My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

I am a new Mom and I have no idea what to do.

My daughter wants to eat all the time (except at night).

My peditircian said DO NOT give into demand feeding.

So what's the alternative? Let her cry it out for almost 2 hours? Her hunger cry is so heart breaking.

Will that teach her to wait or to get used to some schedule? I don't think it will.


I feel like if she is hungry....let her eat, but am I doing the wrong thing? I am currenlty giving her 4-5 oz every feeding.

Will I make her obese?

Everyone tells me about rice cereal, but I know she is too young for it.'

What should I do?

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

She may be having a growth spurt? I believe they have one at 6 weeks.

With my 1st son, I nursed him every 1.5-2hrs throughout the night for the 1st year!!! And I worked FT. Don't ask me how I did it. I was also only on maternity leave for 6 weeks. My 2nd son ate every 3-4 hours and not through the night. I think it was my fault for just feeding the 1st one too often. He was my 1st and I didn't know any better. But I understand that you don't want to let him cry being so young. You're not suppose to that's why I just fed him. I should have stopped the pattern as he got older (6 months), but he took advantage of mommy! 6 weeks is still on demand feeding I believe. Don't be hard on yourself. I don't know why the doctor would tell you that?

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

whoa... 6 weeks is WAY too young to not feed them if they are hungry! I can't even believe a dr told you to do that!

How much is she eating at a time? Sorry, but I would NEVER let a 6 week old cry from hunger... JMO

ETS- sorry just saw you had how much she was eating. It does seem like more then usual but I don't think its that bad that I would feed her when she cries.

Message edited 10/28/2010 9:43:42 AM.

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

How long has this been happening? I think around 6 weeks they go through a little growth spurt so that could be why she wants to eat more frequently.

Does she take a pacifier? Maybe she really just wants to suck and that will hold her over.

You will not make her obese!

Are you formula or breastfeeding?

Message edited 10/28/2010 9:44:35 AM.

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

What is your dr.'s reasoning for not feeding on demand?

I EBF on demand and it worked out great. Some days I felt like she was attached to my boob all day but if that's what she wanted I couldn't deny her.

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

I say feed her when she is hungry. My DD used to go through that as well, they have growth spurts , one week she was eating every 3 hrs and then for a week or 2 (or more) she wanted to eat every hour or 2, day and night . I BF so I fed her when she was hungry, I never even asked the dr to be honest .

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

I would add an extra ounce to each feeding which will maybe satisfy her for longer periods of time - you're NOT going to make her obese doing this.

At 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months it is very common for babies to go through a growth spurt. My DS went through this not too long ago - he went up to 8 ounces per feeding and then dropped back down to 6 ounces a week or two later (3 month growth spurt).

I don't understand why your ped would say to not give in to on demand feeding at such a young age. That wouldn't sit right with me. I'm all for putting kids on a schedule, but they have needs that they can't adequately express so we as parents have to adapt to our children's needs first in order to get them to adapt to our schedules later.

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

she is probably going through a growth spurt. my EBF DD was on my boob every 45mins and i wanted to jump out my window. but it passes. just feed her, she will slow down eating! and you will not make her obese, if she is hungry, she is hungry, babies weight and height all fluctuate.

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

Can you up the ounces per feeding to maybe hold her a bit longer?

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.

Re: My 6 week old daughter wants to eat every hour and a half.