when cannot start stretching out my baby's feeding schedule?

Question

My little one is about to be 6 weeks during the day I keep him on the whole strict 2-3 schedule breastfeeding& i time the feedings from the start of the feeding. During the night I can occasionally get him to sleep 2.5-5 hrs. When can I stretch out the 2-3 hr schedule?

Answer 1

There is no schedule for a baby that young. Babies are fed on demand. Putting a six week old on a "strict schedule" is a prime recipe for malnutrition, failure to thrive, and decreased milk supply. Even going two hours between feedings at six weeks is highly uncommon, much less making him go three.



When he's hungry, you feed him. You don't look at the clock. The only way to even out his hunger cues is to meet them accordingly. You start denying him food, his hunger cues will be all over the place, which means his sleep patterns are completely disrupted. Which means LESS sleep.



Also, the best way to stretch night time sleep hours is to feed more during the day.

Answer 2

You feed baby when he is hungry. As he gets older, the times between feeds will naturally extend. Don't try to force him to go longer than he wants to. A six week old baby still has a stomach the size of an egg, or slightly larger. He can't take much at once, and therefore needs to be fed frequently. Just let him feed when he wants to, and don't worry about the clock. Sometimes it will be an hour between, sometimes 3 or even 4 if he has a good sleep.

Answer 3

I would suggest stop looking at the clock. Just feed your baby when he's hungry. No baby ( or child really) should ever be put on a strict feeding schedule. You eat when your hungry, right? My five week old Is usuLly doing about our stretch on most nights. During the day I would be surprised if we went even a hour and a half between feedings. I nursed my older three children until over twelve months. And up y till weaning with the exception of nights we never went four hours between feeding.

Answer 4

He is still a newborn. Two to three hours is very normal. Most kids are still feeding every three hours at 6 months, let alone 6 weeks. He should be fed on demand - whenever he wants. On demand feeding helps get a good supply and keeps baby nourished, happy, and fed.



My daughter didn't go four hours between feedings during the day until she was close to 10 months old. This was due to the fact that she was eating other solids too.

Answer 5

Feed baby on demand not a schedule. Babys don't just drink to eat, they drink because they are thirsty too!

Answer 6

you feed a baby when hes hungry. not when a clock says

Answer 7

its really better to feed them whenever they want it, not on a schedule, youll stress them if theyre hungry but you make them wait! But if you must do this I would follow the same plan they used to give back in the barbaric scheduling days! I think 6 weeks was when you could start to stretch it out to 4 hours but im not 100% sure about that, google it perhaps. But be prepared to be bombed with 'feeding on demand' advice. (which I agree with!)

Answer 8

If he starts sleeping longer let him sleep, if hes awake feed him