Waking 8 mo - should I go back to a dream feed?

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Hi, Our DD2 settles well between 7 and 8 pm but always wakes at 3 am for a feed. I just wondered if anyone elses wee ones still do this. Also, does anyone still dream feed at this age and does it help?

Thanks, I'm going back to work and I'm trying to get DD2 to sleep through (with not much luck)

You will find a lot of babies are still night feeding at 8 months in the night, but there should be no reason other than habit!

I would say avoid introducing a dream feed at this stage- instead, gradually reduce this 3am feed in quantity ( by 100mls every 3 days, and watering it down, or by minutes if breastfeeding ) until eventually he is waking and taking 100 mls only before going back off, or only haveing a 5 min BF. At which point you can be assured that he is The reduction should have a knock on effect that he will increase his feeds/meals intake during the day. make sure the bed-time feed is a big one!
At bedtime does he fall asleep alone? or feeding?

Hi containher, she falls asleep at about 7.30 pm after a 7 ounce bottle. She settles in her cot alone quite happily.

In that case, i think that if you gradually decrease the 3am feed, it should be a fairly easy process, as you only have one issue to battle with ( milk intake) and not two ( milk intake and not being able to self settle). Sometimes if you introduce a dream feed, it will result in her having a dream feed AND still waking at 3am-as the waking is more from habit/body clock, than hunger

My 8mo was waking in the night (at least once) fairly regularly.

We then had about 10 days of sleeping through. Well he did, I was waking up out of habit and exploding boobs!

The last few nights he's been waking again (more than once) but I've figured that he can go through the night fine without milk so after a settling him with a BF a couple of times I've now been leaving him to self settle (which he did last night fine) or sending DH to soothe him without milk (he won't take a bottle but associates me with milk).

In short, agree with containher that a lot of night waking at this age is habit and can hopefully be phased out.

thanks, i'll cut down the milk and see what happens.

I completely agree with container too! I had the same with ds1 and thought it was hunger until a friend was very blunt and said it wasn't!

I introduced hipp organic bedtime milk at 7pm and then never looked back. The first night was exhausting - i gave water instead of milk: cue - a lot of crying and we started the day at 5am. The second night he woke and had water and went back to sleep. The third night he didn't wake!

Good luck

I thought you might like an update. I took your advice (knew it really, just had to be brave) and my wee one is sleeping soundly through the night (8 until 8). I feel like a new person, thanks :)

Yipee! Well done you xxx

wow - is it too early to start this with a 6month old? how do i know hes not hungry?