Question about feeding

My boys are 6 wks old tomorrow and I'm wondering if and when we should start feeding on demand. Right now they're eating 2.5 to 3 oz every three hours around the clock. They sleep for about two and a half hours per stretch at night then one of them wakes up and we wake the other one up to eat. I'm thinking that one or both might sleep a little longer at night if we go on demand but that would mean they wouldn't be on the same schedule. I'm home alone during the day so it has really helped me to feed them at the same time (actually about 15 minutes apart) so far. If I go on demand won't I be spending most of my day feeding?? Should I just keep them on the every three hour schedule? When and how did you go on demand, or go to every four hours?

Thanks,
Carrie

 

I fed them on a 3 hour schedule during the day until they were about 8 months old. At night I would let them go as long as they would, and when one would wake, I would wake the other, until about 4 months, when I realized that Emma could sleep through. I would keep them on a 3 hour schedule during the day for now.

 

QUOTE(becky5 @ Jun 14 2007, 02:37 PM) [snapback]292384[/snapback]
I fed them on a 3 hour schedule during the day until they were about 8 months old. At night I would let them go as long as they would, and when one would wake, I would wake the other, until about 4 months.



This is exactly what I did. It worked out pretty good. After about 4 months, if I knew one could "sleep thru" I would let them. In my opinion, 6wks. is too young not to wake the other at night. If I didn't wake the other, I would've been up ALL night feeding. Hope this helps. Just be patient, the morning you wake up and realize it is morning and you haven't fed anyone all night is nothing more than MAGICAL :banana:


Carrie

 

My boys are a little over 5 weeks old and we have had them on the exact same schedule. If you have DH home to help with the feeding I would let them go, because if he's there to feed the other one if they wake up then you won't have one screaming baby. We let them go this morning and they slept from 4am to almost 9am, and again this afternoon from 1:45 to 5:45. It was really nice, but I know when you're home by yourself it's hard to wait for them to wake up, we know what happens when they both wake up!!

 

I also fed on a 3-hour schedule. We fed them at the same time if they were both up. If one was sleeping, we fed the awake baby first, then woke the sleeping baby. 6 weeks is probably still too young to feed on demand...unless they want to eat before 3 hours are up as mine often did. I wouldn't let them go more than 3 hours until they are about 3 months. Mine still eat at the same times to this day. Feeding on demand would be really difficult to manage! Plus a schedule helps you be able to track what/when they've eaten.

 

Mine were pretty much on a schedule, usually every 2.5-3 hrs. But if they got hungry before then, I did go ahead and feed them.

 

I agree that I would continue waking them at this point. I would try for 4 hours at night. When you do decide to feed on demand I would only do it at night. You can work to get back on schedule in the morning. For example, if Baby A eats at 4 and Baby B wakes to eat 5, I would feed them both at 7. Baby B will likely not take as much as A; however, they will be back on the same schedule. Does that make sense???

Good luck!

 

Mine have been on a 3 hour schedule during the day - but there was a time when they were hungry every 2 hours - can't remember exactly how old they were - and that was due to a growth spurt. I fed both at night at the same time - because if I just fed one the other was sure to wake up hungry just as I was drifting back to sleep. Now that they are 7 months old they are sleeping through the night.