There are two schools of thought on the subject of feeding: on demand feeding
versus feeding to a schedule. Demand feeding works on the principle that the
baby knows instinctively when it needs to feed and will take the amount it
needs, no more no less. Scheduled feeding means you give your baby a feed at
certain intervals throughout the day, regardless of whether they cry to be fed.
Extreme proponents of scheduled feeding would even wake the baby up for a feed
if they were asleep.
Feeding on demand is gaining in popularity and is centred on the baby’s own cues
of hunger. This is about learning how your baby communicates its hunger, and
learning how to respond to that communication in ways that will help the baby
feel more comfortable and confident.
When a baby is beginning to get hungry she will start to squirm around. There is
often a period of increased activity and the baby will be more alert (a great
time for visitors). Another sign that your baby is getting hungry is when she
begins to suck on her hand or put a clenched hand up next to her face. Sucking
noises are always a good indication of hunger. Crying is often the last sign
that babies will give when they are hungry, if all the other signs haven’t been
recognized. Often by the time your baby starts to cry, she is really
hungry!
Babies who are fussing, however, are not necessarily hungry. On-demand feeding
requires that you learn to distinguish between hunger and other needs (such as
cold, hot, anxious, wet or tired). It may take some time to learn the right
signals, but mom and baby will soon begin to develop a pattern.
In the other camp is scheduled feeding. One of the main aspects to recommend
feeding to a schedule is the principle behind care given to premature or
seriously underweight babies. For them, feeding on demand is literally a matter
of life or death – the babies are too sleepy and their systems too immature to
know when they need to feed and they rely on the nurses to feed according to a
strict schedule.
Proponents of scheduled feeding claim that not all babies – even healthy ones –
give signals at the right times in the early days. If a baby sleeps for a long
period in the middle of the day, he could miss out on essential nutrients which
he will be unable to make up for at the next feed due to the tiny capacity of
his stomach. Not letting your baby go too long between feeds avoids this
problem.
Scheduled feeding has, however, come a long way from the days of ‘feed every
four hours and leave them to cry otherwise’. The advice at the time of writing
is to feed every three ounces initially, unless the baby cries for more – a
hungry baby should never be left to cry.
Whichever method of feeding you and your partner choose, it is important to
allow your baby to nurse as long as she wants to. Whether you are breast or
bottle feeding, use this as a time to be close to your baby, and keep the feeds
as quiet and unhurried as possible.
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Dislaimer
AV Baby content is for information only. If you are at all worried about your
baby, please seek the advice of your midwife, doctor or paediatrician.
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