Feeding your baby
By Ellie
@ellie26 (4139)
Malaysia
May 15, 2007 3:04am CST
Whic one is better - feeding your baby by the hour or when they are hungry? I have tried both method and I find that feeding my babies by the hours suit me best. What about you, mothers? Which method do you prefer?
8 responses
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
16 May 07
I did a little of both. I fed by the hours for the first month mostly because he slept all the time, I felt it necessary to wake him to feed him. But then I grew to feeding him when he was hungry and I knew the hungry signs well by that time. Then I went back to feeding by the hours mostly to start implementing a sense of routine into his life. As long as you really know your child and trust your sense as a mommy, both ways can work out for any child.
1 person likes this
@andak2007 (3229)
• Philippines
15 May 07
I feed my baby when he is hungry...i lose track of the time so its difficult for me to do it by the hour and mostly its my mother who does the feeding, im at work by day so i don't really monitor, only at nights.
1 person likes this
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
16 May 07
It's strange that you wouldn't do as the Dr recommended, you NEVER wake a child to feed them - they will wake if they are hungry & so the smartest option is to feed on demand.
Seriously, it cant be the best thing to do - why wake a baby & feed him if he's obviously not hungry?
I hope everyone feeds on demand, it's just cruel to wake an infant while they're getting their much needed sleep just because it's better for you. You really need to work around your child, not the other way around.
@ellie26 (4139)
• Malaysia
16 May 07
Ok fair enough. Let me ask you a question, when your baby was just a few days old, you should feed him or her every 2 hrs. What happen if your few days old baby did not cry for her and his next feeding. Are you still going to wait until he/she cry out for feeding? I opt for feeding by the hour not because I am cruel but to make sure my baby get enough nutrition. My experience with my babies was they did not wake up when they supposed to have their feedings and instead of 2 hrs interval for every feeding, they slept through until 4 hrs after their last feeding. They were quite skinny at that time. So, as a mother, what would you have done? Would still wait for them to wake up for their feeding? And I suggest that everyone to check with their pediatrician if they have problems feeding their babies. Different babies different experience. Mothers want what is best for their children.
@deedles88 (297)
• Australia
15 May 07
When my daughter was born, she was fed every 4 hours. When she had a growth spurt, we fed her every 3 hours, but other then that it was a routine of every 4 hours. Now she has breakfast, a bottle then bed. Then lunch, a bottle and bed, then afternoon tea, dinner a bottle and bed.
1 person likes this
@rapolu_cs (1184)
• India
15 May 07
When my baby was months old i used to fed him for every 2hr with milk and with other snack stuff and now he is 2 1/2 ,i will give him whenever he ask for lunch and the others mostly when he was hungry as the elders say feeding at the times of hunger gives good power for children as they eat it with the satisfaction and with the excitement.
