Dream feeding

Katedann · December 2014

Just wondering if anyone has been doing dream feeding. If so, how's it going? I'd love to hear logistics too!

Emerald27 · December 2014

We try some nights when LO sleeps a long stretch and I wake up uncomfortably full. Depending on where he is in his sleep cycle, he'll either let me latch him on or he'll need some rousing...I just change his diaper and that typically wakes him enough that he'll latch on before falling back asleep.

ishknits · December 2014

I don't dream feed. Never heard of it til I came on tb. Frankly it confuses me.... wouldn't a baby wake up if he's hungry?

Emerald27 · December 2014

ishknits said:
I don't dream feed. Never heard of it til I came on tb. Frankly it confuses me.... wouldn't a baby wake up if he's hungry?

Yes. They'll typically wake up when they get hungry (once they're out of that sleepy newborn phase). Dream feeding is feeding them when they're not hungry.

You encourage the sleeping baby to latch and they nurse in their sleep. The technique can be used to boost weight gain in slow-gaining kids, to relieve engorgement, bring a striking baby back to the breast, etc.

Katedann · December 2014

I think another reason to do it is so that baby's longest stretch of sleep is the same as yours. The dream feed is typically done between 10 and 11pm.

BeckyMont · December 2014

I would think pulling them out of their bed would wake them. Do you know how many times I laid in bed wishing ds would wake so I could feed him because I hurt so bad. I'll have to give this a try.

Emerald27 · December 2014

BeckyMont said:
I would think pulling them out of their bed would wake them. Do you know how many times I laid in bed wishing ds would wake so I could feed him because I hurt so bad. I'll have to give this a try.

It's not the end of the world (for many babies) if you wake them. If they're not really ready to be awake, oftentimes they'll nurse back to sleep very quickly, and then you can encourage continued sucking via tickles and such.

staryb · December 2014

Katedann said:
I think another reason to do it is so that baby's longest stretch of sleep is the same as yours. The dream feed is typically done between 10 and 11pm.

That's asuming LO goes to sleep before 10/11. I wish we could get on that schedule but DD doesn't typically settle down to sleep until at least 11 to begin with, usually later.

victoria+james · December 2014

If I wake up and M stirs at all I'll do a quick dream feed so I can go back to sleep without worrying that he'll be up soon and wake me for a second time.

ishknits · December 2014

@Emerald27‌ gotcha. That makes sense. I've definitely woken up in pain after a long period but I savor the sleep so much I just deal with it. I'm with @staryb‌, my son only takes small naps until 11 or midnight so maybe I'm missing the dream feed time

sabby2 · December 2014

I can never get my dd to open up or she wakes up all the way if I pick her up.

Unknown · December 2014

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shannonshare · December 2014

Tonight and the night before, LO went to bed at 7:30 and 8:30...I dream fed at 11:30 and 12, respectively. I was still awake and heard her stirring so I tried. Tonight, the first time she wouldn't feed, but I tried an hour later and got her to feed.

She by no means is slow to gain weight; in fact, she went from 5 lbs, 14 oz to 12 lbs, 14 oz at 10 weeks. @Emerald27‌ is it still okay to dream feed just for the benefits of extended sleep?

Emerald27 · December 2014

@dredford‌ Yeah! That's still dream feeding. We do the same here...he never fully wakes at night, or if he does, he's very easy to get back to sleep with a little nursing. Lots of moms find that bedsharing helps them get more sleep for this reason.

@shannonshare‌ It's absolutely ok! Baby will stop sucking or will unlatch when she is full. Even in their sleep, you can't overfeed a breastfed baby. Notice that she'll take the same amount in a day whether you dream feed or not...it will just be that if you dream fed, she may wake up later to nurse than if you didn't.

TheFutureMrs.O · December 2014

I love the dream feed. I did it with DS til he was 7 months old - it was our special nighttime bond time. I haven't started yet with DD. We just got her to go down between 8-9 this week. She's been doing pretty good and consistent. I might try in a week or two.

Katedann · December 2014

We tried last night. She woke up a little more than I would have probably liked, but put herself to sleep in 5 minutes in her crib. Slept until 3:30. Pretty good!

Question... Do you do a diaper change before the dream feed? She only ever pees at night, but I'm worried that she'll leak of I don't change her and nothing's worse than an overnight leak!

Emerald27 · December 2014

If I'm going to dream feed, I only change him if I *need* to nurse (engorgement) and he will not open his mouth. lol

But I don't do middle of the night diaper changes unless the diaper is full enough that I worry it might leak. I check when he wakes to nurse.

MuffinMom14 · December 2014

Dumb question. Can I do this if I'm not breastfeeding? She sleeps from 9 to about 5. Then I need her to go back to sleep until 8 or so. I can get her back to sleep, but it's a grunting, fitful sleep. Honestly, once I'm back to work, I don't care, since I'll get up at 5 to run and shower, so it's not like her grunting is keeping me awake then. I'm just wondering if she'd sleep better for that last 3-hour stretch if I don't unswaddle and change her. Her nighttime diapers are sometimes completely dry anyway. It's the one from 5-8 that is heavy.

I'm even thinking of cheating and not even taking her out of the crib if I can swing it, but then I can't burp her. That might be a disaster. How's that work?

Katedann · December 2014

SPurp13 said:
Dumb question. Can I do this if I'm not breastfeeding? She sleeps from 9 to about 5. Then I need her to go back to sleep until 8 or so. I can get her back to sleep, but it's a grunting, fitful sleep. Honestly, once I'm back to work, I don't care, since I'll get up at 5 to run and shower, so it's not like her grunting is keeping me awake then. I'm just wondering if she'd sleep better for that last 3-hour stretch if I don't unswaddle and change her. Her nighttime diapers are sometimes completely dry anyway. It's the one from 5-8 that is heavy.

I'm even thinking of cheating and not even taking her out of the crib if I can swing it, but then I can't burp her. That might be a disaster. How's that work?

I've read a little bit about it and I think I remember it saying that you don't have to take them out of the crib for a bottle. If they stay asleep or at least really relaxed, they won't take in as much air and you may not have to burp. Try and see how it goes!

MuffinMom14 · December 2014

Katedann said:

Dumb question. Can I do this if I'm not breastfeeding? She sleeps from 9 to about 5. Then I need her to go back to sleep until 8 or so. I can get her back to sleep, but it's a grunting, fitful sleep. Honestly, once I'm back to work, I don't care, since I'll get up at 5 to run and shower, so it's not like her grunting is keeping me awake then. I'm just wondering if she'd sleep better for that last 3-hour stretch if I don't unswaddle and change her. Her nighttime diapers are sometimes completely dry anyway. It's the one from 5-8 that is heavy. I'm even thinking of cheating and not even taking her out of the crib if I can swing it, but then I can't burp her. That might be a disaster. How's that work?
I've read a little bit about it and I think I remember it saying that you don't have to take them out of the crib for a bottle. If they stay asleep or at least really relaxed, they won't take in as much air and you may not have to burp. Try and see how it goes!

Awesome. I think I will!

BeckyMont · December 2014

I guess this dream feeding isn't for everyone. Ds did okay last night. But tonight he wouldn't latch so I changed his diaper, and still wouldn't latch, so now I'm in another room pumping.

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