Persevere with Dream feed? Or don't bother?

[firsttimemumma2014]

My 11 week DS was doing some nice 5-6 hour sleeps a couple of wks back however recently has been waking far more regularly. We thought it might be worth giving the Dream feed a go. I EBF so tried to do a BF Dream feed which was a disaster as he wouldn't really latch. The last 2 nights I've given him a bottle instead and he's guzzled 7oz.....but has still woken at 1.30. I know he is waking out of habit and isn't hungry but it's really hard not to feed him. I'm wondering....

How long should it take before the Dream feed works and he stops the 1.30 wake up?
Would it be better if I gave him formula at 10.30 instead?

Thanks....

I tried a dream feed with DS (20 weeks) but he seems to add it as an extra feed! He goes down at 7 and naturally will wake for a feed 12-1am, and then again around 4-5am. I wanted to dream feed so DH could give him a bottle at 11.30pm so I could sleep for a longer chunk at the start of the night which always makes me feel better even if my night sleep is reduced. But even though the dream feed was only 1 hour before he would wake anyway, when we did it he would wake at 2am for a feed and then around 5-6am! I think his sleep gets progressively lighter once he's had his first wake up/feed. Also it's like it 'wakes up' his stomach and he then wants more food! So I've stopped and resigned myself to having to wake after 1-2 hours of sleep to feed him. Also his feeds are pretty much set times regardless of what he eats, so a 3oz feed or 7oz feed at midnight would still mean a 5am wakeup, it's not always going to work 'filling them up', I assume because their stomaches are small and will empty quickly however much they've drank. DS still only takes 5-6oz most feeds though, so if your DS is drinking 7oz a go that could mean he'll go more... But when you say 'how long until it works' it may not work, and he may be doing the 1.30 feed for ages, all babies are different and some just need to feed little and often. It's a 'how long's a piece of string' question :) try anything out, but if he still needs to feed that often nothing is wrong or not working, it's just the way it is :) I'm crossing my fingers for weaning, though that doesn't guarentee no night feeds either!

And at 11 weeks it might not be habit, it could be growth spurt etc, I'd still try and feed in that case, and you won't be setting any habits, he's too tiny for that. Last night DS wanted 6oz bottles every 3 hours, totally random but he was starving for some reason! I tried shushing and rocking but he was having none of it! I always offer feeds at night wakings in case.

Thanks so much for the reply - adding an extra feed is what I've been concerned about. But last night things were different... He woke at 1.45 and cried out but by the time I had (bleary eyed) pulled on dressing gown and found glasses, he had self settled. He then stayed settled til 3.10 when I fed him and then woke properly at 6.20. So all in all a pretty successful night but I am not counting my chickens!! It could be all change tomorrow. Think I may try him out with a bit of formula today to see how he gets on with it.... Hope your 3 hourly feeds don't last!

He's just a very hungry boy at the moment :) I remember once he slept until 3.30, I was gobsmacked and convinced of maybe fed him and forgotten?! He is fairly regular but can throw in a curve ball of extra long/short sleeps every now and then :) I may give it another go one day, it's all development as much as anything so things can start to work that didn't work!