Dream feeds help

[Pinkstuffs]

DS is 4 months, he will sleep through the night uninterrupted 6pm - 6am if allowed but he needs a dream feed because he is underweight. I usually give this at 10pm and have to wake him for it.

Once he has been fed he really struggles to fall asleep again and stay asleep. It’s becoming a vicious cycle of wake at 10pm, back to sleep at midnight, then on and off until morning. On Wednesday he actually barely went back to sleep at all. He’s not upset but he’ll lay in his next to me babbling and kicking.

Are there any tips to avoid this? Is there a way to keep it to a ‘dream’ feed when he doesn’t wake fully?

If you can keep him semi asleep while feeding, that's ideal.

Obvious things but just in case you haven't tried...

Keep lights dim. As dark as you can manage.
Feed in the side-lying position and Co sleep,for minimum disruption.
Allow yourself to doze too.
Occupy yourself on your phone etc so you don't get impatient for the feed to end (that's what I'm doing right now lol)

I should have said as well, I bottle/formula feed, although some of the above advice also applies!

Have you tested out a night or two without the dream feed to see how he is without it hun? Maybe that he doesn’t need it so much now?

He is starving when he has it and will drain the whole bottle - it’s practically the only time I can get more than 4oz into him - he’s under a paediatrician for low weight so I need to give it. I really wish I didn’t, it’s so counterintuitive to wake him up!

Why do you have to wake him for it?

I thought the term dream feed came from the fact that they’re asleep. Have you tried just wiggling the teat into his mouth? His sucking reflex should kick in automatically. No need to wind either as they don’t gulp air down when they’re asleep.

It was the only feed my DD took without fuss!

@Onehappymam you might have just solved my problem - I presumed I needed to wake him for it - I also change his nappy as otherwise he tends to leak out of it because it gets too full. Did you dd manage to last all this time in the same nappy?

Don’t change his nappy unless it’s a poo.

Nappies are designed to last all night - especially with only one feed.

Also echo what other posters have said - keep the lights off or dimmed.

Just read that his nappy leaks - maybe worth trying for one night not changing it to see how it goes?

Don't wake them for a dream feed, otherwise it's just a feed, not a dream
feed!

Only change the nappy if absolutely necessary eg a poo.

I think the nappy issue is because he’s still in size one for the fit but they are not absorbent enough at that size. I might try a size 2 to see if this makes a difference.

I literally thought it was just called a dream feed because you gave it at night! My health visitor advised against feeding when he is asleep but I will try anything for a bit more sleep.

We used to feed our son his bottle still asleep in his cot and he wouldn’t wake at all!
We put him to bed at 7 with and dream fed at 11 and he’d wake up at 7 the next morning!
With the leaky nappies, if you can afford them, I’d recommend the pampers premium protection nappy pants for overnight, only leaked once and we’ve been using them for about 5 months now! X

My eldest was a terrible sleeper but the dream feed was the only time he didn't wake, scream and generally make life miserable - I'd literally pick him up out of his cot, put the tear in his mouth and he'd drain a 9oz bottle in seconds, then I'd burp him and put him back still fast asleep. That way when he awoke during the rest of the night at least I knew it wasn't hunger!

Just make sure he's slightly inclined in your arms (ie not completely flat!)

Best of luck

We always had the size up for night nappies for this reason. Good luck