Newborns: feed on demand or on a schedule?

Question

My twin daughters are a week old and are naturally keeping to an OK schedule, where they're both hungry at the same time. A couple of times we've had to wake them up for a feeding three hours after their last one.

I keep reading conflicting advice, though... feed them on demand vs. keep them on a schedule and wake them up even if they're asleep.

Is it safe to let them wake up on their own, and if so, what's the longest I should let them go before I really do have to wake them up for a feeding?

Answer 1

I fed my son on demand and I was told to wake him to feed him because of possible blood sugar issues. Diabetes runs rampant in our family and he was a large baby, so the doctos were worried but after the first week he was fine. If your twins are healthy, then you feed them when they are hungry. Waking will only make it harder to get them to sleep later. Congratulations on the double blessing!

Answer 2

I always fed on demand.   Although my nurse midwife told me not to let 4 hours go by without a feeding, I admit I have gone longer if my kids were sleeping with no ill side effects.

Answer 3

You should do whatever works for you and your twins!

I have twins too and I did do both.  I tried to feed them approx every 3 hours after they were 12 weeks old.  Before that it was strictly on demand, but that was because when I brought them home they were like 2 days old and never in the NICU so they were never on a schedule.

They did eat at the same time a lot, but only when they were both awake at the same time.

Either way.... if you want to keep them on a schedule and they're happy with that then do it.

Most of my friends were twins were able to have their babies on a schedule and there must not have been too many issues since it worked for them.

It didn't work for my girls.  If I woke one for a feeding it upset them and made them really crabby.  That would ruin my whole day.  To me it wasn't worth it to have them on a schedule.

That being said, they're 14 months now and they are on a napping and feeding schedule.  Certainly it's flexible but I like them doing everything at the same time now.  It's so much SANER that way.  The first year was so hard.

---As for your question, as your pediatrician but my pediatrician told me that I don't have to wake them up to eat.  He told me that if they're sleeping like 5 or 6 hours then it could be problematic but they'll probably make it up later.

With newborns you can wake them a little to eat.  I did that to encourage them to eat in the day and sleep more at night.

Once they got older, like after 3 months and they were harder to get back to sleep then waking them up was the kiss of death.

Answer 4

I was told by a lactation specialist to wake them up every 1 1/2 to 2 hours during the day and to let them sleep through the night if they do. Since they told me that my baby has been sleeping..I'd say 4-6 hours through  the night! She's doing really good and gaining adequate weight. So you might want to try that.

Answer 5

Feed on demand, unless you have some pressing reason to need a schedule.  Babies know when they are hungry.

However, do not let them sleep longer than 2-3 hours during the day, or 4-5 hours at night, until you are sure they are gaining well and your milk supply (if you are breastfeeding) is well established.  Newborns can be lethargic, and may not wake when hungry, which can make them dehydrated ... and dehydrated babies get even more lethargic, so they sleep even longer -- viscious cycle.  

Answer 6

kids tend to make somewhat of their own schedule, which is ok. i never had a problem with my baby sleeping too long and worrying about waking her up to feed her. She never slept more than 3-4 hours at a time. Im pretty sure that even if they sleep 10 hours straight, they aren't going to starve to death.  

Answer 7

At a week old we were told go feed on demand, but not to let our son go more than 4 hours without a feeding. Once he was older (I'd say by 2 months) we were only feeding on demand or when I was very engorged (I didn't use my breast pump until he was 2 months old). He's 11 months old now and I still breast feed on demand.

Answer 8

never wake them. if they are hungry they will wake. and if you regularily wake them for a feed they will get into the habit of it and then you will have trouble getting them to sleep longer as they get older.

Answer 9

I nursed both my boys and my b*****s always let me know when it was time.....I swear as soon as  I started to feel let down, they would cry to be fed (I'd even dream about it). My feeling is that they are completely new to the world and should be catered to in those first few mos. You have the rest of their childhood to mold them.

Answer 10

On demand & it seems to be working for you. Don't wake them up just for the schedule. Maybe they are naturally extending their sleep cycle (yeah!). Talk to a pediatrician about how long they can go without food. This is a problem if they are losing weight and energy. It doesn't sound like that's where you are.  Relax a little, they'll let you know when they're hungry.

Answer 11

You should feed a one week old on demand. :-)

Answer 12

If they're a week old, then I'd wake them if they're going longer than 5 hours for a feed, especially if they're jaundiced. It makes them feel more tired than hungry, and too tired to eat sometimes.

