Breastfeeding

Waking to feed?

I'm usually just a lurker but wanted some advice based on what my son's pediatrician said today. He is gaining weight fine and doesn't need to be woken up to eat for weight/health concerns but she said I could wake him up a few hours after he goes to bed to feed him so he would sleep through the night. He normally goes to sleep somewhere between 7 to 8 pm based on his tiredness cues. He can sleep as long as 7 or 8 hours so he is usually up at 2 am for a feed (and he is truly hungry as he is actively sucking and drains the breast).  She said if I wake him up at 10 pm I could push back that long stretch and have him sleep until 5 or 6 am. What are your thoughts on this?  I don't know how I feel about this advice and if it would even work. Anyone with similar experience?
Married 11.6.2010
DS born 12.26.2012
BFP 6.11.14 - EDD 2.25.15
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Re: Waking to feed?

  • That's called a "dream feed". It works with some babies and not with others - very hit and miss. You won't do any harm by trying it. Depending on your baby, you don't even really have to wake him up, just pick up the baby and stick him near your boob.

    I gave it a shot. At some points, it did seem to help move his first wake a bit later. I mostly liked it because I would feed him when I went to bed to ensure he wouldn't wake just as I fell asleep. Nothing is worse than going to bed at 10 pm and waking up at 11 pm to feed the baby. 

  • I do the dream feeding as well, normally 2-3 hours before the baby goes to sleep, and right before I go to bed. That way I don't have to wake up to feed until later
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  • It works for some but not for us. I tried doing a dream feed with DS a couple of times but no matter how dark and quiet it is he always wakes all the way up and refuses to go back to sleep for hours. We lucked out though as DS has lengthened his own sleep time and now sleeps from about 7:30 until 5 or 6 am.
  • it's called a 'dream feed'...so you don't totally wake him...he'll still be in a sort of 'dreamy' like state. it works for lots of people...and not for others. you might as well try it.
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  • As PP said, it's a dream feed and works for some people.

     

    I believe in the mantra "never wake a sleeping baby." 

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