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.

While being aware and responsive to your baby's cues to feed, also be aware that some very young babies don't yet have the strength to wake up and demand to be fed. Sometimes a premature, jaundiced, or sick baby is too small and sleepy to cry, conserving energy for growth and recovery instead. If your baby's hunger cues are slight or nonexistent, be sure to wake him at least every three hours and encourage him to nurse. A newborn that regularly sleeps longer than three to four hours needs close monitoring to make sure he gains enough weight. 

Feeding your baby as often as he seems hungry will make sure that you produce the amount of milk your baby needs. If you try to time the feeds or feed to a schedule (like a certain number of minutes on each breast every three or four hours) you may upset the demand and supply mechanism that ensures you produce enough milk to meet your baby’s needs.

Breast milk itself has a component known as “inhibitory factor”. A buildup of this factor within the breasts causes the production of milk to slow down. If you don’t keep removing milk (by feeding or expressing), over time your milk supply will dwindle away. This is what happens in women who choose not to breastfeed – over a period of days or weeks their breasts stop making milk.

You will find breastfeeding easier if you don’t mix it with formula feeding. Formula milk is harder for a baby to digest, so it stays in the stomach for longer. This can make your baby less keen to breastfeed, which in turn will mean that your body thinks less milk is needed, so you produce less.

Also, while you and your baby are learning to breastfeed, giving a bottle or a dummy may confuse your baby, meaning that he sucks less effectively and gets less milk. A breastfeeding baby uses his tongue and jaw to press the breast tissue, removing the milk. The sucking action used to take milk from a bottle is totally different. Dummies may also cause problems – your baby should be getting all his sucking practice on your breast.

Baby Care Topics: Feeding your baby|What should my baby wear? | Bathing and Washing your Baby | Overcoming sleeping problems in your baby
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