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ADVICE RATING

4.41 (Worth a try) from 22 votes (306 Visits)

Demand feeding your children

by FremantleDocker

(July 2007) (rank 77th)

I have always demand fed my children. I would rather let them sleep, and when they're hungry, they'll always wake up and i would feed them vertually straight away.

All of them have grown up to be very healthy children, and hardly been sick as children, ( and all

have been immunized etc ) and yet my sisters children are always sick, as she would always wake her children up at the same time for a feed.

I would go off at her to let them sleep as that's what they mostly needed and they'll tell you when they're hungry. But she didn't listen. So now her children are sick all the time, and mine aren't. This might be the case in some families but others might not be the same.

While being at the hospital, they do give you the option of demand feeding your child or waking them up every 4 hours for a feed, but they strongly pushed me towards the demand feed as it's better for the child to sleep but also very important for the baby to eat also. They also said if your child doesn't wake up in a certain time bracket, then wake them up for a feed.

Luckily all my children did wake up vertually on time and they've never been tired as i've always let them sleep. My opinion, and i know everyone's opinion is different, but i prefer to demand feed children, as it teaches them contolling, etc.

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ADVICE RATING

4.41 (Worth a try) from 22 votes

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	November 7th \| annettemail

Re: Demand feeding your children

In 1994 my first son was born. It was so distressing in the hospital when they told me not to feed my son when he was screaming as it was not 4 hours yet and they also wanted me to wake him exactly at the 4 hours. It felt so wrong to me and I also had my ex-husband critizing me reminding me it was not time to feed him. My second son was born in 1999 and the hospital had changed their stance. They told me to feed wihenever he wanted it. He never cried and he was a happy baby that I think did not feel stressed and desperate for food. I also was so happy to feed him instantly when he needed it and this felt right.

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	April 2008 \| Arna

Re: Demand feeding your children

I've tried both ways with my babies. Prefer the demand feeding though. I found that if I was overly full while breastfeeding, I would get up and express it off. Then, when they were ready for a feed, they had me first and the expressed milk if they needed a top up. Meant I produced more, but always had a supply on hand.

This time round, I will be demand feeding again, but if it has been 6hours+ between a feed, I will be picking bub up and dream feeding, if bubs agrees! lol.

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	May 8th \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Hi there. Yes. Alot of mothers i've talked to over the past 6 months or so have said they've preffered to demand feed their children too, as they're not so tired if you wake them up.

That's exactly what i did aswell, if they overslept, i'd fed them like that. Thanks for commenting.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| August 2007 \| goodie

Re: Demand feeding your children

also he has been sleeping through (8 or 9 hrs a night) since he was just over 2 months n i think its coz of how he is fed

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| August 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

That's great news about your child sleeping all the way through the night too. Don't want to brag or nothing, but my youngest slept all the way through the night since she was 11 days old, but the other kids were roughly no more than 3 months old. DOn't you just love it when they sleep all the way through at such an early age?

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| August 2007 \| goodie

Re: Demand feeding your children

i'm a new mum and i demand feed as i also beleive that babies will tell you when they are hungry. my baby is doing very well and hasnet been sick at all (yet) as he is developing well. a lot of people have given me a go bout demand feeding and have even acused me of forceing him to eat though i'm not sure how i could be as i only feed him when he wants it and when he doesnt i try again later. but i totally agree with demand feeding all the way! i think it has a lot to do with why my baby is so happy and contented as he is able to control when he gets feed coz he cant control anything else with his body yet!

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| August 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

I agree with you there. It is the only way to go i think is demand feeding your child. Good on you for standing up for yourself and your baby, and only feeding your child when hungry. I did the same with my kids aswell. if they didnt' eat enough for me the first time when they woke up, i'd try again soon after, and 9 times out of 10, they'd polish off what i originally gave them. Thankyou so much for your comment.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| Rose24

Re: Demand feeding your children

I have demand fed all of my children as my mother constantly told me that the only advice I should ever remember from her is to leave a sleeping baby alone and let them tell you what they need and when! Great advice.

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	4.17 (Good) \| August 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Yeah, funnily enough, that's what my older brother said to me and my mum to let a sleeping baby sleep, and they'll wake up when they're hungry, and let you know. Thanks for the input.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| Ngairi

Re: Demand feeding your children

All of mine were demand fed. Why stuff them up with food if they don't want it. Just frustrates all concerned I think, Leisa

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	4.17 (Good) \| July 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Yeah, exactly right. i agree with you there.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| emmie

Re: Demand feeding your children

i demand fed my daughter and sheis too a healthy child great article cheers x

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	4.17 (Good) \| July 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Great to hear. thanks for commenting

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| cazza

Re: Demand feeding your children

my 3 were demand fed and i wouldnt have had it any other way,.. as the way i look at it we eat when we are hungry and drink when we are thirsty, so treat your children the same way we treat our selves..

Great article..

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Hi. I couldn't of said it better myself. Great comment.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| MummaBear

Re: Demand feeding your children

Mine was always demand fed. She was on every hour or 2 through the day, but slept 14 hours at night! (waking at 10pm then at 6am for the first couple of months) As has been said, not only does it give the baby the control over how much food is given, it's also the best way to maintain supply.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Good to see another family demand fed their children. I totally agree with what you've said

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	November 7th \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

I wonder why the comment below has been deleted.

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This Comment has been deleted

	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Thankyou. I'm glad that you can see what i'm trying to say aswell, and that what i did for my children, has worked so great on other too, and only have praise for demand feeding.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| lonely28

Re: Demand feeding your children

Demand feeder here also!!!!! and proud of it!!!! I never had any inclination whatsoever to wake G up to feed her. I don't want to be woken up so why should I wake her?????? Great article by the way

fi xoxo

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Good to hear that lonely28. Exactly right. Why should we as adults be woken up for something to eat or drink that we don't want. Great point there.

Thankyou for your comment on the great article. thankyou so much.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| PHOENIX

Re: Demand feeding your children

Great Advice,
not only do kids need to eat when they re hungry but feeding a baby according to their need is the best way to ensure a good milk supply.
Demand feeding works well in our family.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

thanks for the great feedback. I have always believed in demand feed too.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| Kellzacar

Re: Demand feeding your children

Hi there,

GREAT ADVICE - I have always demand fed and I believe its the way to go . . . It also shows a parents willingness to listen to their children . . YAY . . .

Cheers Kellz

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Hi. :)

Thankyou for saying it's great advice. I totally agree that it is another way to listen to your children and their needs etc

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| MumKim

Re: Demand feeding your children

Great advice. I demand feed too. Nice to hear from other people who do the same.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Yeah, it is nice to hear from other people who demand fed also.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| hermy

Re: Demand feeding your children

i have 4 children and all were demand feed.....they have all survived.....there has been a couple of times when i have had to wake them, but i have only done this through the day......if they didn't wake through the night well that was good....they would usually have an extra feed through the day......and this usually didn't happen till about 3 months......great advice.....thanks for sharing.....regards Sandra xxx

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| FremantleDocker

Re: Demand feeding your children

Thanks heaps for commenting. I'm glad to see that i was never in the same boat about demand feeding. Sounds popular to me.

That's right, you tend to know sometimes when your child wouldn't wake up in the night as they ate more during the day, well, that's what my kids had done anyways.

Thanks for commenting. appreciate it.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| July 2007 \| HarrisonsMommy

Re: Demand feeding your children

Did the same with Harrison. Why force a baby to eat/drink if he isn't asking for it? Babies will let you know when they are hungry. I don't know if the illness has anything to do with the feeding schedule but interesting none the less.

Good Job!
Angela

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