As a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor, you will frequently be asked about breastfeeding on schedule. It is important you be able to provide clients with evidenced-based information. Our comprehensive, evidenced-based training will ensure you understand how supply and breastfeeding on a schedule can influence each other.
That said, we know there are times we want to simply look up an answer. After all, in your training you will learn quite a bit. It is important you be able to look up answers to common questions quickly. That is one reason we continue to post common breastfeeding questions and topics, so you can quickly look them up.
Does Breastfeeding on a Schedule Impact Milk Supply?
In short, yes, breastfeeding on a schedule does impact milk supply. What impact it has will vary for many reasons, including but not limited to:
- Age of baby
- How long breastfeeding has been established
- Effective milk transfer or emptying (if pumping)
- Length between feeds or pumping sessions
- Exclusively pumping vs feeding at the breast
- Sleeping habits
- Personal breastfeeding goals
- Previous breastfeeding experience
- Hormone impacts (e.g., menstruation, medication,
Those are just a few of the variables. However, given that we know breast milk is a supply demand process, any schedule will have an impact. Whether it is a positive, negative, or somewhat neutral impact is based on many variables. Age and whether a good supply has been established or not is often the biggest variable.
How Does a Schedule Negatively Impact Supply?
Again, there are many variables. However, when a schedule is used which can restrict access to the breast and the frequency of milk removal, one’s milk supply can decrease.
Newborns and young infants are designed to feed on demand. Their needs vary, such as during a growth spurt or illness. By allowing a baby to feed on demand, one can ensure baby is getting all they need.
When a parent adopts a strict schedule, some babies will adjust and still be able to get adequate milk. They will simply consume more milk at each feed with larger intervals between. However, some babies are unable to increase the amount of milk at each feed and the larger intervals between feeds could trigger less milk to be produced.
This will not impact only milk supply; it will also impact baby’s growth. This can be especially concerning in the first few months of life.
Essentially, a strict schedule goes against biology. Many breastfeeding pairs will manage to be okay with a schedule. However, others will notice a significant supply drop which could lead to supplementing, which could lead to even more supply difficulty. Strict schedules can lead to low supply and premature weaning.
Are Schedules Ever Recommended?
For parents who have a NICU baby, everything is about the schedule. However, few NICU babies are able to feed at the breast 24/7 while admitted. This means their parent is often expressing milk. For exclusive or primarily expressing milk, schedules are often efficient.
This works for many NICU babies as their intake is often behind their parent’s supply. As they get ready to go home, however, they are often caught up to their parent’s supply. Maintaining a strict feeding schedule when coming home could make it difficult, if not impossible, for the parent to continue to produce as much milk as baby needs as they grow. Transitioning to partial or fully on demand feeding can reduce the risk of a supply change.
For babies who may not be gaining enough, a schedule that has a maximum amount of time between feeds can be helpful. Should a baby get hungry before the scheduled feed, the parent would feed on-demand. However, if baby goes two or three hours without feeding, a parent will offer and attempt to get them to feed.
This can be especially important for babies who are jaundiced, or who may be sick.
Can Older Babies Be Fed on a Schedule?
As baby gets older, it is very understandable that parents may want more of a schedule or routine. For older babies, a schedule can be implemented while keeping an eye on baby’s cues. It is not uncommon for baby to need more frequent feeds during growth spurts, developmental leaps, or illness.
Parents wanting to adjust to a schedule can offer alternative sources of comfort for babies, especially at night, if they hope to space feeds a bit. It is important to keep an eye on baby’s output and recognize they may need to stick with on-demand feeding to maintain supply.
As you continue in your Certified Breastfeeding Counselor training, you will learn more about supply and demand. Not already training? Be sure to register now!