Effective bottle feeding at dreamfeed

[Cosmo89]

DS is EBF but we're bottlefeeding him expressed milk at the last feed (I'm pumping at the same time to keep supply up). We found that he sleeps better if he takes a good bottle at that time, as I think my supply isn't quite up to giving him what he needs after a days feeding etc. A good 4oz bottle (he's 6 weeks tomorrow) has knocked him out for the past 10 days or so

Someone suggested 'dreamfeeding' to us - ie. feeding him whilst he's asleep at a set time - and performed the said dreamfeed on our DS, who took a 5oz bottle. We've tried this twice (at 11), with the hope that he would sleep till 4am ( said advisor said he would) but on both occasions he's only taken half of the feed before stopping completely (and we don't want to wake him up after the trauma of getting him to sleep in the first place).

Are we not considering bottlefeeding as a specialist practice? We kind of thought putting it in his mouth and tilting it would be enough - he would just take it - but are we not allowing for something here/doing something wrong. It seems odd that from taking a full bottle when he was awake, he doesn't when he's asleep and it's worked for someone else - just not for us!

Anyway = guidance much appreciated!

xx

I just think all babies are different. My DD1 would never take a dream feed. She either didn't take any or much and stayed asleep/sleepy, or she woke up completely and took a decent feed but was then a nightmare to get back to sleep.

DD2 will take a decent dream feed in her sleep.

Maybe you're just unlucky that you don't have one of the babies who takes to dream feeding.

You will have sufficient milk to breastfeed by the way. So long as your baby is feeding you will continue to make milk. It may be a slower flow but your baby will be able to get a tummy full. But I know lots of people like to use a bottle at bedtime as baby is less likely to just fall asleep snuggled up to boob, I think the theory is that they take more from the bottle, not sure how.

Hope some of that ramble is helpful. Sounds like you and LO are doing v well.

Yes, definitely, all babies are different and some will take a dreamfeed well and others won't.

Things that helped with our DD were...

• stroking her cheek or under her chin to encourage her to suck, occasionally jiggling the bottle too. Now we know she will eat in her sleep I sometimes jiggle her a little too, to rouse her from a very deep sleep to a lighter sleep so she will feed.

• trying different times. 10.30 might just be the wrong time of your son's sleep cycle for him to feed well. Try 10.15, 11 etc to see if that makes a difference.

But actually at 6w our DD didn't take to the dreamfeed at all. We stopped and started again probably at 8-9w, and she took to it at once.

I'd definitely recommend trying a few of those things, experimenting around a little with what you are doing, and persevering for a while (as well as trying again later even if you do give up right now). We found that it took about a week for DD to realise she was full and stop waking up at 4am!

Good luck!

I used to do a dreamfeed at 11 but I used to wake DD and change her nappy then feed her.

This may not be what you want to hear but dream feeds don't always work for everyone. some babies won't feed from a bottle in their sleep, others won't feed from a bottle at all. Others still will glug the whole bottle yet still wake up two hours later.
What makes you think that your supply is not quite up to the job? FWIW it is normal for tiny babies to be fretful and to cluster feed on and off until your bedtime. frequent feeds are also great for your supply.