Feeding the baby according to the schedule. Feeding schedule: hourly or on demand. Disadvantages of natural feeding

Often, even in the maternity hospital, a new mother is told to feed the baby every 2.5 - 3 hours. At the same time, it is recommended to wake him up when he sleeps so as not to miss the next meal. Let's figure out whether it is necessary to feed the child on a schedule, by the hour, or whether feeding on demand still takes place.

By the hour

Doctors and nursing mothers are divided into two camps: some are in favor of following the regimen, others are in favor of feeding on demand.

1. The mother has free time, she can plan it, taking into account the baby’s meals at certain hours;
2. The child develops the habit of perceiving the breast not as a pacifier or comfort, but only as food, moreover, at a certain time, and not when he wants;
3. Helps reduce the amount of regurgitation in the baby;
4. Helps prevent cracked nipples from appearing;
5. Simplifies the introduction of complementary foods and the replacement of one feeding after another with denser foods.

Compliance with the regime is the choice of each mother individually. There will always be people around who advise feeding on demand, but you need to make a decision based on your personal understanding and state of health of the child.

On demand

Most mothers still prefer to feed their baby as needed, finding comfort in this.

Benefits of feeding your baby on demand:

1. Good lactation (with proper attachment and grip);
2. There is no need to come up with ways to calm and distract the child if he wants to eat earlier;
3. There is no need to calculate the hours; at night, breastfeeding occurs as soon as the baby wakes up;
4. The child is always full and satisfied (provided that milk is well digestible);
5. Mom is calm because the baby is often nearby and is also calm.

Feeding a newborn on demand and frequent feedings are very useful in establishing lactation and establishing breastfeeding. The more milk the baby sucks, the more it comes. If there is too much milk, then after application you can express it and store it chilled or frozen.

Switching from on-demand feeding to routine feeding

If your baby is gaining weight well, then after a month or two, if desired, you can switch to the regime. This will allow you to improve lactation and gradually free up more free time for yourself. To switch to a regimen after frequent feedings every hour, you just need to gradually lengthen the intervals between feedings by at least 5 to 10 minutes. The main thing is to remember that feeding less frequently than every 3.5 hours is not beneficial for a small growing organism. This does not apply to night feedings after two months.

Breast milk is completely absorbed by the baby’s body in 75 minutes, so even when the baby is full, he may well ask for breastfeeding an hour later. But if you decide to introduce a feeding regimen, this will not mean at all that the child will starve; for him, it is an absolute norm to eat every 3 - 3.5 hours.

The later you switch to the regime, the more difficult it will be for the child, because he is already accustomed to receiving the breast with every squeak, he also perceives the breast as reassurance, communication with his mother. When switching to a routine, try to find new ways to calm your baby and spend time communicating with him without breastfeeding.

What to choose: mode or application on demand? Every mother makes this choice independently. The main thing is to weigh the pros and cons, do not listen to aggressive advisers and enjoy breastfeeding and communicating with your baby.

We invite you to watch this video: Dr. Komarovsky and feeding on demand

A child’s daily routine is a specific routine, designed taking into account age characteristics and needs and aimed at healthy physical and intellectual development. Some mothers think that the regime is necessary only for weakened, often ill children, but this is not so. It is necessary to accustom your baby to a daily routine from the first months of life. You should not expect that a newborn baby will fall asleep and wake up by the hour from the first days, but certain skills that will form the basis of a child’s routine at an older age can be developed already in the first month of the baby’s life.

Feeding schedule: hourly or on demand?

If the baby is breastfed, pediatricians advise feeding him on demand. If the baby is healthy, gains weight well and develops according to established standards, this regimen can be followed until the age of three months. If the mother continues to breastfeed the baby when he asks for it, complications in the digestive system may arise due to overfeeding. These may be intestinal, painful spasms, stool upset, abdominal pain.

Feeding on demand has its pros and cons, so each mother must decide for herself how to organize the feeding of the baby in order to meet his needs and not infringe on the interests of other family members.

Dr. Komarovsky about feeding regimen

Among the advantages of feeding on demand, experts highlight:

• more harmonious development of the baby due to frequent and prolonged contact with the mother;
• stable (with this feeding regimen, milk is produced in the mammary glands in the amount necessary to meet the needs of a particular baby);
• reducing the risk of purulent mastitis that develops against the background of milk stagnation.

If a mother decides to feed her baby on demand, she should understand that such a daily routine for a newborn in the first month also has significant disadvantages. One of them is the inability to leave home in the first weeks of the baby’s life. The organization of feeding is also of great importance: if the baby takes the breast incorrectly (grabs not the areola, but only the nipple), too frequent feedings can lead to the formation of long-healing cracks, which can become infected due to insufficient personal hygiene.

