The Crib: A Blog for New Parents

Please keep in mind that my opinions are just that, my opinion. I am not a pediatrician, just a mom with a great deal of experience. I have researched the material that I write about, but have not consulted a medical practitioner. I offer my advice to you from a mothers point of view, and like every other mother in the history of children, I don’t know everything. ( But please don’t tell my kids that!)

Q: My baby wants to eat every couple of hours, is it ok to feed her when she wants to eat? Or should I stick to the recommendation my pediatrician gave me?

A: Your baby lets you know when she is hungry, if she isn’t crying for any other reason, then it is perfectly fine to feed her however much and however often she needs. Babies are not prone to over eating, they let us know when they are full. Unless there are other health concerns, then consult your doctor.

Years ago, the medical community came up with an idea, that sounded really good in theory, but had very little place in reality. It became common practice for pediatricians to tell new mothers that their new baby should be fed 4 oz. of breast milk or formula every 4 hours. And also, that it was vital for the babies feeding to be kept to a strict and regular schedule.

It’s always been my own personal opinion, that the doctors who came up with that theory, had never had any babies of their own, nor ever spent any significant amount of time with more than one new baby.

Every baby is different; one baby might do very well on a schedule, while another would not. Knowing exactly when you are going to be hungry, and exactly how much you are going to be hungry for, is not something that most adults can control, is it practical to expect an infant to be able to do so? In all my years as a mother, and childcare provider, I’ve never found that to be true. Lol, and believe me, I’ve tried.

Although it seems impossible that one tiny being can be so hungry so much of the time, it is normal and pretty common. There are many possible reasons why your baby seems to want more food, more often.

Each person metabolizes food at rates different from anyone else, and that includes infants.

Or, it could be that you need to switch formulas because the one you’re feeding him/her is not substantial enough, he/she is not digesting it properly, and it’s going right through him/her.

Infants go through growth spurts, and during one, they need to consume more nutrition, so they eat more in order to fuel their tiny growing body.

If your baby is a spitter-upper, then he/she is not actually retaining all of the formula or breast milk that he/she is taking in. So, she/he will be hungry again sooner, or not full after the feeding.

It is not uncommon for new babies to associate comfort with being fed. But if being held, and a pacifier do not soothe the baby, and you’ve tried everything else, then a hungry tummy is a likely cause for crying.

Discuss your concerns with your pediatrician, for example; if you feel that your baby is eating too much, to the point of gaining too much weight, or throwing up most of what goes in, then there could be a medical problem.

Feeding your baby when the baby wants to eat can occasionally be inconvenient, but it is easier for us parents to adjust than for the baby to wait until mealtime.