Babies: 0 - 3 Months

Dreamfeed - advice needed

Starfish+77Starfish+77 member
edited June 2014 in Babies: 0 - 3 Months
DS is 10.5 weeks and has set his bedtime pretty early on around 7:30-8 PM. He is formula fed and averages 5oz every 3 hours. I give him his last bottle at bedtime and he wakes 12:30-1 and then around 4. But what happens some nights is that he has a full feed at 6PM and then is tired ready for bed at 7:30 and only took 2 ounces. So he wakes even earlier than usual. Not sure how to line up so that he has a full feed at bedtime..?? We have attempted a dreamfeed before and DH feeds around10:30 and he takes full 5oz, right back to sleep. On those nights he lasts until about 3 and then up for day at 7. So only 1 night waking. Ped wasn't too keen on the dreamfeed and advised against it, not really giving good reasoning why. What is your opinion? Do I dreamfeed to avoid 1 night waking? Or do I let it go and just feed him when he wakes? I'm exhausted bc I also have a toddler and would prefer 1 night waking only but I don't want to set any bad habits. And when would I know how long to dreamfeed?? Any advice?? Thanks

Re: Dreamfeed - advice needed

  • tlf830tlf830 member

    I have twins, and we do the dream feed at 10-1030. Well, I guess it's a dream feed, though, most of the time they are awake. I try to put them to bed around 730pm-8pm and they just scream. They are 9 weeks today and will eat at 10-1030, and then again around 3-4am, and they wake for the day at 7am.  I am anxious waiting for the day they sleep the entire night!


  • tlf830 said:

    I have twins, and we do the dream feed at 10-1030. Well, I guess it's a dream feed, though, most of the time they are awake. I try to put them to bed around 730pm-8pm and they just scream. They are 9 weeks today and will eat at 10-1030, and then again around 3-4am, and they wake for the day at 7am.  I am anxious waiting for the day they sleep the entire night!



    When is their last nap? Maybe they're overtired? Tonight DS woke from last nap at 5 and was awake until bedtime at 7:30 which was clearly too long for him. He screamed and had a hard time falling asleep after his bottle bc he was overtired. He is 11 wks tomorrow. I can't imagine twins! How do you manage the MOTN feed? I've always wondered this :-)
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  • I would personally avoid waking a sleeping child and let the dream feeds happen naturally and wish it was sooner than later.

    Is nighttime quiet in your home? No talking, extra noises (eg the TV) and no to minimal lighting? That helps in my opinion.
  • tlf830tlf830 member

    interesting that being over tired can make them not sleep! today they napped from 1130-130pm, and then they will probably sleep again until around 5pm. Hoping to put them to bed by 8pm again. The middle of the night feed I've gotten good at, I feed them bottles, at the same time, in their rock and plays! I've gotten diaper change and feeding down to 30 minutes!

  • When your baby goes to bed at 8.. how often do they wake up at night? My baby doesn't go to bed until between 10:30-11:30pm.  Then she is up at 4am and feeds (could this be dreamfeeding? I have never heard of it!  She pretty much is asleep the entire time.  She gets fuzzy and wiggly so I get her and feed her and put her back to bed.) 
  • MommyAttyMommyAtty member
    edited June 2014
    Do what works for you and your baby. Doctors say dream feeds and tanking them up doesn't increase their time asleep. I think it does for some. My 7 week old naturally tanks up at night. He wants to eat every 2 hrs instead of every 3. Dream feeds didn't work for either of my kids (they won't eat while asleep and won't wake up for it). My first sttn at 6 weeks. DS is down to one night waking, and his wakings are getting later and later (now 3:30 and he gets up at 6:00) so I think he will sttn within the next 2 weeks. We do a combo of Baby Whisperer and Happiest Baby on the Block for this one. For our daughter, we used Baby Whisperer. Just figure out what works and do that!
  • I researched a lot on dreamfeeding and it seems like it works for a lot of people. We tried it once. My LO is 7 weeks old and we tried it last week. We put him down at 7:00 and fed him again around 10. Most babies give their longest stretches of sleep when they are first put down to sleep. He slept maybe, one hour longer than usual? Not sure if it was actually the DF or luck. I would do it again, but I'm usually asleep when LO sleeps around 8-9. He's my only baby... maybe if i had another and couldn't go to bed whenever I wanted, I'd try it again!

    For formula fed babies, I read you can keep them in the crib and just gently place bottle in their mouth. Seems like it wouldn't disturb them too much compared to BF babies. GL!
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