I have a 4 month old who we have been "dream-feeding" since he was about 2 months old. (This is where we get him out of the crib while he is asleep right before we go to bed (around 10:30pm), give him a bottle while he is sleeping, burp him, and then put him right back down to sleep.....Anyway- my question is, at what age is it best to stop doing a "dream feed"? He currently still wakes up around 4 hours later for another feeding right now.....
I stopped my daughter's dream feed at 7 months. I think the Babywhisperer book said around 8 months, but I had figured she didn't need it anymore. She would sleep until 6:30 am with the dream feeding. I gradually stopped over the course of a week (nursing her less and less), and she would sleep until 6:30/7 (still does). Good luck
your baby will wake up when he is hungry. And right now if he is on a "routine" to wake at 4 am even if you drop the D.F. he will proubably not wake up until 4. If this doesn't work the try taking off 1 ounce per week until its gone. Don't worry, pretty soon you and your baby with both be sleeping thru the night!
Well- my first question is "do you primarily feed breast milk or formula?" Formula is a LOT heavier and should fill him up for longer periods of time than breast milk. If it is formula, I would begin to offer an ounce less every few night over the next 2-3 weeks until the dream feed is gone. If it is primarily breast milk, I would wait to cut the dream feeding until he no longer wakes 4 hours later for an additional feeding.
It typically get's a bit better once they are getting about 50% of the nutrition from food. Also- once he is eating rice cereal, feed him a good amount before putting him to bed. The rice will keep him full much longer than milk alone.
You're doing great! You boy is lucky to have such a great mama!
wow see i never did that. i let my baby wake up when she was hungry (even if that ment i was sleeping for 20 mins). i have always done that since she was born and by 4 months she was only waking up once at night and that was having her in bed by 8p and she was waking up about 7a. i suggest to just let your baby sleep and let them wake up when they are ready to eat.
Oh D. i think you should've stopped this along time ago. You're very lucky!!!! I have a 10 month old son who still wakes up 3 times in the middle of the night for feedings. You need to let him sleep because he will wake up when he's hungry!!!! It will be good rest for you since you're goin beack to work. I am always sleepy at work cause my son still wakes up.
I am in the same postion. My daughter is 4 months now, and we still do the dream feed. Because I don't think we'd make it without. With the D.F. she gets up around 3am as it is. I think the thing that will save me is, I've started feeding her rice cereal. So I'm hoping that fills her up more, and she'll sleep longer. I plan on loading her up before bedtime, if that doens't work I'll probably ween her from the D.F. by dropping her ounces gradually. Easier said than done....
Good luck..
