Anyone ever done the dreamfeed in middle of night?

[2Roses]

hi

I was just wondering if anyone has tried doing the dreamfeed at around the time you know your little one is going to wake, so say they can go from bedtime til 4.30am and its pretty much the same time couldn't you go in give dreamfeed before they wake then they might sleep til later in the morning?

Only asking because i have been doing dreamfeed which goes well however my daughter still wakes up early i tried leaving the dreamfeed out and she naturally stirs around 4/5ish so i heard her stiring but not awake so went in and fed her but she didn't wake up it was like a dreamfeed and she went back down til 8am, so was wondering if anyone has done it this way?

I'M SOOOOOOOOO confused about it all, its been so long since i've done EASY i can't remember anything!

thanks

[annette.xx]

Hi

yeah I tried this for bit then realised it was becomin a habit...reinforcing her stirring and they soon become accustomed to it so then in effect you would end up with having to wean 2 wakings for DF later on....

I would stick to the one DF then if she wakes for a feed you can still feed but it will be when she needs it rather than becoming a structured routine...its amazing how quickly their body clocks can get set...and before you know it 4am wake is a permanent waking!!

HTH!!! How old is your LO now?

Annette.xx

[2Roses]

Thanks Annette,

Summer is nearly 3 months now, and doing really well. I was obsessed with EASY with my first one so its just kind of instinct this time the whole routine thing. I just cannot remember what i did with the dreamfeeds. The thing is if i put her to bed at 7/8pm she sleeps through until about 4.30/5 ish without the dreamfeed so i don't know wheather to persist without it and try and get her back to sleep, or miss the first dreamfeed and do it later, or just do the normal dreamfeed.

So you are probably right to just do the usual dreamfeed and persist, and any other night wakings due to growth spurts and stuff treat as night wakings and get her back to sleep after quick feed.

Thanks for you're advice

Julia x

[annette.xx]

I am soooooo overly obsessed with the routine (or lack of as I have now!!)...I think its great that you have managed to take a more relaxed approach this time round...gives me hope for having another one cos im terrified of going through this all again...the constant watching the time, panicking when it goes off course etc...

Stick with your instinct ...if you want to feed later when she wakes then skip the DF...you know whats best im sure!!

I always stuck to the df until 7 months (see there you have it routine obsessed...had to drop it at the right time!!!) as I had read alot that if you dont do DF at the right time you can end up with 2 NW at 1 and 4/5am after they have had a growth spurt so I kept at it...tho as I said I am far too by the book and have lost my instinctive nature now...

I already miss the night feeds cos its so lovely having them so close when they are sleepy...stroking their soft baby hair!!

good luck

Annette.xx

[2Roses]

Ah Annette,

I know exactly what you mean, with my first i was writing stuff down and totally obsessed with times and stuff, but then it became stressful and not EASY at all! and then i read something on here from Tracy about it not being a schedule it doesn't matter if you go off course just go with the babies cues and it totally changed things, i think you just have to implement it but also trust your instincts and follow babies cues and if you have to go out or something and it throws the day out abit then just tweak things later in the day by following babies cues.

I sort of started all over again with a more relaxed manner and realised that i had been way too obsessed and that isn't what EASY is about at all.

I do want to follow the basics again though, but i seem to have just forgotten EVERYTHING! baby brain i think! but things are going well and thank you for your advice i think i will hang in there with the dreamfeed, it will be easier to drop that cos its near bedtime than to drop one in the night and like you said that might become a night waking that i have made myself...ooh if you think about it all too much it gets too confusing!!

Thank you, and good luck with your little one, and honestly try relaxing about the routine abit more and enjoying it it should be something that helps not something that stresses us out, so i think if it is we're being too obsessed with it.

Julia x