how to drop dream feed

[mommytogabriel]

hi everyone:)

My little prince is 9 months old and wakes like clock work at 1045pm for his dreamfeed, and experienced mommy's can tell me the trick to drop the dreamfeed? I have no idea what to do.
Currently his schedule is (if needed?)
wake-7am-1020am-- here he has some solids---maybe 5 tablespoons and 7 oz
sleep- 1020am-12pm
wake-12-3ishpm--here he has yogurt (150ml) ans 7oz
sleep-3ish-430pm
wake-430pm-745pm- here he has dinner--maybe 8 tablespoons and 8 oz 

any advice is always so appreciated!!!

[Buttonbobs]

Hi there, is he having milk during the day too? Are you bf/ff?

[mommytogabriel]

sorry for the late reply. Me and my family went away for a few days. Yes he has milk during the day, roughly 24oz and 2 good servings of solids.

[lauradj]

Do you think he might be ready for a third meal of solids?  The milk amount looks good.  I ended up weaning DS off the DF at 7 months but I was having to do a BF/FF combination so I just upped the oz in his formula feed and he never even noticed  .  As my DH predicated, it was harder for me than it was for him.
I know Tracy suggests that you add an ounce of food for every ounce of milk your baby would take at the DF and this should naturally help them make it through without a DF.  If you find that adding a third meal is not sufficient to help him through, the DF might be becoming a prop and so you'll need to deal with that accordingly.  I'd start with adding a third meal in, and see how he does.

[Buttonbobs]

You might wish to add another solids meal as pp suggested.

In terms of actually dropped the DF - has he always woken for it or in the past was it given with him asleep?

If he used to take it sleeping then you could wean it by bringing it earlier in the evening (say half an hour earlier every three days). You can also reduce the ozs offered at each feed too at the same time (say reduce by 1 oz every three days as you bring the feed earlier). This is how I did it and then when the feed got too close to BT I just dropped it.

If he is taking the DF awake and always has, you can do it earlier but you will then need to use a chosen sleep training method for any NWs - say PU/PD, suitably adapted for his age.

What do you think?

[mommytogabriel]

Most of the time he is awake when i feed him, since he naturally wakes for his milk between 1030-11pm and takes average of 3 oz. So, would i every 3 days give him a feed 30 min earlier?
day 3-1030
day 6-10
day 9-930 and so on until it goes to bedtime which is 730? Do i decrease the amount of ozs given? I should note he is very difficult to feed, gets distracted quickly or just whines and screams...

[Buttonbobs]

To be honest if he is taking as little as 3oz already you could try dropping it cold turkey - perhaps he is not that hungry?

But yes, do also drop the ounces you offer if you go to wean it slowly.

should note he is very difficult to feed, gets distracted quickly or just whines and screams...

Is this just for the DF, or alway milk feeds?

[mommytogabriel]

actually dreamfeed is easy.... NOT the other feeds lol.
What do i do when he wakes up?

[lauradj]

When he wakes, you can do PU/PD.  You may need to tag team it with DH/DP, trading off every two days or so, if you LO has a hard time with it.  Tracy explains PU/PD in great detail in BWSAYP, Chapter 6.  Do make sure that you're up the solids during the day though, that's important.  You want to ensure he's still getting the calories he needs, just not at 10:30pm!
Have you been trying finger foods?  How much independent feeding does he do? If this is also a struggle for you, the Eating-Feeding Solid Foods forum is great!

[mommytogabriel]

yes i'm desperately trying finger foods, but his gag reflex is insane. He even gags on the puff treats.. anything once he realizes it hits his throat. Its so unfortunate because he grabs for every food i eat, but even a tiny piece and he throws up.. thus, i have to puree everything even though he has 6 teeth.

Any other option to pupd?

[3littlemen]

We had bad gag reflex after surgery, had trouble with everything.... I found pea and ham soup with loads of soup mix in, the next day even though it was lumpy (from the soup mix) he had little trouble dealing with the lumps and also fresh pear - pretty soft but he was able to mush the lumps are all the same.

just an idea....

[lauradj]

PU/PD is what Tracy recommends.  I personally prefer to just hold my LO and do a gentle side to side rock while shhhh-ing until he calms and then I put him down.  You have to be willing to give them a bit of time to settle (20 mins).  We don't have night time issues but sometimes he'll wake early from a nap (recently, as he now rolls over but can't/won't roll back  ), that's what I do when it's needed.
Keep in mind that PU/PD is, in no way shape or form, CIO.  When your baby cries you go to them and comfort them, when they calm, you give them the opportunity to settle themselves back to sleep.  If you've never tried PU/PD I'd give it a serious, committed go for a week.  If you really don't like it, find a substitute that doesn't involve rocking/swinging/bouncing your child to sleep and commit to that.