Dummy versus a feed at night?

[Alicia870]

My baby is almost 8 weeks old and formula fed. She is 10lbs and is taking 25oz during the day. She's gaining weight well and lots of wet nappies. I always do a dream feed at 11pm and for the past week she has slept through until about 4am. She will just make a little bit of a shuffle about and I put the dummy in and she goes back to sleep until I wake her at 7 for next feed. She does suck the dummy hard which makes me think should I be feeding her but if she really needed it would she cry? I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing!

Personally I would be feeding her but I had a small ish baby at 6lbs 4 and at that age if he went longer than 4 hours his temp and blood sugar would drop and it would be a struggle to wake him to feed. We used to dream feed at 12 ish when dh went to bed and I would then feed at 3 ish.
Up until 12 weeks we were advised by hospital (after re admission) to set an alarm to ensure he was fed regularly.
But as I said above he was smaller than your LO. Hopefully someone with a bigger baby will be along shortly to help.

Thanks for your input. She was 6.1 at birth so has gained really well to get to the 10lb mark and we've only been ff for a few weeks but she has definitely gained well. Just so difficult to know if I'm denying her! Have tried to google how to calculate how much she needs but struggling to find any guidance on it

At that age I think I'd feed her,so young still. later on I used to say two tries at soother and if spat, if feed! Ie I don't think she'd accept soother if it's hunger?

The thing is, she does take the dummy and goes to sleep with it. She never cries or resists so I'm just wondering if it's not broke don't fix it? Ie if she is gaining weight and getting enough during the day, should I just go with the flow and only feed at night if crying or unsettled? Am I wrong here though?

I think if she takes it first time and doesn't grumble I'd leave her, my bf baby was sleeping around 7h at that stage and then went completely backwards from 4-18m so it's a normal development but if you're really second guessing yourself and maybe feeling a bit guilty, tho you've done nothing wrong, it's as easy to feed her.

Thanks for this! Yes definitely feeling guilty and unsure. I obviously want sleep myself but of course want to do whatever is best for her and I know she's still so young. I'll see how she goes tonight with dummy and re-assess then

My first baby slept through from 6 weeks, I think if she is happy, gaining well and having plenty of wet and dirty nappies I would let her sleep.

Oh and he is 8 now and has always been a fantastic sleeper so you might just have one like mine!

My DD slept through from 6-7 weeks, around a 7 hour stretch, and now she's 6 months and sleeping around 13 hours. She's gained weight absolutely fine and is thriving so I would let your little one sleep, if she's hungry she will let you know

If you're getting plenty of wet and dirty nappies I wouldn't worry about it. I combi-fed and DD was doing eight hours sleep in a row a night by eight weeks (dream feed at 10.30ish, then through to 6.30ish). It made a huge difference to my sanity.

Thank guys. It's just throwing me that she does wake up making some noises, but settles off again with the dummy just chugging at it hard. That's the part that makes me feel guilty and wonder if she's hungry. But if she was hungry would she cry?

My DS (seven months ) did this and still does. He has always taken enough during the day to see him through till morning. Wouldnt even take a feed at night from 5 weeks. Even now when hes on three meals and milk he isnt fussed for his bottle at seven am but will devour his porridge. Some babies are just like that. If your daughter was hungry she wouldnt go back to sleep. She would soon let you know if she wanted feeding. All my three have been different you just have to go with it