Cluster feeds and dream feed.

[Chez2k]

I am planning on starting the BW routine after reading the BW book top tips on sleep.

Just a couple of questions...

My DD takes between 90 and 150 mls every 3-4 hours.  With regards to the cluster feeds and the dream feed mentioned in the book. Do I make up the full 150mls every time and let her take as much as she wants or do I do a smaller feed each time just to top her up??

Also, DD has reflux (milk thickened with carobel) and at times is very unsettled so it takes ages and ages to get het to settle to sleep... This I anticipate would put the routine out of time a bit.... Would it still work if I stuck to the timings as much as possible or would the have to be bang on??

Thanks

Cheryl

[Lolly]

How old is your DD? The cluster feeds are usually combined into 1 feed  by 8 weeks so if your LO is older than that don't worry about clusters focus on getting the eat/activity/sleep pattern and a good bedtime routine.

Having a refluxer does make things a little more tricky - both mine were/are refluxers and you do have to be led by them to a certain extent. Mine were never any good at the dreamfeed, it could be a reflux thing or just personality so we dropped it and just let them wake when they were hungry. You will find you can't do exact timings, but EASY isn't about precise times, it's about following your baby's cues in a predictable pattern so it will work.

Is she on meds as well? If not and she is very unsettled at times it could be that thickening alone isn't enough for her.

Laura

[Chez2k]

Thanks for reply.
Sorry should of posted that.... She is 5 weeks. (6 weeks on Wednesday).

She was on gaviscon but it stopped working. So just on the thickener at the mo which has stopped the vomiting. I had wondered if the tckener wasn't enough and so may go back to the docs if she continues to be unsettled.

Is it right that I need to wake her up every 3 hours to feed? She sometimes goes over due to the not being able to her to settle. it works out that she gets about an hours sleep and then I would be waking her up again... Then she is overtired and it turns into more of a battle!!

[Lolly]

If she has taken a long time to settle you can leave her sleep a bit longer - a restorative nap is 2 sleep cycles which is about 1.5 hours, but don't leave her too much longer or she will miss feeds. If she is taking a long time to settle you could be missing her sleep window too, don't forget that A time is awake time - eyes open to eyes shut time so for a newborn she needs to be asleep an hour max after she woke really.

Don't worry about getting a perfect day, I would aim to start getting a good first cycle and naps in her cot as much as possible during the day. Have you found the links to help you start? They are in the FAQ sections of each board, if you can't find them I can post them for you!

Laura

[Chez2k]

Ok. Thanks for the reply. That helps. I will have a look at the FAQ sections. Thanks Laura.

[Lolly]

No probs

Any more questions please come back!

Laura