Artificial or mixed feeding

If a newborn receives formula milk as the main or additional nutrition, the infant should be fed according to the established schedule. Unlike breast milk, the composition and fat content are constant and do not change depending on external factors. The main difference between formula and formula is the presence of complex proteins (lactoglobulins), which require more time to break down and digest. If a child receives a new portion of formula before his body digests the previous food, gastrointestinal disorders may occur, for example:

• and vomiting;
• (the child cries, refuses the bottle, the abdomen is tense, there may be pain on palpation);
• constipation (can last up to 3 days).

Approximate feeding schedule by hour

When organizing meals, parents of newborn children who are on artificial or mixed feeding can adhere to the schedule given in the table.

At night, the baby can wake up at any time, since the night feeding regime is usually established only by 2-3 months. The volume of one serving of formula for newborns in the first month is 90 ml (from the third week of life this volume can be increased to 120 ml). The norm for breastfed children is a volume of 50 to 90 ml per feeding.

Important! The interval between formula feedings should be about 3 hours, that is, the child should receive food up to 8 times a day. Children who are breastfed on demand can receive mother's milk up to 8-10 times a day (the intervals between feedings are at least 2-2.5 hours).

Night feedings

Children in the first month of life can wake up up to 3-4 times a night. If the baby receives breastfeeding on demand, this number of feedings at night is allowed, but it is important to ensure that the baby does not show signs of overfeeding (excessive regurgitation after eating, a swollen belly, etc.). You should not limit breastfeeding at night, since it is at this time that a woman’s body produces an increased amount of hormones necessary for milk production.

Important! Newborns receiving formula milk should not be fed more than once per night.

If your baby wakes up more often, it is important to find out the reason. This could be uncomfortable clothing, cold (or, conversely, too high a room temperature), dry and dusty air. usually begin at the beginning of the third week of life and can last up to 3-4 months (less often - up to six months).

To help your baby, you can use the following methods to combat increased gas formation:

• dry heat on the stomach (flannel diaper folded in several layers, ironed);
• (performed clockwise with stroking movements);
• special gymnastics (bringing the legs bent at the knees to the stomach).

If alternative methods do not help, you can use (,).

Should I give water to my newborn while breastfeeding?

Mother's milk consists of 87-88% water, so children with a good appetite do not need additional supplementation. Formula-fed babies can be supplemented with water from a spoon or bottle. Its norm depends on the child’s weight, the rate of general development and other factors and can range from 30 to 70 ml per day. It is better to give bottled water designed specifically for baby food. You should not add sugar to it, as then the baby may refuse fresh complementary foods, for example, vegetable purees. Some children are more willing to drink warmed water, but it is important to ensure that its temperature does not exceed 28°-30°.

There are situations when water must be given even to newborns who are fed only breast milk:

• diseases accompanied by excessive vomiting and diarrhea (to prevent dehydration);
• the air in the children's room is too dry.

Important! Dangerous signs of dehydration include dry lips and infrequent urination (normally, a newborn should urinate at least 8 times a day).

How much should a baby eat at one feeding in the first months of life?

How to accustom a newborn to the regime?

It is necessary to begin accustoming a newborn child to a certain routine from the age of two weeks. At 2-3 weeks, the baby has already established certain biological rhythms that must be taken into account when creating a regimen. It is easiest to organize a daytime nap during this period, since in newborn children it is usually combined with a walk.

Important! The easiest way to start accustoming your child to a daily routine is by organizing a sleep routine.

Walking with a newborn can begin 3-5 days after discharge from the maternity hospital (after the baby is examined by a visiting nurse and gives the necessary recommendations). It is best to go outside at the same time: during morning and evening sleep. Evening walks are especially important for getting used to the routine: oxygen saturation will help the child fall asleep faster during bedtime and provide healthier and longer sleep at night.

It is also better to put your newborn to bed at the same time. Even if the baby is capricious, you should not take him out of the crib and rock him in your arms for a long time. The sooner the child understands that the crib is associated with sleep, the easier it will be to establish the correct routine in the future.

Pediatricians advise following a certain ritual before going to bed, which may be something like this:

• and evening massage (stroking, rubbing);
• changing into pajamas or sleeping suits (an important action that helps you quickly develop the habit of falling asleep in a crib);
• feeding and calm communication with the child;
• going to bed.

The mother can stay with the baby until he falls asleep, but it is not recommended to pick up the baby after he has been put to bed.

