I have been feeding Isaiah on demand as much as he wants. His dr wants me to feed him smaller bottles more frequently, including waking him up to eat.
My point of view is, why wake him? He is 50% on weight and has been since birth. And he's happy.
Do you go by a schedule or by demand?
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Why is the doctor recommending it? Is there a health reason or just practice? I fed on demand. It sounds like he's happy and healthy. Some people also just want to get babies on a "schedule".
nectarine / 2280 posts
I'm feeding on demand. It's so hard to get babies to sleep sometimes so why wake them. I think I might've fed her when she was asleep once or twice early on. I was probably paranoid about something. Darn hormones!
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
@T.H.O.U.: He's healthy and get the recommended oz a day. There is no health reason that I can come up with. Isaiah spits up, but it doesn't seem to matter how many oz he has in relation to his spit up.
coconut / 8305 posts
We still breastfeed on demand. Considering the info you gave, I don't see why what you're doing needs to change. Our pedi was always trying to get me to space out feedings too, but then pushed solids b/c P was small. Seriously.. I know not all pedi's are like this but I just don't think many are very well versed or knowledgeable in this area.
pomegranate / 3452 posts
On demand. I can't imagine trying to schedule him too much - my brain would hurt.
grapefruit / 4671 posts
I've always fed on demand. I don't even know what the recommended number oz for this age.
blogger / nectarine / 2608 posts
On demand. Sounds like Isaiah is doing great! I wouldn't change it if it is working for you (and him).
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
On demand! I'm so curious why your ped wants you to do something different! If you find out the reason, let us know!
pomelo / 5621 posts
We feed on demand. I think as long as he is growing why change what works.
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
On demand. Maybe the doc just wanted to tell you something and decided randomly to use feeding to talk about? On demand meets a baby's needs 
How is the little guy?
nectarine / 2217 posts
we fed on a schedule and were happy with it (and the results hehe), but i support on demand too, and if isaiah is thriving, there doesn't seem to be a reason to change what you are doing? maybe ask your ped about it again?
pomegranate / 3398 posts
Oh we are for sure on a schedule. Id go insane without one and shes better with the structure. But, if what you are doing is working for you and baby I wouldnt change it.
GOLD / grapefruit / 4007 posts
On demand ! And we quit waking LO up after like a week ! He will let you know when he is hungry !
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
A schedule (approx every 3 hours). I didn't want her to become a snacker. She cries for it, but I dont just automatically give her food if she's upset. It's working great for us!
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
@Mrs. Jacks: he's doing great. He's happy and healthy. I just kind of dread the appointment because I know he's going to ask and I've not listened to his advice about it at all. I feel like I'm doing what works best for him though.
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
@Mrs. Polish: my strategy is to say "mmm hmm we're doing everything we need to. Yeah, it's working great" and smile. No lies and end of conversation. We did that about co-sleeping an feeding out tiny 4th percentile girl.
pear / 1723 posts
Even though everybody and their brother told us that twins have to be on a schedule, we chose not too, and have always done feeding and sleeping (within reason) on demand. Now at 10 months, they have a routine, but not really a hard and fast schedule. Full feeding when they wake, half feeding about 2 hours later, nap awhile after that, and start over. A lot of trial and error brought us to that point and it's working really well. It's all about finding what works best for the parents and the child, as long as the child is happy and healthy. Good luck with your ped!
persimmon / 1328 posts
Definitely on demand. I wonder sometimes if I should have her on more of a schedule than we do now (at least a loose one), but she is doing pretty well without one for now.
bananas / 9973 posts
On demand. I think I did try Dream Feeding a few times between 4-6 weeks, but don't need it now.
pineapple / 12053 posts
On demand although until about 8 weeks I did wake her up if she went more than 3.5 hours to make sure she got enough feedings in during the day but honestly I don't know if it made a difference. And I know Isaiah is a great sleeper already so that seems like a random recommendation.
cantaloupe / 6397 posts
We are doing on demand! I dream feed her at night right now though, after about 4.5 hours of sleep. Works great for us!
nectarine / 2054 posts
I BF on a schedule, which works really well for us - LO was snacking all day, and putting him on a schedule caused him to have more substantial meals spaced a little further apart (and eat more each day as a consequence, I think). But smaller bottles more frequently, and waking him to eat when he seems to be gaining well, doesn't make sense to me, unless there's some other reason for it! That's kind of the opposite of the schedule we put LO on.
pomegranate / 3225 posts
Ummm. I had my NB on a three hour schedule, and she thrived on it. But, I didn't wake her at night. Honestly if he's 50th percentile, I don't see why you should wake him. I wouldn't!
pomegranate / 3895 posts
Kind of both.......
DD is EBF and in theory I feed on demand, but she's also quite a good little sleeper, so I have to wake her during the day to feed, and I do so every three hours. Sometimes she clusters in the evening though and I feed on demand. At night, I let her sleep!
nectarine / 2127 posts
A little of both? He was on a schedule in the NICU so we kept him on an every 3 hour schedule in the early days because weight gain was a concern. Once he'd had two really good weigh ins, around 3.5 weeks, we started to give him a little more control and he stretched them to 3.5 then 4 hours apart, appropriately taking more at each feeding. Now, at 6 weeks, he wants to feed every 4-5 hours so we go with that unless he goes beyond 5 hours or hasn't gotten his daily minimum in.
blogger / pomelo / 5361 posts
Somewhat of both: maybe a relaxed schedule is the best way to describe it. I plan on them eating every 2 1/2 - 3 hours during the day, and will wake them up if they don't wake up during that time. If they are just super hungry in between, I feed them of course, but then try to get back to our general routine.
I think as long as he's growing and you're both happy, then you should do whatever is working!
pomegranate / 3706 posts
We did on demand and it made more sense to me. I'm not always hungry on a specific schedule that stays the same every day, why should my child be? And if I'm hungry before dinner, I'm not going to wait 3 hours, I'll get a snack!
pomelo / 5791 posts
We're on a 4 hour (FF) schedule. He's never had a problem with it.
grapefruit / 4712 posts
N is on a schedule but only because it kinda fell that way. Plus it is easier for everyone involved in his care. We started out on demand and just followed his cues.
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