Dream feed - just wondering.....

[babymunkey]

Couple of things - first she always wakes' during it - not for it much these days but once we get her up, she wriggles, looks round the room, bobs on and off the bottle etc. She won't bend in the middle so she's a bugger to hold (she's swaddled) and generally the whole thing doesn't feel very dreamy! To her credit she goes straight back to sleep after though.

We still have 2 NFs - I'll update my other post re our routine issues after the Easter weekend, but I'm wondering wether to try a few nights without the DF. If the stretch after BT is supposed to be the longest, I'm questioning if it makes sense to disturb that sleep? If I'm going to try a few nights without it do I stop cold turkey? How many nights do I need to give it? Do I feed her as soon as she wakes?

H

[becj86]

I'd stop cold turkey or move it earlier to see if you can catch her at a different spot in her sleep cycle. DF never worked for DS as it disturbed his sleep and since I go to bed at 8:30, it was a PITA to stay up especially for the DF when he woke more often after it than without.

If you get rid of it, I'd feed her when she wakes (but I'd try to resettle at DF time if she's waking at that time out of habit...)

[amayzie]

sounds like it's not working for you- i'd drop it cold turkey too.. put your efforts into getting yourself to bed earlier. (this is an effort for me )

[babymunkey]

Katy - its an effort for me to get to bed early too - I need to have a few hours to myself in the evening, I would go to bed between 9 and 10 given a free choice, but then not much point as DF is looming - DP does it for me, but DD is in our room still so it disturbs me. Plus, if i go in there to go to bed anytime after around 10, I can't do it without waking her up as she's obviously coming into light sleep anyway.

How many nights would you give it? My guess is that she's going to wake up shortly after usual DF time. I'm feeling very chicken about it.......

[amayzie]

Ok- just to clarify when i said 'i'd drop it cold turkey' - i meant that's what i'd do- not 'this is what you should do' (do you get the difference?) I'd go with the rule of 3-4 days for things to become established. So you could try moving it forward or back for 3 days to see if that works any better- or reducing the amount over 3 days? Or just going cold turkey... Honestly you have nothing to lose as she's already waking 2 more times in the night- 3 times in total... the main point of a dream fed is to bring one forward... or to put it when suits you more...

[~Karen~]

Try dropping it and see what happens.  Df worked with Amy but with Ethan it only got me about another hour so decided it wasn't worth staying up for. 

[babymunkey]

Katy happy to drop it cold turkey - not sure she's going to be!! DP and I both think if we try to reduce the volume it'll just make her cross - she knows when she's finished a bottle and most nights will keep going until every drop is gone.

She took 210 at BT at 7, and 210ml for the DF at 11, then a good Bf at 2.30.

Just so I've got it right though - if she wakes say within the hour of usual DF time, should I just feed her anyway? Is the hope that if we don't disturb her she'll just keep sleeping?

I'm swaddle weaning just now, so I'll give that a few more days then get started on the DF.

[amayzie]

yeah- that's what i'd do..she may well keep sleeping..

[jennandsophie]

We dropped it cold turkey during the bad sleep regression period as he was waking habitually around 10 every night and taking forever to go back to sleep.  Anyway, I found it didn't make a difference at all.  He still woke up at random times to feed with or without it.  The best days, he doesn't wake until 4 or 5am and then I feed him then.

[babymunkey]

So swaddle weaning is hit and miss, but also was wondering if we're doing the DF too late? She goes to bed at 7.30 every night, BT bottle is at 7. I think I saw somewhere that the DF shouldn't be more than 3 hours after BT feed - is that right?

[amayzie]

I've heard it shouldn't be after 11pm.. i haven't seen the 3 hours thing.. we always did the BT feed at around 7pm or before, and the DF at 11pm and had no problems. BUT you might just need to find what time works best for your little princess! (I love the photo on the ticker- sooo sweet!)