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Showing posts with label Demand feeding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Demand feeding. Show all posts

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Demand feeding

Feeding on demand simply means feeding your baby whenever he signals that he's hungry — usually by crying or sucking on his hands — rather than according to a set schedule. The terms "on cue" or "ad lib" are a better way to describe feeding according to your baby's needs than "demand" feeding. The latter can mislead people into thinking that feeding a baby whenever he's hungry will turn him into a demanding little tyrant!


During the early weeks of breastfeeding, you may feel as though you're nursing your baby constantly, and wonder if your baby really needs all that nursing. Keep in mind that young babies have tiny stomachs — about the size of a walnut. Easily digested breast milk quickly fills their little stomach and is absorbed, so it's no wonder they need to eat again relatively soon.


If your baby seems hungry soon after eating (fussy, sucking on his fist, or rooting at your breast), go ahead and feed him again. Keep in mind, too, that babies are just hungrier on some days than on other days and will want to eat more than usual. These days are called "frequency days" and are thought to precede growth spurts.