Dream Feed

Lilmrslay · September 2013

Who does a dream feed?

And does your baby always go back to sleep easily afterwards?

Thinking about adding a dream feed in but since we have really only just cracked the sleeping at night thing I'm a little scared to start waking my LO for feeds.

Thing is, she's likely to wake about an hour after I would dream feed anyway. What difference would it make if I woke her earlier for a dream feed?

Thanks in advance for your replies : )

Cocolamo1 · September 2013

I dream feed most nights. LO goes down around 8, so I usually feed him around 10 or 11 when I go to bed. He usually goes right back to sleep. He would wake up to eat around 12-1, if I didn't feed him then, so it gives me a longer stretch.

carrotcake06 · September 2013

I did a dreamfeed w my first. It worked out great for us. I'd nurse to sleep around 9, dreamfeed at 11 and then he'd go until 6 or 7am. This was when he was about 3mo old though.

He never really woke at 11, no diaper change and no Unswaddling. I just stuck a boob in his face. He never opened his eyes.

I don't know if I'll do it again. Logistics have changed with two and right now they're only doing one MOTN wake up and my day starts at 630a when my 3yo gets up, so I don't know if it makes sense.

kwrecks · September 2013

someone explain to me what a dream feed is.....

ludali · September 2013

I told DH last night that I wanted to try this, but so scared. Now that I'm back to work, I think I'll try it on a weekend night in case I really screw up her sleep!

PB102012 · September 2013

kwrecks said:
someone explain to me what a dream feed is.....

It's feeding your LO while they are pretty much asleep (I believe, someone correct me if I am wrong). If you BF, you lift the LO from crib and put them right to the boob. If FF, feed them in the crib.

The only thing that concerns me about bottle feeding is those who have back sleeping LO's? My DD is a stomach sleeper so I wouldn't be too worried but if she slept on her back I would be concerned about the risk of choking.

LJUTCMommy · September 2013

I go to sleep at the same time as baby--10pm so we don't do the "before bedtime" feed as her last feed is around 9:30pm usually anyway.

However, I feel like most of our MOTN feeding are "dream feeds". She barely wakes up, but starts rooting, grunting and lifting her legs up, then I pick her up for a feed and change. I can't wait until she's crying, because it would take forever to calm her down. Sometimes, I offer the pacifier, but she normally is not OK with that. She always goes right back to sleep after nursing.

CBiggs85 · September 2013

I can't see LO sleeping through a feeding. But that is me personally.

Ashesha13 · September 2013

What about burping?? Wouldn't you want to burp them? Not that that keeps LO awake after our MOTN feedings but sometimes he does wake during burping so I feel like it would defeat the purpose

kwrecks · September 2013

Ashesha13 said:

What about burping?? Wouldn't you want to burp them? Not that that keeps LO awake after our MOTN feedings but sometimes he does wake during burping so I feel like it would defeat the purpose

I thought the same thing. Also, diaper changed. I change her diaper before I feed her every time. And that always wakes her up. I would feel bad if I prolonged her diaper changes, and she had to sit in a wet/dirty diaper for a few extra hours.

FeetFirst · September 2013

kwrecks said:

Ashesha13 said:

What about burping?? Wouldn't you want to burp them? Not that that keeps LO awake after our MOTN feedings but sometimes he does wake during burping so I feel like it would defeat the purpose

I thought the same thing. Also, diaper changed. I change her diaper before I feed her every time. And that always wakes her up. I would feel bad if I prolonged her diaper changes, and she had to sit in a wet/dirty diaper for a few extra hours.

As soon as LO sleeps longer or through the night they will be in that diaper longer anyways.

I haven't done this yet with DD but did with DS when first getting him to STTN He was FF. I still took him out of the crib like you would to BF.

PB102012 · September 2013

According to the stuff I found on Google apparently they say NOT to burp the baby.... not sure how bottle feeding at night vs. during the day is different where you wouldn't need to burp?

Also, I always do a diaper change before feedings (both day and night), and that wakes her up. One of my very good friends puts diaper rash cream on her little one when she is going to be in a diaper longer (night time), I plan to do that, just to reduce the risk of rashes and keep the moisture away from her skin.

Ashesha13 · September 2013

Even EBF I need to burp LO. I have a fast flow and he tends to take in a lot of air gulping to keep up and this is with modified positioning. DS also poops 90% of the time during or after a feed so I would definitely have to change him, though if he's tired enough he knocks right back after if not right on the changing table

MagPie 1986 · September 2013

Ashesha13 said:What about burping?? Wouldn't you want to burp them? Not that that keeps LO awake after our MOTN feedings but sometimes he does wake during burping so I feel like it would defeat the purpose

I burp my LO on my chest at night (vs on my lap/knee during the day) and I've found that it doesn't wake her up or startle her very much.

LBib · September 2013

MagPie 1986 said:
Ashesha13 said:

I burp my LO on my chest at night (vs on my lap/knee during the day) and
I've found that it doesn't wake her up or startle her very much.

@Magpie 1986 can you describe your burping method?

Cocolamo1 · September 2013

I never have to burp at night. I don't know why because he gets very fussy if not burped during the day. My last was the same way, something special about nighttime breast milk?

Flame me but I don't always change diapers at night either. If he is awake (eyes open, fussing) then I will before a feeding, but if he is quiet and hungry, I just feed him. If he is soaked or has a poop, I change him, but otherwise I don't.

Also, I am not sure why you would bottle feed in the crib. That just seems unsafe and strange.

CourtJack · September 2013

I rarely change her diaper at night either. Aside from if she's soaked or has pooped.

carrotcake06 · September 2013

When I dreamfed my oldest, H lifted him out of his crib and gave him straight to me still swaddled. No diaper
change.

It took a day or two of my coaxing him to latch (I basically took my nipple and dragged it over his lips to get his mouth to open) but once he started doing it, it got easier.

I don't think I burped.

It worked well for us but I can see it not working for all babies.

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