it is a reflection of our culture of perpetuating that when a child comes into the world, it is expected to conform to the parent's needs, not the other way around. sad, sad.

all around, not a good idea.
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#17 ·
I agree that it can damage the mother/child relationship. I have a friend who is over the top with the scheduling. She is so desensitized to her childrens' cries - it makes me want to cry.

I think it was Dr. Sears who said that the sooner you stop trying to fit your baby into the life you had before, and accept the fact that life will never be the same, the happier everyone will be.
 
#18 ·
Our DD will NOT let us know if she hungry and when se eats she ONLY wats enough to not be starving and not a bite more its a processing disorder and caused HUGE issues as an infant. SO for her we do feed her on a schedule and a fairly "strict one" and we calorie pack what she gets. BUT shes not forced if she way so say coome to me and say she was hungry we wouln't say no sorry snacks aren't for another hour.
:

Deanna
 
#19 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by octobermom View Post
Our DD will NOT let us know if she hungry and when se eats she ONLY wats enough to not be starving and not a bite more its a processing disorder and caused HUGE issues as an infant. SO for her we do feed her on a schedule and a fairly "strict one" and we calorie pack what she gets. BUT shes not forced if she way so say coome to me and say she was hungry we wouln't say no sorry snacks aren't for another hour.
:

Deanna
Obviously in case of a disorder of sorts, you have to adjust, maybe put baby on a schedule. I believe it's fairly common advice here (UK) to tell mothers of preemies to feed at least every 2-3 hours during the day, unless baby wants it more often. Preemies can be very sleepy and not wake up for feedings, and sometimes schedules can be a useful tool. It's only when unnecessary tools are used that it can become a problem.
 
#20 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisCountryGirl View Post
I know, I was seeing if I could see the cons of schedule feedings, even links to websites with good infomation about why babies should be demand fed. By the way, I believe in feeding babies "on demand"

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns....html#schedule
 
#21 ·
I think the "scheduling" Deanna'a talking about is offering food frequently enough that the "happy to starve" baby or child gets enough nutrition to thrive.

Even LLL recommends "watching the clock" for babies who just want to sleep all the time, and don't wake on their own to eat. You watch the clock to make sure too much time doesn't pass before you wake Baby and offer the breast.

This is completely different from "watching the clock" for the purpose of denying your child your breast, human comfort, or food.
 
#22 ·
Quote:
I think the "scheduling" Deanna'a talking about is offering food frequently enough that the "happy to starve" baby or child gets enough nutrition to thrive.

Even LLL recommends "watching the clock" for babies who just want to sleep all the time, and don't wake on their own to eat. You watch the clock to make sure too much time doesn't pass before you wake Baby and offer the breast.

This is completely different from "watching the clock" for the purpose of denying your child your breast, human comfort, or food.
Yes and when I say strict thats not to say we deney her but its strict for us. We (appropiate with age and time) have rules on her sitting down with us calorie packing food and making sure she has both ample oppurnuities but also the physical help she needs. When she was nursing we would not just offer breast every say 2 hours but also go intoa quiet room place lay her down beside me and give her total breast access for say a 30 minute period (more if she needed) but we at least gave her that. If we gave a bottle (both formula and BF baby) we also sat twith her cuddling and gave her body JUST the chance to feed. It was/is lots of work on OUR part trust me not something we'd have done just because..
 
#23 ·
no benefits at all to feeding baby on a schedule, unless it's your baby's schedule
. Sometimes there are medical reasons to do ..ex my daughter was a preemi and was quite happy to sleep for 8 hours straight without feeding at all, so we had to put her on a every 3 schedule so she would thrive.
 
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