Important notice to customers — product packaging changesLearn More

NEW FOOD PACKAGING IN STORE NOW

From August 2018, customers will notice our rebranded food packaging start to appear on shelf in all major stockists.

  • CURRENT Packaging
  • new Packaging

We are excited to announce our new packaging will start to appear on shelf from August 2018. This transition to new packaging will occur over a number of months. During this time there will be a mix of current and new packaging on shelf.

There are no major changes to these products, in some instances there is a small name change or slight recipe improvement, see below for the full details.

Products purchased via the website will be delivered to customers in our old packaging until the end of October. From November, products ordered from the website will be delivered in the new packaging.

Please note, our Infant Formula packaging will not be rebranded until later in 2019.

For any questions, connect with our team of accredited practising Dietitians on +61 3 6332 9200

Product name changes

  • Cereal Name Changes
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Baby Rice
  • NEW Packaging Organic Rice with Prebiotic (GOS) Note: Our Baby Rice recipe has been upgraded to now include GOS Prebiotic
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Vanilla Rice Custard
  • NEW Packaging Organic Milk & Vanilla Baby Rice
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Apple & Cinnamon Porridge
  • NEW Packaging Organic Apple & Cinnamon Baby Porridge
  • Ready To Serve Name Changes
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Banana, Pear & Mango
  • New Packaging Organic Banana, Pear, Apple & Mango
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Mango, Blueberry & Apple
  • New Packaging Organic Blueberry, Mango & Apple
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Peach & Apple
  • New Packaging Organic Grape, Apple & Peach
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Pumpkin & Tomato Risotto
  • New Packaging Organic Pumpkin, Sweet Potato & Tomato
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Broccoli, Beef & Brown Rice
  • New Packaging Organic Beef & Vegetables
  • Note: We have also upgraded some of our RTS recipes to remove added sugars and to remove some of the more complex ingredients that are not required for young children such as Tamari.
  • RUSKS NAME CHANGES
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Milk Rusks Toothiepegs
  • New Packaging Organic Milk Rusks
Home/Nutrition & Recipes/Articles/Bottle Feeding/When to Switch From On-Demand to Scheduled Feeding

When to Switch From On-Demand to Scheduled Feeding

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One of the biggest questions from new mums, is it the clock or the baby that determines feeds? Should I make a schedule, or follow bub’s requests?

On-demand feeding

On-demand or self-regulated feeding is the recommended method to feed your baby particularly in the early months. (5) Infant feeding practices in their first year filter into your child’s future relationship with food and chances of overweight and obesity. (7) For breastfeeding mothers, breast stimulation triggers milk supply, so the more your hungry baby goes to feed the better in terms of getting a full supply. (2) Similar to breastfeeding on demand, bottle feeding in an on-demand style is also encouraged. This is recommended to allow babies to learn to self-regulate their own appetites through feeding when they are hungry and stopping when they are full. This minimises the risk of overfeeding, promotes emotional connection development between mother and child, and ensures babies are getting the milk quantities their bodies require. (6)

Despite the attractiveness of being able to plan around a feeding schedule, babies need to develop a sense of security and reliability with you. Feeding is about so much more than just calories and nutrients. Feeding time is for bonding and nurturing, and the trust that evolves in them knowing that when they’re hungry, you will feed them. (1) This helps to build a healthy attachment style and strong connection between mother and baby. On this note, on-demand feeding has been proven to makes babies and mothers alike feel less stressed. Babies are fed when they’re hungry, and mothers aren’t stuck listening to cries while they wait for the minutes to tick by and the timer to go off.

Scheduled feeding

The concept behind scheduled feeding has only come about more recently. It was advocated that set feeding times encouraged young babies to sleep through the night as early as possible. The idea was that this was better for mums, as they could plan the rest of their day-to-day around set times the baby would need to eat, therefore reporting feeling less tired. But the strengths of on-demand feeding are undeniable! Besides, as time goes on from birth and you become more in tune with you baby, they are likely to develop their own food behaviour into somewhat more of a predictable schedule. Scheduled feeding also doesn’t account for growth spurts – periods of time where you baby may need to feed more as they grow bigger. So hang in there! No need to rush them and have a sad baby and a stressed you.

While not best for your baby in the early months, there does comes a time when scheduled feeding can be introduced. It is recommended that the best time to switch from on-demand to scheduled feeding is when you introduce your baby to solid foods (earliest 6 months of age). This is because when your baby starts on solid foods, many families begin to have their baby join them at their own mealtimes. Of course, your baby may still request the breast or bottle during this transition, but introducing your little one to the idea of an eating routine is a good idea at this stage. And makes life easier for mum!

However…

It is important to acknowledge that there are some situations and conditions in the first few weeks postpartum where scheduled feeding may be recommended. Some young babies sleep more than others for varying reasons including premature birth, babies born with jaundice and babies born underweight (1). This oversleeping can lead to insufficient feeding and in turn to a lowered percentile weight (4). Therefore, scheduled wakeups for feeding can help premature and sick babies get the nutrients they need for recovery and healthy development (4).

At the end of the day, how you choose to feed your baby is entirely up to you! This is general information only. For detailed personal advice, you should see a qualified health care professional who knows your baby.

References

  1. Kaplan, Robin, and Robin Kaplan. “On-Demand Vs. Scheduled Feeding: Which Is Best For Baby? — SDBFC”. SDBFC, 2014, available at: https://www.sdbfc.com/blog/2014/12/9/on-demand-vs-scheduled-feeding-which-is-best-for-baby
  2. “Increasing Supply”. Australian Breastfeeding Association, 2021, available at: https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bf-info/common-concerns%E2%80%93mum/supply
  3. Iacovou, Maria, and Almudena Sevilla. “Infant Feeding: The Effects Of Scheduled Vs. On-Demand Feeding On Mothers’ Wellbeing And Children’S Cognitive Development”. Available at: European Journal Of Public Health, vol 23, no. 1, 2012, pp. 13-19. Oxford University Press (OUP), doi:10.1093/eurpub/cks012
  4. “A Guide To Premature Baby Feeding And Preemie Nutrition”. Com, 2021, available at: https://www.enfamil.com/articles/guide-premature-baby-feeding-and-preemie-nutrition/
  5. “Should Bottle Fed Babies Feed On Demand”. Com, 2021, https://www.tommeetippee.com/en-gb/parent-room/should-bottle-feeding-babies-feed-on-demand. Accessed 4 July 2021.
  6. “Responsive Feeding: the missing link in child malnutrition in Sri Lanka” Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2014; 43(1): 53-54. Available at: http://repository.rjt.ac.lk:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/1514/38.pdf?sequence=1

7.Appleton, Jessica et al. “Infant Formula Feeding Practices And The Role Of Advice And Support: An Exploratory Qualitative Study”. BMC Pediatrics, vol 18, no. 1, 2018. Springer Science And Business Media LLC, available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5784678/

 

 

 

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Important Notice to Parents and Guardians

  • Breast milk is the best for babies. The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. Unnecessary introduction of bottle feeding or other food and drinks will have a negative impact on breastfeeding. After six months of age, infants should receive age-appropriate foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond. Consult your doctor before deciding to use infant formula or if you have difficulty breastfeeding.