4 Hourly Feeds

[Jennbear]

Hello,

Just wondered when to start trying to introduce LO to 4 hourly feeds. At the minute we're feeding on demand as he's been quite an unsettled baby but MIL seems to think we should be trying to stretch him to 4 hourly.

Also, how do you stretch a screaming baby an extra hour or 2??

Any advice, tips or experiences?

X

 

[Lady_Bee]

Well... my LO is nearly 8 months old and still only going 3 hours between feeds. So I'm thinking probably never for us!

Your LO is so young I would honestly just keep feeding on demand as often as he wants it - newborns have such little tummies they can't go long without milk! My LO never went more than 2 hours between feeds until he was about 3 months old. Took another 2 months for him to be ok with 3 hours. I have always fed on cue. I don't see how making him wait 4 hours when he is hungry after 2 will benefit either of you to be honest!

 

[lozzy21]

You dont, feeding on demand gives baby the best weight gain and the least upset.

 

[skunkpixie]

I agree with above posters. My DD2 only went from 2-2.5 hourly feeds to 3 hourly at 4-5 months, and never went aslong as 4 hours (except STTN) until she was on 3 meals a day. xxx

 

[Budsmummy]

Please don't listen to your mother in law. My baby is just now having milk four hourly and this is only because he is having solids that stretch him that far! He didnt go 3 hourly until 4 months. Feeding on demand is best for them x

 

[sarahtia]

my dd fed on demand until just over 2months old she fed every 2hours through out the day but at night only had 2 bottles then she went to 4 hour feeds by her self but at the mo she has gone to feeding every 3 hours i just feed when ever she wants feeding she sets the rules to be honest and now she goes from 10pm till 7am at night without a feed

i would do what ever you want to just remember your baby wouldnt have his milk if he wasnt hungry or he would bring it back up

 

[Ktothema]

Dd fed every three hours from birth which we put down to her stay in NICU, and by 2 months was happy at 4 hrs. As she upped her formula intake she was also slowly extending her time between feeds. She did this herself with no real input from us.

Ds seems to be a whole other animal, though also goes 3 hrs between feeds.

I think babies change when they need to. A hungry baby just for the sake of more time is going to make everyone stressed.