EBF Moms -- When did you start DC on a feeding schedule?

**All opinions welcome, not just ebf, it's just that I read somewhere that ebf babies have a greater tendency to 'snack'***


DD is 5 months and I have always fed DD on demand. That used to mean every 2.5-3 hours.

Lately it seems like she is snacking - she wants to eat more often, but not each feed is a really 'good' one.

I'm thinking about trying to get her on more of a schedule -- maybe it would help with her bad napping and night wakings, and if nothing else, when we start solids soon at specific times I think it would be better to have her on more of a schedule for feeds.

If you put your DC on a loose feeding schedule:

- when did you start?

- did you go for every 4 hours like some of the sleep help books suggest?


Also, I'm thinking that maybe I will feed her on a schedule and then introduce a sippy of bm or water (if ped allows) for if she is thirsty during the day, outside of those feeding times. Any thoughts??

TIA!!

Re: EBF Moms -- When did you start DC on a feeding schedule?

I nursed on demand. At that age is was ever 2-3 hours. I wouldn't feel comfortable imposing too rigid a schedule on an EBF baby, because you need to make sure she's getting enough to eat.

Re: EBF Moms -- When did you start DC on a feeding schedule?

I have been told many many times that an EBF babies dont have schedules but more of routines. With my first at about 3 months I wrote down what he did each day for 3 days and kind of made a schedule from what he was already doing.
With #2 I had him on a "schedule" very early once my milk supply was regulated I would stretch each feeding so it was exactly a while numbered hour( 3:00, 5:00 etc) by 4 months he was on a nap schedule which helped with the feeding schedule as he got older I would feed him when it worked for our schedule like right before we left to take ds1 so school, then around lunch time etc.

I think trying to make a "schedule" with her feeding will definitely help with her naps and also the amount she nurses. If you can stretch the feedings a little bit everyday she will be more hungry and eat more.

Edited to add Only as a newborn I fed on demand but I never fed on demand after they weren't building up my supply anymore.

Message edited 12/13/2011 5:16:20 PM.

Re: EBF Moms -- When did you start DC on a feeding schedule?

Re: EBF Moms -- When did you start DC on a feeding schedule?

I have been nursing on demand and my DS is just about 5 months. I also have noticed that lately he kind of snacks and wants to eat more often. Since I am still home with him I just kinda go with it. He takes naps about every 2 hours and they last about 45 minutes to an hour usually. In between that he can eat whenever he wants. I figure things will change when I to back to work anyway so for now this works.

Re: EBF Moms -- When did you start DC on a feeding schedule?

I still nurse on demand and DD is 7 months. We have a sleep schedule (down at 7:30 up at 6:30 and then back to sleep till 745ish) We have a solid schedule ( bfast at 9, lunch at 12, dinner at 6), nap schedule (am nap, 10:30, pm nap 2:30) but no BFing schedule. I say we have a loose routine, she wants to bf when she wakes up, before naps, when she wakes up from naps, sometime before dinner, and right after dinner (before bath). BF-ing on demand works for us, I don't think I'll try to schedule it (any more so than it normally is). If she wants to nurse we nurse.

ETA: The thing that helped us schedule the most was SLEEP! Once we had that routine down the nursing on demand wasn't a big deal to me. The only thing that helped us with the Sleep was CIO. It took us 3 days at a little over 6 months to get the night time wake ups cut out and took a little over a week for the nap time wake ups.

Message edited 12/13/2011 7:58:47 PM.

Re: EBF Moms -- When did you start DC on a feeding schedule?

Thanks guys, it's great to hear other experiences! I will be going back to work for a few weeks in January, so maybe I will wait to do a schedule until after that time. Maybe when she is taking bottles a schedule will sort itself out.

Re: EBF Moms -- When did you start DC on a feeding schedule?

I EBF but we have a routine, not a schedule, and I follow her cues. Dd is 6 months and we are starting solids this week, but right now she wakes up nurses, and then takes a quick morning nap. Wakes up again, gets dressed, plays, and bfs again usually 2.5 hours later. Around 2:00 I've been trying to get her to nap by rocking in the carriage. Around 4:30 she nurses again. Then I try to get a bath & book in before the next feeding around 7:30/8:00. I'm trying to make this the last feeding and get her in bed asleep by 8:30/9:00. Sometimes if the day is off, the last feeding is 9:30.

During the day she nurses fast and more frequent. The last feeding at night is long. She wakes up around 2 or 3 am for a quick feed and falls right back to sleep ( 10 mins).

Ive also noticed if we go out, she can make it 4.5 hours in-between feedings, where as if we are home it's around every 3 hours. The breastfeeding book I refer to frequently says snacking is good for keeping supply and helping Dc get the calories needed so I just go with it.