How to get used to a routine - the opinion of a pediatrician

In this case, they fed her with formula, without her mother’s help. After being discharged from the maternity hospital, the young mother strictly followed the doctors’ recommendations - strict feeding by the hour.

And, of course, the mother’s heart often sank at the calls of a child who was hungry ahead of time. But there was nothing to do. After all, after 2 - 3 months she needed to go back to work.

The baby was handed over to the nursery. And there, too, regular feeding awaited him. After all, there were 15 children per teacher.

Despite all this sad description of days gone by, this breastfeeding regimen had some of its advantages:

• Gradually, the newborn adjusted to this schedule, forming its own clear pattern. The mother knew for sure at what time she could leave without the threat that her infant baby would suddenly suddenly want to eat;
• a full night's sleep, without waking up.

This is where the visible advantages end.

Let's see what they were Disadvantages of this method:

• ignoring the child's needs. The baby asks for the breast not only in moments of hunger or thirst. The baby calls his mother if he is scared, hot, cold, excited, or just wants to relieve himself;
• little emotional contact;
• ps lactation. This includes its rapid fading and lactostasis with mastitis;
• inevitable transition to artificial feeding.

But time does not stand still. Parental leave has increased significantly. And now feeding on demand is not an alternative, but a priority.

Many, especially mothers with breastfeeding experience, do not even think about whether to feed by the clock or on demand.

Feeding a child “on demand” is not some newfangled trend. It has been this way since time immemorial. The baby was almost always in his mother’s arms or in close proximity. And he breastfed at his first request.

What does it mean to “feed on demand”? What conditions must be met?

• feeding at the first sign of hunger. Don't wait for a hungry roar. Signs of hunger can be exploratory movements of the head, smacking, attempts to cling to a sheet or diaper.

In the first month, feedings can occur almost every hour.

Such frequent breastfeeding improves milk production in sufficient quantities. Then the intervals between meals gradually increase. The baby himself comes to his own routine;

• mandatory night feedings. They contribute to the intense production of the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for milk production. The best time is from two o'clock in the morning until eight in the morning.

Despite all the benefits of night feedings, mom also needs to get enough sleep. Don't forget about this;

• A child receives breastfeeding not only because of hunger. In this way, the mother can console him, relieve pain, smooth out unnecessary experiences and emotions. With the breast in the mouth, it is even easier for the baby to pee and poop.

We must not forget that a child’s anxiety can arise due to illness or injury, and not just hunger or discomfort;

• Do not use pacifiers or supplement with water or decoctions. This reduces the effectiveness and duration of sucking;
• Staying at the breast should be regulated by the child. Children eat differently. Active ones satisfy their hunger in 15-20 minutes and turn away. “Lazy suckers” can “hang” for hours. In this situation, they should be encouraged or offered another breast.

Control your sucking time. Prolonged breastfeeding can lead to cracked nipples.

Despite all its positive aspects, this method has not only positive aspects.

Negative points

• A nursing mother cannot plan her time. Everything is subordinated to the needs of the child. The modern woman is accustomed to freedom of movement and pastime. At the birth of a child, especially the first-born, some new mothers find it difficult to switch from a consumption mode to a giving mode;
• The demands of a hungry baby can be found in the most unexpected places. He won’t care whether you travel on public transport or are visiting. Of course, special clothing for feeding will come to the rescue. But many people around will not be prepared for the sight of a feeding baby;
• lack of sleep. Frequent awakenings at night are very typical for free feeding. But, of course, a lot depends on the baby himself and his level of calm.

For mutual convenience for mother and baby, the crib can be moved close to the parent's bed. And at the first sign of concern, give the baby the breast.

Some experienced mothers have gotten the hang of doing this without waking up;

• problems with weaning. This doesn't happen that often, but still. The weaning process will either be very painful, or at a fairly conscious age - 2 - 3 years.

Positive points

But not everything is so sad. After all, there is much more positive:

• emotional and tactile contact. Breastfeeding is not just a process of feeding and satiation. This is the strongest connection. This is how the baby feels protection, love, and self-care. The mother of her first child develops maternal instinct. And all the participants in this action are simply infinitely happy;

• increasing the duration of breastfeeding. Free feeding stimulates the synthesis of the hormones prolactin and oxytocin, which contributes to the production of sufficient milk. And the more and longer the baby sucks, the more breast secretion there will be. Without any special teas or homeopathy;

• prevention of breast problems in the mother. If you breastfeed correctly on demand, both lactostasis and mastitis will pass by. The breast will be emptied in time, which will eliminate the possibility of their occurrence. With active feeding, you can forget about previously existing mastopathy. It will simply resolve;

• prevention of diseases in the baby. The usefulness of breast milk and the substances it contains is difficult to overestimate. This includes ensuring the proper growth and development of a newborn child, preventing allergies, and protecting against infection.

