have you ever heard of scheduling a baby's feedings??

The only reason I could think of that a mother would put her baby on a feeding schedule is if she wants it to be more convenient for her (not the baby) and to get the baby to only eat at certain times of the night. Personally I don't think it's fair to put a baby through that, as your doctor said, they don't overeat so they should be allowed to eat when they're hungry. I'm sure that mother wouldn't like it if someone told HER she couldn't eat when she was hungry and could only eat at certain times!

I think most of the time it's down the the mothers personal choice. I have never personally fed my babies on a schedule, but a friend of mine who gave birth in January had her baby on a feeding schedule till he was 4 weeks old. I'm not sure what the reasoning for this was and I didn't ask. I didn't even know till she said that they were going to start feeding him when he was hungry as opposed to set times. When I had my youngest Son, in the hospital there was a 4 bed ward and then a couple of private rooms in use. Having had a C Section, I was in a private room. One of the girls in the 4 bed ward came up the corridor with her baby looking extremely disgruntled. She said that one of the girls was feeding her baby on a time schedule instead of when he was hungry. This lady was apparently trying to force her baby to eat and he was crying his little heart out. He just wasn't hungry. When one of the other girls pointed that out to her, she snapped back "I know what I'm doing!" So I think unless there is actually a medical reason, it must come down to choice. I always fed my babies when they wanted feeding and that worked for me.

I have been trying to keep mine on a schedule, my oldest was on a schedule by 5 months, but the youngest one has proven to be most difficult. Schedules/routines are great for babies, so they know what is coming next, so you can plan you day, having said that, sometimes babies ARE hungry before the next feeding time, and I think sometimes parents allow their schedules to govern them too much, when considering a schedule for your baby, you always need to remember that it is there to serve you, not vice versa. Some people, will not be flexible in fear that the whole day will be ruined, and their little babies suffer because of it. There are times however, when a baby cries hungry and doesn't really need to be fed. We are going through some sleeping problems with our 5 month old right now, he was sleeping through the night just fine, since he was 2 months old, but at 4 months he got his first teeth, and started waking up again. Now he is waking out of habit (I know it is habit, not hunger, because he will only nurse for a couple minutes and then fall asleep, he barely even takes anything in, sometimes children will start waking in the middle of the night to eat due to a growth spurt, but they will take a full feeding before they go back to sleep) and we have been trying to get him to go to sleep w/out eating. It's been 2 nights, and he did much better last night, only waking once, and he didn't eat, just went back to sleep, we are hoping we can get him to start sleeping through again by the end of the weekend. There really isn't any "medical" reason to have a baby on a schedule, it is a lot more convenient and it is generally easier on the baby. Babies who are on a schedule are usually more content because they sleep better, and eat better, when it happens around the same time everyday. Also though, I personally would never ask a daycare provider to be so strict on a schedule like that, as I have worked with children for many years, and it is difficult tending to more than one child, especially when one is crying and you can't do anything for them. To have a schedule or not to, is a personal decision, that every family must make for their own children.

I think routines are good for babies. My first baby was on a routine and she was fine on it. My second didn't like it and ended up making up her own regular routine. However if they were hungry early I would never make them wait, it isn't fair.

I personally disagree with putting babies on a schedule, especially for feedings. Babies grow so fast during that time, they have growth spurts and get hungry earlier than normal sometimes. You need to feed the baby, I don't know, it just seems like a natural thing to do, baby is hungry=feed the baby! I've never had any kind of schedule for my son, after awhile he got into his own routine as far as eating and sleeping, so I just follow that.

Some parents try to force their children to fit into their lives rather than adjust their lives to welcome the new baby. Scheduling feedings, sleeping, and the such make it easier for the parent and gives them a feeling of being in control. Some parents think that children as little as newborns can somehow be "spoiled" and try to counter act that by depriving them of their needs in order to "teach him who is the boss." Personally, I think infants are far too young to be scheduled and should be allowed to eat and sleep when their bodies need them to.

Well my kid did it all on her own. She ate at 8am,12pm,4pm and 8pm. That is what she wanted. I never said no to her. She put herself on that shcedule at about 4 or 5 months. At 6 Months old I would see she got fussy an hour towards feeding time I would just give her juice. Since she was already on it I just kept her on it. But I never had her on a schedule when she was younger. Some people find it better ot have them on a schedule... for themselves and the kid as a routine. Who knows.

That sounds strange to me, coz like your doctor said, babies are not likely to overeat. there might be some medical reason behind it, or maybe the mother is just like this. I know that my friend has her child ona schedual when it is the fathers time to take him, but that is more for the sake of the baby beeing fed at all, wich he probably wouldn´t without this schedual since the father is the most irresponsible man ever!

