   
 |
|
 Ask Dr. Jana
Breastfeeding: On Demand or on a Schedule | | | QUESTION | | | | Which is better, to breastfeed on demand or on a schedule? — Becky in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin | | | ANSWER |
June 8, 2000 | | | There is no "right" answer to your question, since even the experts debate over whether feeding schedules are appropriate. If you learn to recognize the difference between a demand for attention or comfort and a demand to nurse, most babies will establish very healthy eating patterns on their own, and imposing rigid feeding schedules can be dangerous to your child's health.
In the first several weeks of life, I am a firm believer that babies should be allowed to nurse frequently and not kept to any particular schedule so that breastfeeding and your milk supply can be well-established. Many mothers are given a false impression in the hospital that a baby functions according to the nursery schedule of being fed every 2-3 hours. In reality, it is normal for a baby to nurse 10-12 times or more in a 24 hour period. Frequent nursing is beneficial in triggering the shift from producing colostrum to making mature milk.
After the first few weeks of life, when breastfeeding is well established and your baby is gaining weight well, I think it is perfectly reasonable to try and establish some semblance of a feeding routine based on your baby's cues. You can try to influence your baby's eating habits (within reason) by making sure that you aren't nursing every time your baby fusses. For example, wait 10-15 minutes before nursing to see if your baby can go back to sleep or be calmed down if its only been an hour since the last feeding.
— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
|
| | 
|