What should I do about parents and baby schedule?

Question

My mother always told me when I was pregnant that the most important thing is to keep the baby on a schedule. I have been feeding my baby solids when I wake up around 8am, 2pm, 7pm. Lately she usually starts to cry around 6pm, so I give her a bottle to hold her over until 7. My father has been on my case about being a bad mother because I won't feed her an hour early. My reason is because she gets tired and wants to sleep after she eats, but she will wake up around 3am if she goes to sleep at 7. Am I wrong in just giving her the bottle to tide her hunger for an hour or should I break the schedule I have her on?

She's fine with the bottle, and then will eat all of her food at 7 as well.

Answer 1

sounds like you are doing the right thing
you talk as if you are young and you obviously live at home....parents sometimes underestimate a young moms ability to care for her child, who knows why
my parents were the same way, but i stuck to my guns and everything turned out well
and its not like you are starving her or anything, so just calmly explain to your dad why you dont want to feed her earlier
you sound like a good mom though, keep up the good work

Answer 2

I agree that it's important to have a baby on a schedule. The best way to establish this is to basically take the baby's lead. Babies do go through growth spurts when they'll want to eat more, so those times you basically deviate from the schedule a bit. That said, you might want to change the schedule around a bit if she wants to eat at around 6. She should be getting a bottle just before going to bed. You didn't say how old she is, but if she's under 1 she'll need at least 3-4 bottles a day. You can always switch things around a bit to see how it works, and go back to the original schedule if it doesn't. If she's older than 6 months, she shouldn't be waking up at 3am anymore and probably is because she's not eating enough.

Answer 3

If you were hungry at 6:00 p.m. and someone said, "NO, no food for you for another hour!" would you be happy? Probably not...

My two boys pretty much dictated their own schedules until they turned about a year old. They ate when they were hungry and slept when they were tired. Honestly, they *usually* ate around the same time every day, give or take a few minutes, but I never fed them exactly at 12 noon on the dot. If they were happy and content to play, or they were napping, etc., I let them be, and they let ME know when they were hungry or tired.

How old is she? If she's still an infant, waking up at 3 a.m. is common--almost expected, actually. If she's a young newborn, she's waking up because she's hungry for a bottle and probably needs a new diaper. If she's a little older (just under a year, perhaps) she's waking up because she's just waking up. Babies go through periods of sleep--some are very light, and the slightest noise (house settling) can wake them. Maybe this is what's happening? If she's a little older and you KNOW she's gotten enough food and formula during the day, go to her crib and gently pat or rub her stomach, ssssh ssssh her, but don't talk to her, play with her, turn on the lights or otherwise stimulate her. The idea is to get her to go back to sleep without relying on a middle-of-the-night bottle. If she's eaten/drank enough during the day, she's waking out of habit and nothing else, and that's a habit you need to break so you won't be sleep deprived! This being said, if she's any younger than 7 or 8 months, she's probably waking because she needs the bottle. If she's older, it's probably habit. You're her mom--you know her best. :)

Answer 4

Don't pay any attention to what your parents say. You know your baby better than your father does. You do what works for you and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It's your child and you are her mother, not anyone else. My mother in law and my own mom tried pulling stunts like that with my son when they met him for the first time and I refused to let them parent my son because I am his mother. Good luck and stay strong.

Answer 5

Feed your baby when shes hungry... She crys because she is hungry and needs to eat. You are an adult and can work these things out for yourself. Your baby can not. My kids (all 3) did great with their own schedule and are healthy. All carry a low weight, eat good foods, and at reasonable times.

Answer 6

That;s fine, you know your daughter... formula is still food and it keeps them satisfied.... if your dad wants you to feed her an hour earlier, tell him when she gets up at 3 am, he gets up to put her back to sleep! That will do it.. he will stop calling u a bad mom.

Answer 7

If she is satisfied with the bottle that is fine, but if she still wants to eat go ahead.