To dreamfeed or not to dreamfeed?

[Bumperlicious]

Dd2 is 3 months. The last 5 nights we have made a concerted effort to get her to go down in the evening which she has not done previously. This has been hit and miss, occasionally, like tonight, a battle. She fed from 6.30 till about 8.45, refused to feed to sleep, protested at being bounced to sleep in her hammock but eventually succumed about an hour ago.

Now the question is to dreamfeed or not. I have tried 3 times. The first was great till she filled her nappy then took an hour to settle again. The second was great but she then work at 1am and again at 5. So tonight do I try and dreamfeed in the hope of getting her to sleep longer or not bother? Please use your crystal balls experience to advise.

worked, like a dream!, for DC1&2. For DC3 (20 weeks) it's more hit and miss but I am going to persevere.

Am cracking down tonight with more of a routine and am waiting for her to wake up (hopefully not till 11 (but has been more like 9 the last few nights), but will wake her if after 11). I am then not going to feed her again until at earliest 2am because I know she can go longer without a feed. Easier said than done because a boob or bottle is the only thing that shuts her up but I'm so so so tired of being up every few hours every night that I have GOT to install some kind of routine and hope it will result in getting some sleep.

I know some people say it's a definite no no but it worked a treat with my first two so I'm going with that!! Good luck tonight!

Didn't work for me - all that happened was I created an extra night feed. He didn't sleep any longer after it than he had before.

Ooops - a new one for me. What's a dream feed?

Sticking a boob or bottle in their mouth and feeding them while not quite awake.

A feed without waking the baby - usually at 10pm/11pm when you go to bed - in the hope that they'll then skip a feed later in the night.

Worked for me, was lovely being able to feed and then get a few hours sleep. Good luck with it.

Hmm, I'm sat on my bed debating...to be honest the amount of time it's taking me to get to sleep ATM she might well wake up before I'm asleep. And she has woken at 1& 3 after a dream feed anyway so if she wakes then I'm no worse off.

Apparently I have to choose between having my evenings back and and long stretch of sleep, can't have both!

i usually do, and found it helped.

possibly because by my bedtime, i'd had some booze and it helps to ease thir sleep :)

Well I didn't and she woke at 3.15 & again at 7 which I guess is not too hideous. Just have to experiment I suppose. I hate going to bed not knowing what time they are going to wake up.

i agree with the evenings/long stretch of sleep. Atm were trying 4 the long stretch of sleep (4 or 5 hrs) dont really mind having baby with us in the evening but he's only 4 weeks so no trouble