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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Restless at night but not hungry

15 replies

Chucklecheeks · 06/03/2011 19:54

I have a 12 week old DS who goes to bed at 7, we dream feed him at 10.30 and when he wakes in the morning is not very interested in his bottle for at least an hour. At about 3.30 am he stirs and gets very restless. I have not been feeding him since introducing the dream feed but every half hour or so I have to put his dummy in. He can't seem to self settle at this time of night.

I used to not give a dream feed and he woke between 3 and 4 am for a small feed and went straight back to sleep. I tried not giving him the feed once and kept settling him and he slept through so I dropped the night feed. I thought if I introduced a dream feed he would not be as restless. I got more sleep doing night feed that I am getting now as i have to make myself stay up to give a dream feed and then he is awake on and off from middle of night.

Have any any advice as to why he is so restless when he is obviously not hungry, should I drop the dream feed and go back to feeding at night.

I also introduced a dream feed as I was concerned he was not getting any where near the recommended milk allowance on four feeds a day. He has silent reflux and I struggle to get milk in him during the day.

Is he restless because he does need the milk, he is never a big eater so I feel as though I need to remind him to eat unless he is starving.

I have also posted this in sleep.

Thanks

CC

OP posts:
Original poster
Chucklecheeks · 06/03/2011 20:18

He is 14 weeks!

OP posts:
RitaMorgan · 06/03/2011 20:26

I'd just feed him at 3am, he's still so little and it sounds like that would be easier than spending hours trying to settle him.

Original poster
Chucklecheeks · 06/03/2011 20:29

That's what I am thinking Rita, would you carry on with the dream feed? I think I should just drop it, he was happily going from 6/7 to 3/4am. Think I have caused the trouble.

Poor mite!

OP posts:
RitaMorgan · 06/03/2011 20:36

This might not be what you want to hear, but my ds was going 7pm-3am when I introduced a dreamfeed - he still woke at 3am though, and then when I tried to drop the dreamfeed he started waking at 11pm too!

Original poster
Chucklecheeks · 06/03/2011 20:47

I had a feeling this might happen, fingers crossed for me then. I am going to drop the dream feed and see how I go. I have had to wake him loads to get a couple of oz down him at 10.30 so I'm hoping he forgets he ever had it Hmm

Wish me luck!

OP posts:
Original poster
Chucklecheeks · 06/03/2011 20:48

How old is your son now and did it improve?

OP posts:
RitaMorgan · 06/03/2011 20:57

I think I introduced the dreamfeed at about 15 weeks, tried to drop it a week or so later but he kept waking for it. Then he hit the 4 month sleep regression (very common apparently) and his sleep went haywire for a few weeks.

He didn't drop the 3-4am feed until he started solids at 5 months, and he's 7 months now and still has the dreamfeed - still takes 200ml at that feed despite being on 3 meals in the day, so not ready to drop it yet.

Original poster
Chucklecheeks · 06/03/2011 21:09

Thanks for the reply. Will have to see what happens tonight. When I was deciding whether to introduce the dream feed I knew deep down that it would not work. My DD flourished with a dream feed so I felt as though I had to give it a go. Should listen to my instincts.

OP posts:
gaelicsheep · 06/03/2011 22:27

I think he sounds far too little to not be feeding overnight, especially if he doesn't feed well in the day. Smile Are you sure he is "obviously" not hungry?

Original poster
Chucklecheeks · 06/03/2011 22:47

Obvious in the sense I put the teat in his mouth and he lies there smiling at me Smile

OP posts:
gaelicsheep · 06/03/2011 22:56

Well yes thats pretty obvious Smile. I would go with the flow. If there is one thing I could rely on with my two, it was that interfering with their natural rhythms just messed things up.

Original poster
Chucklecheeks · 06/03/2011 23:24

I agree, should just have left well alone. At seven weeks he was sleeping fab but I wanted more. Lesson is be grateful for what you got and not push him into what I thought he should be doingBlush

OP posts:
gaelicsheep · 06/03/2011 23:27

Look at it this way, you could have a nearly 9 month old still in bed with you and using you as an all night snack bar. Grin She (or I) has never slept for more than 3 hours (except on very rare occasions).

Original poster
Chucklecheeks · 07/03/2011 09:09

Thought I would update you..

Decided not to dream feed and he slept till 5. I gave him 3 oz and he slept till 7 and was woken by DH's alarm! If this continues (not naive
enough to think it will Wink, it shows I must have been disrupting his sleep pattern giving him a dream feed.

I hope it continues, even if he starts waking earlier I will hopefully get more sleep.

Thanks for your help x

OP posts:
gaelicsheep · 08/03/2011 00:52

That was exactly our experience (when I was giving bottles overnight). If it ain't broke don't fix it - that's my motto. Smile

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