Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

DD is going to be 7 weeks on Monday and I EBF. The past week and a half or so, she sometimes eats about every hour for about 5 minutes. I know this is not ideal b/c I want her to get the hind milk, not to mention it is a little annoying to me. This doesn't happen all the time, but it happens a lot. Today she ate a lot and very frequently, feeding long periods of time every hour. I figure this is b/c she is going through a growth spurt.

DH thinks it may be time to set a feeding schedule for DD. However, I am not sure that scheduling feeding for her will work right now. I used to try to set a feeding schedule for her, but I found that I had to wake her up and she would be cranky, not hungry, and not eat. I tried to force her to eat one day to try to set a schedule, but she ended up spitting it all up. So now I feed on demand and figured that it is best way to do things for her right now, and maybe we can set a schedule later on.

Is DD too young to delay feedings?Please share your thoughts and experiences on scheduling feedings, or not scheduling feedings, with your child at 7 weeks or so. I know that scheduling works great for some people, and it does not work for others, so I am just trying to figure what is best for DD and myself. I just have no experience with anything like this!

TIA

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

sounds to me like she is using you for a pacifier!
I would not do a schedule exactly, but maybe more of a rule like there has to be minimum 2 hours between feedings.

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

Pay attention to see if she is swallowing during these sessions.

As for a schedule: I only fed on demand. DS was a very large baby and I let him dictate when he wanted to eat. I never woke him to eat. Around your DD's age, he was sleeping through the night, but eating about every hour when awake during the day. In fact, he never ate more than 3-4 ounces per sitting until he was 10 months old. (Not necessarily normal, but want you to know that every child is different.)

May I ask why your DH thinks a schedule is needed? Are you run down? I may have seriously kicked DH if he told me when to feed DS. Unless he grew boobs, I made sure he stayed quiet.

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

I don't have a schedule, but I feed them around every 3 hours still, except during the night.
Have you tried giving her the paci instead of the boob?

Message edited 7/4/2009 8:12:32 AM.

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

I agree about babies sometimes just wanting to suck and using you as a pacifier. Have you offered a pacifier to DC yet? Definitely follow what the others said above and see if she's actually taking in any milk or just more or less sucking to pacify herself.

Posted by waterspout4

May I ask why your DH thinks a schedule is needed? Are you run down? I may have seriously kicked DH if he told me when to feed DS. Unless he grew boobs, I made sure he stayed quiet.

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

I'm EBFing and I always feed on demand. Personally, I wouldn't try to put DC on a feeding schedule at 7 weeks. DS fell into a schedule on his own. If you don't think DC is hungry, but wants to suck for comfort, then I'd try to offer a pacifier first and see if it works.

The round the clock nursing sounds like a growth spurt, which is common at 6 weeks.

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

I EBF and never attempted a schedule with DD until she had been eating solids for a full month - which translates into age 7 1/2 months.

At your DC's age feeding on demand is the best thing to do. I agree with the other ladies and think you should try a pacifier.

Message edited 7/4/2009 10:36:09 AM.

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

Feed on demand.... also she may be starting to get ready for a growth spurt

ALexa never took to a paci and still won't at 20 weeks.

Try swaddling her, shushing her and getting her to sleep without being on the breast.

I hate using the term, "my baby is using me as a pacifier". LLL stance is also the same on this. Nursing is not just about feeding and nutrition, its about a closeness and bond between mother and child. Nursing provides for comfort whether baby is sad, scared, hurting or uncomfortable. She was inside of you for 9 months and nursing is one of the ways she can be very close to you and s lot of babys comfort nurse... It will get better when they get older and learn other methods of being comforted.

Alexa didn't latch until 7W 5D and I swear teh minute she did she didn't come off the boob for about 6 weeks!!! It wasn't cause she was so hungry but FINALLY, she had a way of feeling completely comfortable (she had bad reflux)


IT gets better, I promise!!!


Here is some info from LLL


Frequency nursing

"So I nursed him every 45 min"

Message edited 7/4/2009 11:21:00 AM.

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

ANother good article for you

Schedules

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

Breastfed babies should be fed on demand. They eventually fall into a pattern and make their own schedule.

Re: Please help settle a discussion between DH and me (re: feeding schedule or lack of) - a little long

I think your husband is probably trying to help you when he suggests that - he sees how much it takes out of you to be feeding the baby constantly, and so he's thinking a schedule might be helpful.
However, it's up to the baby to determine that...and as the mother breastfeeding, you are the best person to figure out if the baby is ready for it or not. You know your baby....you should be the one to make that decision.