My first dream feed!

[evansmummy]

My ds has been having a last feed at 7/8, sleeping til 3/4, waking for a feed then sleeping til 6/7. Someone advised me to try dream feeding, which I started tonight. It went well, lo fed well and didn't even wake up. Was just wondering though, the person who advised me to do this said my son may wake in the night at 3 through habit. What do I do if that happens?? Do I feed him again or do I try and get him to go back to sleep? If anyone's there now I would really appreciate a quick answer! Thanks

[spod]

when i started this, i sent dh in to offer cuddles, no mummy... after a few nights dd worked it out! good luck.

[beansprout]

I don't know what strict baby whisperer advice would be, but I would say that if you know he is not hungry then just try and settle him in another way. He may do this for a few nights but should realise that there is no point in waking if there is no food on offer. This worked for me in any case, I just had to be confident that no, he didn't need feeding. Am off to dream feed ds myself in a minute!!

[beansprout]

Totally agree with Spod. Have found that in the night, dp can settle ds but he (ds not dp) just gets agitated if I am there as he can sniff the milk.

[sophiant]

I've been having the some problem-doubt and I've been reading the baby whisperer book. i was breastfeeding my ds and was pretty sure it's only habit and he doesn't need the feed in the middle of the night so I decided not to feed him and just settle him in another way ,pick up put down method. the first night it took 45min solid crying in my arms and then 10 more minutes crying less and less till I left him in his cot and fell asleep,didn't wake up till morning, second night same thing at the same time only it took only a few minutes of crying and again slept till morning, third night though he woke up at different time and cried solidly for a whole hour even though I was holding him, at which point I fed him. does anyone have any advise? how many nights till it worked out?

[beansprout]

Sophiant - I really know how you feel. We have just had exactly the same. We just kept going, it will work eventually, it just doesn't always get better straight away. In BW terms, it takes 3 days/nights to establish a habit.

After originally saying I would never use a dummy (I know, I know!) it has now been the best 2 quid I have spent! Might be worth a go if you haven't tried it. Also found that as I am still b/f, it is better if dp settles ds if we are trying to do it without a feed.

[sophiant]

thanks beansprout!
I know it's better if dp tries to break the habit but as he works 6 days a week and I don't, i feel it's not fair to get him more tired than he is already.
at the mo I'm stopping breastfeeding and have moved to bottle. ds is 6 months and not at all bothered at bottles, almost didn't realise.
I'll try not feeding him as soon as my milk stops and he can't smell anything. just wondering how many days it actually takes, and if when it seems to be going fine it gets worse. not quite sure still if I did the right thing feeding him then and don't know what I'll do in the future if he cries solidly for that long, maybe 1hour of crying isn't too much and I'm just a softie.