Yes I have heard of scheduled feeding but I didn't follow that as well..Babies don't over feed themselves..I noticed when my baby cries and I try to give him a bottle he pushes it away because he has colic...so I burp him right away and he stops crying..sometimes baby cries for different reasons and not only because they are hungry.

Yes, I have heard of babies feeding schedule. My doctor once told me about it. It is intended for moms who may get too busy as to forget to feed the child. I was told that I will have to set an alarm clock for the purpose. When I told him that there's no worry regarding feeding time because I will always hear the baby whenever he cries, I was told that it will be okay to feed the baby each time he cries. Obviously, the mom here has opted to adopt the feeding schedule which the doctor has recommended. I understand that there are some babies who tend to oversleep making the observance of feeding time important.

I believe in having a baby on a feeding schedule. It assures that the baby is receiving the nutrition it needs. If you think the baby is still hungry for food, you can modify the schedule or make sure the baby feeds more at the designated time. A schedule allows for the time that everyone needs, the mom, dad and other family members as well as the infant. It also allows for other time with the baby, just playing or bonding, reading to the baby, etc. A parent's soothing voice is sometimes what the baby wants and needs and we mistake it for being hungry. It worked very well for me and mine. On demand feeding can be disruptive, I guess it depends on how large the family is, who's working, etc.

Well my son is 7 months old and i got him on a rountine. Well,actually I got on his routine exept for nite time. I just put some rice cereal in his bottle at nite so he will sleep al nite other than that no routine. I'm don't think it's right to make them wait though if they rae hungry they are hungry and they will just cry untill they are fed. So might as well feed them.Better baby them while you can they grow up and leave so fast.

Of course they shouldn't be on a schedule. However, don't let that habit get into their toddler years where they may be in risk of obesity. I've obese children whose mothers cannot deny their sons or daughters food.

Alot of people fell that it is important to keep their babies on a scheldule. Rather it be eating or sleeping. I have three boys and with my first the doctor mentioned it and some of my older friends spoke about schedules and b/c I was a new mom I tried but you know the baby is going to tell you when he/she is hungry. None of my kids were on a feeding schedule. Not all babies are the same and some cant go as long as others. I wouldnt woory about it as long as your baby is healthy and happy.

I think people schedule themselves more to check on the baby... the baby may be up and hungry at 3 AM when the rest of the family is asleep, nevertheless, it's important to get up and feed the baby. That's how I see it.

I've always heard of scheduled feedings, but only because the baby generally became hungry around the same times. But I have never heard of anyone not feeding their hungry baby because it wasn't on the schedule! That's just...sheesh.

I scheduled my twins from day one. The way you do this is to start at 4 hour intervals. YOu can feed the baby without them even waking up sometimes and their stomachs digest on schedule. It is not a conscious act on their part. At 3 months and 6 months..then 3 weeks and 6 weeks, they will go through growth spurts. during these times they will wake and fuss with hunger. When you see this happening you feed them every 3 hours, again not waiting for them to fuss from hunger. That is how you schedule feedings.

I guess I dont really believe in a schedule for babies. When I had my twins I did try to persuade them to eat at nearly the same times, especially at night, just for my own sanity. So whenever one ate, I would immediately try to get the other to eat. It didnt always work, but it worked well enough for me to get some sleep at night. I also tried the top them off thing...when I was ready to go to bed for the night I would rouse them a bit and feed them in hopes they would sleep longer and this usually worked also. I do agree that babies need routines, not schedules in my opinion. They need to feel comfort, that they know what to expect after certain events. I also saw a child in daycare with mine that the mother had a strict schedule for and witnessed this baby crying often when I was there to pick up or drop off mine. This is wrong in my opinion as they are learning as babies that we are there to meet their needs. If they cant learn to trust that we are meeting their needs, how is that going to affect them as they older?

Personally, I think its only right to feed the baby when he's hungry. I feel like most of the responses that babies cry when they are hungry. About the overfeeding, just try to feed him a standard few times a day, but when he's hungry. They tend to be crying more when they are in the 1month to 2 momnth period say every 3 to 4 hours. After the period, they will be able to sleep longer hours. So they get more hungry when they wake up. Please feed them. I wouldn't like it if I had to wake up to no breakfast.

I am so against the scheduling of a baby's feedings it is just illogical. I mean if your hungry your hungry its like starving the poor baby. I like to feed my baby whenever she is hungry so I don't have her being crazy fussy and cry nonstop until she gets fed. Sorry but I just hate the headaches from the crying.