I prefer feed on demand, because at that ages their stomachs are so tiny, they really can't eat a lot anyway. They'll eat when they're hungry, and stop when they're full.

How you you like having food shoved in your mouth when your still full from an earlier meal, or worse, being really hungry and being told 'it's not time.'

If they're sleeping, then let them sleep. 4/5 hours. Because they're twins, i;m guessing they were smaller than average. They'll let you know whn they're hungry. They're still recovering from being born!!

Good luck!

Answer 13

Everyone will tell you different. I feed my baby on demand. Although... until he was about a month old if he went more then like 4 1/2 hours without eating I would wake him up. I have read... once they are around 3 months or so... you let them sleep as long as they want during the night. And, during the day wake them up to eat if they have not ate for more then about 4 hours. That way you can help them get on a routine of sleeping at night.  

Answer 14

PLEASE do not feed them if they're not hungry. I you feed them when not hungry,

Just let them sleep as long as they want, they can wake up every 2 hours. they'll wake up on their own and feel hungry.Just feed them on demand. If you wake them up too soon, they will cry for hours and grouchy. babies need much sleep as possible. most babies at their age sleep 70% of the day.

I hope that helps.

Answer 15

I would wake them up to put them on a schedule, I find that my baby was more comforted and looked forward to being on a schedule.

Answer 16

At a week old, you should feed on demand at first, until you discover their natural schedule.  But, do not let them go more than four hours without a feeding.  When they are older, and they begin to sleep longer at night, it's ok to let them wake you up when they are hungry, rather than YOU waking them up.

Answer 17

Never wake a sleeping baby. If they don't wake for the feed that is fine. Even the nurses at the hospital give this advice. My son slept through the night at three weeks of age and would sleep for about 7-8 hours. (lucky me).

As for the schedule feed every 3 hours, but if they are happily playing and not asking for it yet it is fine to wait till about 4 hours.

Answer 18

there's absolutely nothing wrong with letting them sleep!

newborns should NOT be on a schedule. There shouldn't be any kind of a schedule until they start eating solids, and even then it should be extremely flexible. feed them on demand, thats what they need.

Answer 19

once they hit their birth weight there is no need to wake them up.  

Answer 20

let them feed on demand, they will tell you wehn they are hungry

Answer 21

there is a difference between feeding on a rigid schedule and feeding on demand when it comes to waking.  because they are so young they may not wake up enough to eat so it is definitley recommended that you wake them if it has been longer than 3-4 hours since they have eaten. they will over time set their own eating schedule. with rigidly cheduled feedings the problems seem to come when the schedule isn't compatible with the needs of the baby and often the baby can have nutritional deficiencies which can of course cause lasting health issues.

Answer 22

why force a child to wait 15 minutes to make that schedule or wake them up after you have worked an hour to get them to sleep?? Let the poor things sleep. They will naturally fall into their own schedule. for most babies the start to settle down at around 6 weeks, some before. Just give them some time and let them relax. And let your self relax. A friend of mine who has her preemie son on a schedule is soo stressed out. She has to feed him at the right time and all that. It's much easier to just let them goes as they are. And they will gain weight and thrive that way. I never woke my babies. They have always woken when they are hungry. But my babies at that age never slept longer than 4 hours. And at that 4 hour mark I was in there checking on them and making sure they were okay. But I usually let them sleep.

Relax, get some sleep, and Congrats.

Answer 23

If your babies were Premature then you do need to wake them to feed them right now...but in the future when they have attained proper weight and body fat then there is absolutely No NEED to wake them...they need sleep as much as they need food...if they are healthy alert babies they will self-wake when they are hungry!~~Aloha and Congrats~~

Answer 24

I say feed on demand!!! I think that's the best way to go! they will know when they are and aren't hungry! I wouldn't wake them (unless your doc suggested it for a medical reason) and I would feed them when they want, sometimes they may go 4hours and 23min and other they may only make it 2 hours 45 min, but that will save you a few things...not having to listen to your hungry baby crying until their scheduled feeding time,and not having to throw away 1/2 bottles cause they weren't hungry so they didn't finish, and I would really let them decide how long they can go for with out eating. Baby's will let us know when there is something we can do for them!!! I personally wont wake a sleeping baby.....unless its going on a very very long time. at a week maybe I'd wake them up at 5-6hours which I highly doubt they would reach. But also demand feeding wasn't a dig deal for me, I only have one baby so maybe with having twins it would be easier for you to put them on a schedule, but still i think best for them to be demand fed! Congrats on the twins!!!! how exciting!!!