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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

dream feeding a bf baby

22 replies

octo · 20/05/2007 22:19

When ds3 is flat out and it is about an hour before next feed i.e. now - how do you dream feed them when they are fast asleep and won;t latch on? Managed to dream feed ds2 but he was bottle fed and just shoved it in and he drank it - but this seems a little more complex! Really its so I can go to bed knowing that I have a few hours sleep before the next feed rather than getting off to sleep and being woken up within the hour. Obviously should go to bed either earlier so get the hours in or after the feed - but just want to know how to get it to work! Or if it doesn't work - what effect will a bottle have at this time of night on my supply. I have a big hungry baby btw!

OP posts:

LongDistanceClara · 20/05/2007 22:21

I did this with DS2 - it didn't work to begin with, but just squeezed a few drops of milk onto his lips and he eventually fed.

I also rubbed my hand up and down his ribcage and he'd stir a bit and feed more then.

Elasticwoman · 20/05/2007 22:22

Never wake a sleeping baby (unless the house is on fire) . Go to bed, and when babe wakes, take into bed with you. Much better to feed with YOU asleep and babe awake. Try not to change nappy unless dirty or outer clothes are wet. Sure you knew that anyway.

Katy44 · 20/05/2007 22:22

This is maybe a stupid question but do you have to pick him up? Surely that would wake him?

LongDistanceClara · 20/05/2007 22:28

You'd think so, Katy, but it didn't wake DS2.

And it meant I could sleep for several hours, as the OP wants, because I knew he had a full tummy and was likely to sleep for longer.

Original poster

octo · 20/05/2007 22:32

I agree Elasticwoman re the nappies but wasn't planning on getting him AWAKE in the wide eyed sense - just enough to feed and go back to sleep. I would have to pick him up as he is in his cot Have tried feeding lying down and got thrush that day so NEVER EVER trying that one again!

Katy - have you tried dream feeding?

OP posts:

Frizbe · 20/05/2007 22:34

Hmmm dd2 used to just latch on for a dream feed come to think of it dd1 did too....sometimes like ldclara, a few drops of milk were needed? maybe I just got them at the right bit in their sleep cycles.

Elasticwoman · 20/05/2007 22:38

Bf lying down does not cause thrush. Thrush is a fungal infection - nothing to do with positioning.

Original poster

octo · 20/05/2007 22:46

No - I know that! It was just a conincidence - thought when the pain started it was a blocked duct or something from trying to feed lying down but as pain increased and showed no other signs became obvious was thrush. I'm just paranoid!

OP posts:

Katy44 · 21/05/2007 09:46

Not yet octo, but for the past few nights he's slept from about 9 until midnight or 1. I'd like to go to bed about half ten or 11 so this might be a good idea.
Or I could just go to bed at five past 9

Original poster

octo · 23/05/2007 07:34

The dream feed thing didn't work - he wouldn't wake up at all! Am going to try a bottle of forumula/dh combo tonight! Too tired to carry on like this.

OP posts:

ProfYaffle · 23/05/2007 07:39

i think it's down to the individual babe. Dd1 would never wake for a dream feed but dd2 does, she doesn't wake up but will latch on in her sleep.

Have you tried EBM in a bottle?

NotQuiteCockney · 23/05/2007 07:40

How old is your baby?

I did dream feeds with DS2, just stuck him on the boob, did yoga breathing, and massaged my breast to make let down happen.

Original poster

octo · 23/05/2007 07:45

NQC - we are on two threads here! He is five weeks old and I know they have growth spurts but and I want to carry on bf but for how long to you go without sleep before you concede that a bottle would make life easier. I am opting for ff rather than ebm just because I think it will be easier for dh and the ff may fill him up a bit.

OP posts:

cathcart · 23/05/2007 07:46

was wondering about the dream feed thing myself so glad you asked.
My dd has been waking up for a feed at about 11.30pm which is fine except when I am shattered and want to go to bed at 10pm its a real drag getting up again after an hour.

So I thought last night I'd dream feed before I went to bed at 10.30. I didn't in the end because I was too scared to risk waking her up too much! Lo and behold she woke up for her feed at 11.12pm just as I was drifting into the lovely land of nod and I sooo wished I'd tried the dream feed! Will do so tonight!
Good luck with yours!

cathcart · 23/05/2007 07:48

FWIW i don't think a bottle would make life easier - think of all the sterilising and heating in the small hours!
Much easier to whip a boob out!

NotQuiteCockney · 23/05/2007 07:53

octo, if you can avoid introducing formula for a few more weeks, it would be better. Studies have shown that mothers who introduce formula before their baby is six weeks old end up stopping breastfeeding earlier than they want to.

Elasticwoman · 23/05/2007 10:57

Why not just go to bed earlier? I remember going to bed one night at 7 pm when one of mine was a baby. Sounds depressing but I think I only had to do it once and that sleep really set me up. This stage in the baby's life doesn't last very long, but what you put in their stomach at this stage can have long lasting health effects, plus supplementing will affect your milk supply.

Formula sits on the baby's stomach for longer because it's harder for the baby to digest, and runs the risk of causing constipation. Have you read any of the threads about toilet training and toddler constipation? Actually, don't get me started on the risks you run with formula esp when baby is still on milk-only diet.

Original poster

octo · 23/05/2007 17:19

Cathcart - good luck with the dream feed.

I have decided to go ahead with the ff by dh at the 11pm feed and see what happens.

Thanks for all your advice - its really tough trying to decide what is best.

OP posts:

cathcart · 24/05/2007 09:38

any luck last night octo?

i chickened out of dream feed again for fear of waking her! stupid woman! i will definately do it tonight

Piffle · 24/05/2007 09:41

I always feed ds (9 wks) before I get into bed. He goes down between 8-9pm and usually I feed him at 11, he takes a decent feed without waking, I change his nappy if he needs he always goes straight back to sleep. Then goes 6-7 hours.
Bless him...
He is a big baby too 14lbs at 9wks and breastfed

Original poster

octo · 25/05/2007 12:31

We didn;t manage it - he had a temp and was a bit snotty. But went out last night and he woke up so dh gave him some formula and he took it fine. So at the moment just keeping going and leave some ff if go out.

OP posts:

Dragonhart · 25/05/2007 19:30

I could never get my ds to dream feed and my dd now wont either. I cluster feed mine at about 4-430 then 6-630pm then bed at 7-730 and they both seemed to last longer til the first feed in the night. The more I feed them in the day, the better nights sleep I get. Might be worth a try if you cant do the dream feed.

My ds was a big boy and it still worked for him.

Mine just do not seem to want to wake. Just clamp their lips and when I get my let down going, we both just end up wet rather than it making them feed.

I would rather work towards having an evening of no bf and wake in the night to feed than feed in the evening then sleep longer. Just means I have more freedom in the evenings to go out if I want. But it is def a preference thing as a friend of mine said she would rather get her nights sleep so suppose it depends on how well your los sleep.

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