Feeding on demand?

[babypowder]

Hello!

Just wondering when you stopped EBF on demand? I spent the first three months trying to get my LO into a pattern, whilst still feeding on demand, which I now know doesn't really make sense, he also feeds a LOT!

Recently I have relaxed more (wished I had done this sooner!) and am feeding completely on demand (except in the night when I do use a dummy but I have a three time out rule, if he spits it out three times I feed him).

However, he doesn't sleep through which I know is normal but I just wondered when you stopped EBF on demand or does it just phase out once you wean? (no plans for that yet either, he's just not ready).

Thanks! (sorry it's garbled, LO has a cold and I have been up for two nights....bleurgh...) x

 

[aliss]

My son decided his own strict feeding times (so on demand, but very predictable) at 9 months

 

[babypowder]

Ohhh....that's a long time away. I do find it tough asking even my OH to look after my LO because the only way I can tell if he is hungry is if he turns his head to latch onto me! Sometimes he is just tired but that could easily be mistaken as hunger by anyone else and then they might try to feed him and waste the amber nectar that is expressed, frozen milk! Hmm x

 

[aliss]

Between the 4 & 6 month growth spurts ahead, it will not be realistic to expect any sort of routine (feeding) because they will require cluster feedings/massive milk intakes at those times, but after 6 months, you will start to really see a pattern!

 

[babypowder]

I am hoping we are already part way through the 4 month spurt...he feeds every two hours during the day then has a settled period from 7pm to 4am (I can cope if that changes) and then awake again at 6am ish for start of the day and next feed. Some days he feeds every hour. This has been going on for about 4-5 days now and that, combined with his cold, is exhausting. However on an up note I am losing weight, I assume all the feeding is the reason as I've not changed much else! x

 

[TigerLady]

I still feed my 9 month old on demand. But she's settled into a maliable routine since about 4-5 months old or so. The night time is pure demand feeding and she reverse cycles. My DS had settled into a feeding routine by about the same age, but he was fed on demand until over a year. Now he just gets a bedtime feed.

With your baby sleeping so well at night -- sleeping 7am to 4am is considered STTN and is a very long stretch for such a young baby! -- he'll probably feed more often during the day. So, don't be suprised by frequent day feeds and regular cluster feeding in the evening to get ready for that long stretch.

My DS fed every 1-2 hours until 14 weeks and every 2-3 hours (around the clock) until 8 months. DD feeds every 4-5 hours during the day and every 1-3 hours at night.

 

[summer rain]

I still feed on demand, in the first 12 weeks or so LO fed every 3 hours like clockwork for most of the day then cluster feeding at night and going around 4-5 hours at night; now he goes longer in the night but is sometimes more random during the day xx

 

[babypowder]

Thank you, it's interesting that many people seem to have babies sleeping 12 hours from younger than my LO! I'm not too bothered by him not sleeping any longer though, if I am honest I love our cuddles in the night
Thanks for your input xx

 

[KayBea]

My LO has got herself into a routine..
Its still on demand but roughly every 3hrs Maybe 3hrs 15mins.
We dont have a strict time of getting up in the morning so her first bottle of the day is never the same..
X

 

[TigerLady]

My 9 month old still doesn't sleep 5 hours, let alone 12! :sigh:

Oh well. I love the cuddles, too.

 

[babypowder]

I also have reflux to contend with so it's not like night feeds are a quick thing; we have a fifteen minute feed maybe and then 20 minutes minimum uprightness before he goes back down...makes for a tired Mummy but I wouldn't change him for the world and it's so lovely to hear that there are so many babies doing similar things. I have many friends who think it's nuts that he doesn't sleep 6pm to 6pm....sigh xx

 

[Seity]

We had reflux and a low milk supply, so feeding took ages - Often 45 min of BFing. We still feed on demand, but he naturally fell into his own pattern over time. I think around 6 months it became fairly predictable.
Gabriel woke every 2 hours to eat at night until 11 months. Then he started to do one 4-5 hour block and then wake every 2 hours after that to eat. At 1 week past his first birthday, he started to sleep an 8 hour block, STTN at last.

 

[membas#1]

we have to do the upright thing too after eating for reflux issues. it can sometimes make night feeds seem so long! My LO is younger than yours we are feeding every 2-2.5 hours in the day and at night she will pull a 4-5 hour stretch from 9pm-1ish and then every 2-3 hours after that. zzzzzzzz sleepy mama! we don't have any routine, just on demand but she's fairly predictable. although she changes it up on me now and then