On Demand Or Schedule?

I'm kinda stuck here...my twins are a week and a half old...Donovan was the bigger (7 lbs) and Tiana was 5lbs. 10 oz...she also has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, which has symptoms of lethargy and can sleep through feedings if not awakened. We've been trying to stick to a 2-3 hour feeding schedule, but the last couple days Donovan is hungry after an hour to hour and a half....I'm pumping exclusively, but supplement with one or two bottles of formula at night. Typically he will easily down the 2 oz, and often she will be full at 1.5 oz...

I just am unsure about "creating" a schedule when their needs seem to be pretty different. He's not spitting up like he's overeating, so I'm tempted to feed him because that saves us the terrible fussing in the middle of the night. But will that mess w/ keeping them on a same schedule? HELP!

 

First off, they are adorable! :wub:
At that age, I didn't even really try to schedule them. I would attempt to feed them at the same time but one would always want to eat sooner, or something! I would on demand feeding if they cried/acted hungry before the three hours. If your ds is finishing his bottles consistantly, you could try adding an ounce and seeing how that goes. It might be able to hold him off a little more. At that stage, it was pretty much just trying to figure them out {still is, somedays! } but as far as scheduling, I wasn't able to put them on a more concrete one until 5months or so. HTH!

 

They are sooo cute!

I would suggest trying to give him another 1/2 to 1 more ounce and maybe that will keep him a little more satisfied for longer. What I did at that age was feed on demand rather than schedule but if one woke up to eat I woke the other as well to eat.

 

That's kinda what we're doing too, but also being careful not to go so long for Tiana's sake. I will try the extra 1/2-ounce and see how that works...So far this morning it feels like I've been feeding every 1.5 hours! Tried to take a nap (since I haven't been so good about napping when they are), but then they woke up! Thanks for the help!

 

We kept the girls on a 3 hour schedule. We pretty much kept to it - I didn't want to get them eating/napping at different times. I would say if you want to have them scheduled add more to your DS's bottle (if he doesn't want it he won't eat it) to keep him fuller longer. He may end up being a bigger eater than your DD. Emma always eats a bit more than Mia at every feeding.

We were doing the 3 hour schedule 24 hours a day for the first month or so. After a month we let them sleep at night. At about 3 months I went to a 3.5 hour schedule and now we are on a 4 hour schedule.

Everyone has their own opinions - but for me keeping the girls on a pretty strict schedule works best for our family. They eat, nap and pretty much everything else at the same time. I am pretty sure that I could not have handled feeding on demand. I would have felt like I was feeding constantly and with the lack of sleep I think I would have lost it! Maybe you should try scheduled feeding for a day or two and see if you like it. You can always go back to on demand.

Don't worry - you will figure out what works best for you guys. It just takes a little time. Every family is different.

Your kids are ADORABLE!!!! You're doing a great job - and don't worry - you'll get some sleep soon!

 

We have tried and tried to set schedules over the last 3 months and it hasn't worked. LIke you, we have boy/girl twins. Our girl has always been a good on demand feeder and pretty early on settled into a rough 3 hour schedule. Whenever we tried to wake her up - she would throw up her feed (still does). Our boy, who was born very small, has been much tougher to get on a schedule. In the beginning he wouldn't take full feeds, so he would be hungry at the two hour mark (even though the NICU had him on 3 hour schedule). Whenever we try to put him on a schedule he SCREAMS...

My advice is to go on demand at this age. Wait until they are a bit older/bigger to try a schedule. However, if I had to do it over again, I would try a bit harder to set a schedule for my boy at 2 months. We are having issues w/him where he likes to snack (take an ounce or so every hour - a full feed for him is now almost 4 ounces).


Interested to hear what others think.

edited to add: when we try to keep Jake on a schedule (i.e. delay his feeding 20-30 minutes), he screams the whole time and we have to try to soothe him....so we "lose" that time anyway, if that makes sense.

 

If at all possible, I would try to keep them on the same schedule, for your sanity!!

 

I would feed them both on demand or every 3 hours, whichever comes sooner. If you can keep them on the same schedule it will really help maximize your time.

 

OUr kids go back and forth. It sounds like one has hit a growth sprut. My suggestion is make sure there isn't more than three hours between feedings - but go on demand. That was what we did. I had to keep a notebook because I would get mixed up as to when one ate - but it won't hurt anything to feed on demand

 

At that age we didn't have a schedule...in that we didn't feed them at the same time every day, BUT we did not feed them on demand, and we fed them at the same time NO MATTER WHAT. My rule was every 2.5-3 hours. If they started fussing earlier they had to wait a little bit, get binkies. Now they always drank different amounts. My son was considerably bigger, and would eat a LOT more than my daughter at first. She was 4lb 13oz when we she was born. What we found was that they very quickly adjusted to the three hour routine, and would cry at that time on the dot. For our sanity keeping them on the same schedule was crucial. I don't know how I would have been able to function otherwise. Plus I pumped for 6 months, and I would not have had time to do that if I was feeding them at different times. Just so you know, I had to supplement a little bit the first 2 weeks or so to get my supply up enough, and then was able to give exclusive breast milk.

 

I kept mine on a schedule till they were 2 months old since Jessy was so small after that we feed on demand. I would feed if they are demanding before their scheduled time though.

 

Hi! First of all, HUGS!! This is the hardes time of all. I remember being so tired and overwhelmed and worried they were not getting enough, etc..

I am a huge scheduler, but I was still feeding on demand at this age. I was trying to figure out what their natural pattern was, so I could create a schedule that followed that, rather than a schedule that would force them to go against their own body clock. Once you can get a good idea of what their body wants to do, you can make a schedule that works for them and for you. I would just keep feeding on demand until you see a pattern. Mine are identical, so it was a bit easier. (They tend to have similar bio-rythms at that age, actually, mine still do, they are 4 and still poop at the same time!)

Best of luck, it will get easier and you will fall into a schedule really soon!!