Ultimately, such a significant organization as WHO considers feeding on demand to be one of the principles of successful breastfeeding.

According to the famous doctor Komarovsky, feeding by the hour cannot harm the baby. And it will grow and develop well, as if it were feeding on demand. Mom can feed the baby and go about her business. If the child is full, then he can easily spend 2-3 hours without his mother’s breast.

Feeding the baby on demand or by the hour is the mother’s personal choice. And knowledge of all the advantages and disadvantages of these methods is simply necessary when making a decision.

In a few words, whichever is more convenient for you. For more details, read below.

Perhaps every nursing mother faces this dilemma. Should I put my baby to my breast at a certain time, having developed a routine, or should I let everything take its course? Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Feeding on demand

The essence of feeding is to put the baby to the breast at the slightest cry, demonstration of the sucking reflex and other actions. As dissatisfied grandmothers say: “When he whines a little, you immediately give him the breast!”

There are many advantages to this type of feeding:

1. Babies who receive breastfeeding on demand grow up more balanced, self-confident and calm. After all, the mother listens to the child and allows him to fully satisfy all his needs.
2. Children who have unlimited access to the breast and breast milk fully satisfy the sucking reflex. This means they don’t need a pacifier, which can cause malocclusion and speech problems.
3. Feeding on demand is an excellent prevention of milk stagnation, mastitis and other problems. After all, the breasts are emptied on time, and milk is produced in it exactly as much as the baby needs.
4. A child receiving breastfeeding at will does not need to be supplemented with water or given any complementary foods until 6 months of age (except as prescribed by a pediatrician). After all, with milk he gets both at once. Light “front” milk will perfectly quench a baby’s thirst, and nutritious “hind” milk will satiate and provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals. But you can get the latter only with prolonged sucking.
5. This method allows you to best establish lactation and feed your baby as much as you want.
6. It involves nightly breastfeeding. It is during the dark hours of the day that the mammary glands produce the main amount of prolactin, so night feedings are the key to long and successful lactation.

There are, of course, disadvantages, but they are due only to the inconvenience of the mother herself:

1. The baby can be latched to the breast up to 30 times a day, so you need to be prepared for the fact that social life will be kept to a minimum.
2. The mother’s own regime turns into chaos, since all her activities, even banal hygiene procedures, depend on the baby.

Feeding according to the schedule

In our country, this method became popular in the post-war period, when women had to go to work almost immediately after giving birth. At that time, labor legislation established mandatory feeding breaks for young mothers. They took place every 3 hours and lasted no more than 20 minutes. At night, the interval between feedings was 6 hours.

This feeding method is convenient, first of all, for the mother:

1. With a clear feeding schedule, she will be able to go away on business and even go to work if necessary.
2. When the baby gets used to this regime, more or less quiet nights will come.

But there are many more disadvantages of feeding:

1. Due to rare night feedings, lactation can quickly fade.
2. It is impossible to explain to the baby why he is not allowed to touch his mother’s breast: as a result, the break is accompanied by screams and crying, and not every mother can stand this.
3. The risk of problems with the breasts increases: they do not empty on time and stagnation may occur in them and, as a result, inflammation and mastitis.
4. In babies who are given breastfeeding on an hourly basis, the sucking reflex is not satisfied: the child begins to suck his fist or finger.
5. At different times of the day, a child has a different appetite, and within a strictly defined 20 minutes he may not be satisfied. As a result, the baby may not gain enough weight and switch to formula.

Sometimes a specialist may prescribe this method of nutrition for medical reasons. For example, when the baby gains too much weight. Feeding according to the schedule will allow you not to overeat and thereby adjust your weight, preventing obesity in the future.

Feeding a newborn on demand is considered a new phenomenon. However, this method is older than clock feeding. Feeding on demand is the basis of breastfeeding, which develops naturally and adapts to the baby’s rhythm. Many doctors and nursing mothers choose this approach and pay attention only to the baby’s needs. Let's look at each approach in more detail.

By mode

This method involves feeding the newborn by the hour. For the first month, the baby receives the breast every three hours and suckles for 30 minutes. As they grow older, the intervals between feedings increase and the duration of feedings decreases. Feeding at night is not recommended, and the break between feedings during this period is 6 hours.

