Dream feeds

[Pyjamaramadrama]

I'm just wondering what opinions are on dream feeds and whether you felt that they worked for you.

With ds1 I didn't do dream feeds. He was always a fairly good sleeper, going from 8pm waking at 2am and 5am. He eventually dropped the 2am feed and pretty much slept 12 hours by 6 months. I'd tried a dream feed a few times but it seemed to just disrupt his sleep pattern and he woke more.

Now have ds2 who's 7 weeks. He's sleeping a similar pattern waking around 1.30am and 4.30am.

Even so I'm finding the night feeds really hard this time around, ds2 has mild reflux but I can't risk putting straight down after a feed as he gets uncomfortable and is likely to be sick, so feeds tend to take one hour I can cope but when we have nights when ds doesn't go back to sleep I find it awful.

I'm probably getting a reasonable amount of sleep really, I just need a lot of sleep.

I've tried a dream feed the past two nights and ds has gone from 10.30pm until 4.30-5.30am which was bliss so I'm thinking of keeping it up.

Longer term though what happens? I'm not sure I'd want to do this beyond 6 months but will I create a habit?

[IAmAPaleontologist]

Some swear by it, for others it doesn't work. Just do what works for you. If that is dream feeding at the moment then great, as time goes on you can always try not giving it and seeing what happens but for now if it gets you sleep then do it.

[Pyjamaramadrama]

Also some nights dp and I like to go to bed at 9.30pm so I wouldn't want to stay up to do the dream feed. I rarely stay up until 11pm 10.30 is my absolute latest.

I'm gutted that I'm finding night feeds so hard as I'm loving having the baby around but I'm wishing the weeks away for when he'll likely sleep longer.

[Sparrowlegs248]

What is a dream feed?

[Pyjamaramadrama]

A dream feed is when you feed your baby before you go to bed, generally while they're asleep, in the hope that they'll sleep longer meaning a bit more sleep fog mum and dad.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Oh I see thank you. DS wakes for a feed around 10 - 11 anyway.

[Pyjamaramadrama]

How old is your ds nottalotta? Does he sleep for long after the 10-11 feed?

My baby ds has been going to sleep at 8.30 and sleeping until 1-2am for his night feed.

[Sparrowlegs248]

He's very wee - 12 days! He is cluster feeding a lot but tends to sleep for a couple of hours til 10 - 11. Then we go to bed, change nappy etc and he feeds again. He (if its a good night......) will wake for a feed around 1.30 then 4 approx. Very approx as its early days! I've found bf quite demanding so far but its getting better. :-)

[Pyjamaramadrama]

Congratulations nottalotta. Ds was the same at 12 days although he was waking every 2 hours when I was bf, I found it very demanding partly why I gave up, wishing I hadn't now though.

I suppose I'm really trying to replace the 2am feed so more sleep for me.

I'm trying to get ds into a routine, last night he didn't want to know about going to sleep before 10pm so his dream feed ended up being his last feed. He then slept until 4am though so not a bad night really.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Its bloody hard work isn't it? some days i struggle forget dressed let alone anything else. It does seem to getting better though. Today I feel i have done very well having got up washedcdressed eaten and drunk, stripped bed and done 2 loads of washing, one hung out. And started (and abandoned.....) the washing up. In fact that's just amazing! Other days I would have been feeding constantly.

[LizzieLou3]

Nottalotta that is very impressive for 12 days! Don't forget to put having a nap on your list of tasks for the day. I found it helped with the need to feel productive. I gave dd1 dream feeds as she was ff but my ebf ds won't feed in his sleep.