Which is the Best Way to Breastfeed?
Which is the Best Way to Breastfeed?
As a mother of 4 children, I have experienced that every baby is different. As a Lactation Consultant, I have seen even more of this uniqueness in babies. I have also seen that every mother has individual needs, capabilities, and limits.
Over the years we have been told that this or that approach to feeding your baby is the right one. There’s Demand feeding, Routine feeding, Cue Feeding, Clock feeding, Block feeding, Cluster feeding, and Responsive feeding. However, figuring out which is the best approach for your family is sometimes not just a matter of the latest terminology. “Feed the baby” is often the right thing to do but may not be quite as straightforward as that.
So what do all these terms mean, and how do we understand when to use different approaches? How can each of these approaches be helpful or harmful? Let’s look at them.
Cue Feeding - In the early days and weeks, hunger cues signal that your baby is ready and wanting to suck and in an active alert state to feed well. The rooting reflex disappears at about 3 weeks and is replaced by a voluntary turning of the head. The sucking reflex disappears at about 4 months and also becomes voluntary after this. Cue feeding is the best way to start breastfeeding for your newborn. When you see those hunger cues, encourage active feeding. However, be aware that overstimulation, overtiredness, a poor latch, or an underlying health condition can interfere with cues and make feeding more difficult.
Demand Feeding - This is the general assumption that the baby knows best and is trying to communicate his/her nutritional or psychological needs, so you should feed the baby. Does a baby become a demanding child with this approach? Maybe and maybe not - it involves more than just giving in to the baby’s cries. Of course we want to feed a hungry baby and there will be times when we give an extra feed for comfort. As your baby grows older, there are a number of ways a parent can give comfort. Babies have many developmental needs beyond feeding. As they get older, their hunger patterns and needs will change and so will our response options.
Clock Feeding - is sometimes also referred to as scheduling. Time can be a helpful guide but does not take into account differences in baby’s health, size, gestational age, ability to sustain sucking and swallowing, how the last few feedings have gone, overstimulation, or a mother’s storage capacity. A strict schedule has many pitfalls, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. A clock can be useful for ensuring a sleepy, jaundiced, sick, or struggling baby is given the best chance to thrive. Your lactation consultant might say “aim to feed every 2-3 hours to get those 8-12 feedings in” or give a limit on night time sleep stretches. Time can also be a useful guide to a flexible routine.
Block feeding - is staying on the same breast for a period of time rather than switching sides. There are many reasons this can be a good option but also reasons it may not be. One side per feeding can be helpful in some instances and when feedings are closer together but as your baby gets older this may present different problems.
Cluster feeding - is a period of time with frequent, but often shorter than normal, feedings. It can often happen during the late afternoon/early evening time. It can happen on and off for a day or two as part of a growth spurt or illness. Baby will feed on one or both sides and show hunger signs again in a shorter time frame. This can be a normal part of baby life but all day, every day cluster feeding can be a sign that your baby is not feeding effectively and may need extra support or assessment. Feeding every hour is generally not normal over time nor is it sustainable for mom.
Routine feeding - Children thrive on routines in other areas of life: bedtime routines, bath routines, saying goodbyes in a particular way when a parent leaves to go to work or when visiting grandparents, etc. Responding to hunger cues and making the most of that opportunity to encourage your baby to feed well, and then allowing time for the digestive system to rest and process is healthy for baby’s growth and development. Planning for regular feedings in a rhythm that suits your baby’s needs can work really well as long as you keep in mind that the clock is not the final authority. A predictable rhythm to your day will allow you both to thrive but leave enough room for flexibility as different needs arise.
Responsive Feeding - Is this different from demand feeding? Is it just a gentler word for the same thing? What does it mean to be responsive? Parental assessment and consideration of more than just a baby’s cry or immediate behavior is the key. Yes, be responsive. Stop and listen, watch, think, consider, and try an approach. Being intentional, trying approaches, and reassessing is all part of the parenting process. Responsive parenting doesn’t mean using the same action over and over - that is being reactive.
What is the key to finding the balance in all this? It’s you! You as a parent. You have been watching and learning what works for your baby. You stop and think. You consider all that is going on for them. How will you respond to the cue, the cry, or to baby’s fussiness? What are your options? Do you feel your current response is working well and you have a settled, active, alert, and well-rested baby? If not, maybe the advice you received a few days or weeks ago no longer applies. Learning to understand your baby takes time and practice. It also takes learning about infant development and how baby’s needs change over time. Sometimes you might get it wrong or realize baby is moving on to a new phase. Gradually, over time, you will become the expert on your child, building a trusting relationship and understanding his/her growing needs and limits, as well as your own.
* this blog was reposted with permission from www.injoylc.com
Linda Gage is a Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) living in Riverside, California with her husband Jeff. They have 4 adult children and 2 daughters-in-law. Jeff and Linda are originally from New Zealand and have used GFI principles in their own family from the birth of their first child. They have mentored many families over the years through teaching classes, as previous members of the GFNZ Board and providing Contact Mom support. They are now also using the principles to support young and at-risk parents in their community. Linda has a private lactation support practice, InJoyLC and can be contacted at www.injoylc.com or on Instagram @injoylc