. . .I didn’t. I breastfed on a schedule and it worked much better for me!
This was not really a question but rather some sentiments shared in the comment section on my first blog on this topic. Two moms, Anna and Julie shared that they had tried both breastfeeding on cue and breastfeeding on a schedule and schedule feeding worked better for them. I started to leave a comment and before I knew it, I had written a whole other blog. So here it is, what can happen if you don’t breastfeed on demand, why it probably worked for them and some other thoughts on breastfeeding according to a schedule.
Recommending Breastfeeding on Demand
I need to start this blog by saying that I recognize when it comes to parenting, many roads lead to Rome. There is no one “right” way to do everything. All babies are different. All families are different. Parents with many kids will often say that what worked on one will not work on another.
However, as a baby blogger, I rarely write something that is contrary to what the AAP recommends. If I do, it is because other authorities such as WHO or the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (or some other equally respected source) disagrees with the AAP. (One example is my stance on co-sleeping.) That doesn’t mean that we all have to go look up their guidelines as the definitive measure on how to parent and care for our babies.
Some Special Exceptions
I failed to mention in my first two blogs on this topic that there are some exceptions to the “breastfeed on demand” guideline. I failed to mention them because if you’re expecting a baby you will be more successful in breastfeeding if you have the mentality of feeding on demand. I also failed to mention them because it can be dangerous to exclusively breastfeed and feed every three hours. There have been enough cases of malnourishment from breastfeeding on a three hour schedule, that the AAP discourages the practice as does LLL and other noted pediatricians. However, to every rule there are at least a few exceptions.
One exception is the NICU. When your baby is in the nursery, he is on a three hour schedule. If your baby is already on this schedule and it’s working. . .then it only makes sense to keep him on the schedule. Also, preemies should always be on a feeding schedule until your pediatrician tells you otherwise. (Rather than every three hours however, it would be every two hours.)
Another exception is a mother who has too much milk. Scheduled feedings will have the effect of reducing one’s milk supply. When you schedule feed, your body learns that it will need to produce a lot of milk every three hours. Your breasts feel full every 3 hours and your baby drinks. When baby hits a growth spurt, your body doesn’t learn to make more milk. . .outside of the scheduled feedings. Generally, that’s not enough to sustain an infant through a growth spurt. However, when mom produces too much milk, scheduled feedings will help regulate the amount of milk she makes thus making it possible to feed on a 3 hour schedule and still be able to exclusively breastfeed for at least 6 months.
A final exception is when the health of the mother contraindicates nursing on demand. Nursing on demand is demanding. However, it is more important that a mother be whole and functional than it is to worry about feeding every few hours. Some mothers find the transition to motherhood emotionally difficult, some mothers have difficult deliveries to recover from while still other mothers have their hands full of other responsibilities. Whatever the reason, the health of the mother is always considered first in the breastfeeding relationship.
So Now I’m Confused! Which is it. . .demand feeding or scheduled feeding?
The AAP, WHO, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine and other breastfeeding experts say you should feed on demand. Not only do they say you should, BUT they even speak against scheduled feeding (except where noted above).
However, you should also trust that you have motherly intuition when it comes to caring for your family. So many of us “seasoned” mothers went through life with our first newborns reading this book or listening to that person, and following the dispensed advice only to discover that when we did what felt right for our babies and what made sense for our families, things got a lot easier.
Neither the AAP, nor WHO, nor the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine knows your infant or your situation. If it is working, your family is thriving and your baby is growing. . .you should do what works and yes, that includes feeding on a schedule if need be.