• The child develops a clear daily routine;
• The baby does not need to be fed at night;
• Mom knows exactly when to feed her newborn and when she will have free time;
• There is no need for co-sleeping;
• Some pediatricians believe that such feeding improves digestion and absorption of food due to the timely production of gastric juice.

Often the child has to be supplemented with formula milk, which will negatively affect the baby’s development. Such nutrition can cause allergies in a newborn, and children switch to complementary foods at 3-4 months.

The dangerous consequences of this method are the extinction of lactation and an increased risk of developing breast diseases in a nursing mother. Please note that the production of breast milk directly depends on the baby's latch. The fewer applications, the less milk is released. As a result, milk accumulates in the glands, which often leads to painful sensations in the breasts, the appearance of lumps and lactostasis.

Feeding by the hour does not at all guarantee the mother a good night, since such a long break in the first two to three months causes severe hunger in the baby. As a result, the baby often wakes up and cries. But over time, the child gets used to such night breaks, and in the future he sleeps peacefully. However, as practice shows, such children grow up more insecure and anxious.

Feeding basics

• Feed a certain number of times a day. Newborns up to three months are applied seven times every 3 hours. Babies aged 3-5 months are fed six times every 3.5 hours. From six months to a year, the number of feedings is reduced to five times with an interval of 4 hours;
• The duration of feeding in the first month is 30 minutes, then - 15 minutes;
• At one feeding the baby is given only one breast, and at the next - the second;
• At night, the break between applications is 6 hours;
• If milk remains in the breast after feeding, pumping is necessary.

On demand

With this approach, the baby is fed when he wants it. The duration and number of applications are not limited. The child is not force-fed, but is given breastfeed only when he wants. But they don’t take it away until the baby is full and stops eating or falls asleep. As a rule, such feedings occur every 1.5-2.5 hours during the day and at least 3 times at night. This rhythm does not harm the baby at all and does not lead to the child being spoiled, as many believe.

In the first two to three weeks, most of your time will have to be devoted to feeding the newborn. In the first month, the number of feedings can reach 18-20 times a day or more. But over time, the duration and number of applications themselves gradually decrease. By the age of three months, his own routine has been formed, which the baby has chosen and established independently.

This promotes successful, harmonious and long-term breastfeeding, which has a beneficial effect on the development of the baby. You can read about the benefits of breast milk for a baby.

Pros:

• The baby fully receives the substances and elements for harmonious growth and development;
• The newborn is less tormented by colic, gas and other stomach upsets;
• The baby receives the required amount of food and does not need to be supplemented with formula milk;
• The child does not need to be supplemented with water and there is no need to introduce early and premature complementary feeding;
• Frequent application is a good stimulation of lactation and prevention of various breast diseases in nursing women;
• This method improves lactation, which avoids problems with a lack of milk for the newborn;
• Natural and regular breastfeeding does not require pumping;
• Frequent attachments completely satisfy the sucking reflex, calm the baby and allow you to do without a pacifier;
• Such babies grow up healthier, more confident and calmer.

Minuses This method lies in the fact that until the first complementary feeding, breast milk will be the only food for the baby, so the mother always needs to be prepared for the feeding process. In addition, the woman will have to adapt to the rhythm of the baby, take the baby to bed and sleep together. A woman should be prepared for lack of sleep and fatigue. And the baby’s strong attachment will not allow the mother to go away for a long time and leave the child with someone else.

Feeding on demand basics

• Attach your baby as soon as required, do not wait for intense crying or hysterics. When the baby gets hungry, he behaves restlessly and begins to move his lips;
• The number and duration of feedings are not limited. Do not remove the breast from your baby until he is full. When the baby is full, he releases the nipple on his own or falls asleep;
• Use pacifiers and pacifiers as breast substitutes as little as possible. Modern pediatricians recommend completely eliminating such devices during natural breastfeeding. The pros and cons of using a pacifier;
• Do not give your child water. Until 6-7 months, the baby does not need it, since milk contains the required amount of water and fully satisfies the baby’s fluid needs. As an exception, in case of severe colic, you can sometimes give the newborn dill water. And in extreme heat, wipe your child with wet wipes, bathe him more often and give him air baths;
• With one feeding, both breasts are used. First, the child completely empties one breast, and only then receives the second. It is important that the baby receives both fore and hind milk.
• At first, sleep together. will have a positive effect on the mental development of the child. In addition, at night the mother will be able to quickly breastfeed.

Whether to feed a newborn on time or on demand is decided by each nursing mother individually. However, today pediatricians insist on prolonged breastfeeding and breastfeeding at the request of the child. This has a positive effect on the mother’s well-being and the baby’s development. Feeding on demand satisfies both the physiological and psychological needs of the newborn.