Waking up before 'dream feed'

[TheJen]

Hi, experienced MN advice needed. My DS is 6 months and in quite a nice routine. We've loosely followed baby whisperer and he has 4 hourly feeds during the day (up 7ish) so 4 breast feeds also has solids for breakfast, lunch and dinner, bath at 6 ish and bed and last feed at 7ish. However, the dream feed I started at about 4 months is going wrong... basically he wakes up for it any time between 9 and 11. I have tried to put him back down without feeding him but he rarely settles and usually I feed him as it makes no difference to when he wakes in the morning. I'm keen to try and stop it as I don't feel he needs it this morning he slept til gone 8 and wasn't even that hungry. Basically what I thought I'd do, rather than try and stretch him out... I'd wake him earlier and earlier gradually over a few nights, feeding him at 9.30, then 9, then 8.30 then 8... he wont take a bottle so I can't reduce the ammounts or try water.
What does everyone think? Any other ideas? Anyone done it? If so how long will it take? We have our first night out next friday and MIL is babysitting for first time so was wondering if I can do it by then.

Can you ger DP/DH to go settle him when he wakes? He might not be settling 'cause he know you've got yummy milk!

Yeh we have tried that but it doesn't really work plus DH is working away a lot so it's hard to be consistent... when it's just me it's hard not to cave in. I'm happy to feed him really but think that when he wakes at 9.30 ish it's too early and I think he's waking out of habit. Got to be honest here- main urgency for trying to get him to stop is that it's DH's big work do on Friday and it's the first time we've been out. I'm worried he'll wake and be upset with MIL. He's a bit of a mummy's boy and often only the boob will do.

i very losely followed baby wisperer, we gradually dropped a dream feed by bring it forward gradually and reducing teh amount we gave ds (could do that as he was bottle fed from 4 months). it did take quiet a while though - can't remember exactly how long.

do you think a week would be rushing it?

bump... any other advice? Am sitting here trying to work out what to do... watching the clock

it took us longer than a week - but i didnt need to do it in a hurry. could you express so that the mil could still do the dream feed when you go out?

sorry to say it might take longer than a week.. but i gave up dreamfeeding at about 7 mo because my ds used to wake up so much it took ages to re-settle him. At about 10mo i ended up starting to dreamfeed again as he just seemed to be waking at 3am from hunger - must have been a growth spurt. Like yours he would NEVER take a bottle but shortly after that he would only bite me at feed time and it was so painful i tried him with a bottle and he flipping well took it, the monkey! Am just saying that perhaps your MIL might have success with a bottle if there are no other options.. risky strategy but you never know! Hope you get a good night ouy

HI Thanks for that. They are monkeys [grins] My DS has 4 teeth but seems to have forgotton about biting for the moment! I have managed (not sure how!) to feed him later in evening (more like 11) which makes me a little less anxious about going out. I took your advice and decided a week may be rushing it to drop the feed so over the last few days have concentrated on getting him to take some expressed milk from a cup. At least that way if he was starving MIL could try it but I hope she has more success than me. Today he enjoyed playing with the cup cut after a few sips he lay back (refused to sit back up) with his mouth wide open waiting for the boob... once I undid my bra he giggled- guess who's the boss in our house