Cluster feeding and stopping dreamfeed

[Dela]

Hi guys,

My ds is nearly 8mths and is what I would describe as being firmly established on solids. He has been on EASY since 10wks and it works really well for us. I havent cluster fed since he was really tiny and he has been a 7-7 sleeper for ages.
He was really ill over christmas and things went a bit off track with visits to hosp etc but is definitely over all of that now but his sleep is all messed up.
I think its time to stop the dreamfeed but I'm not sure how as we do mixed feeding (a long story!)

Here's his sample schedule from the past couple of days (he used to wake at 7am but not now!)

6am bf
8am cereal & fruit
9am sleep (1-1.5hrs)
11am 6oz bottle (at mil's)
12.30 lunch & fruit or yoghurt
1pm sleep (2hrs)
3pm 6oz bottle
4.30pm dinner
6pm bf
6.30 bath and wind down routine
7pm bed
.
.
.
7.45 awake crying
8pm sleeping
.
.
3am awake crying
4am sleeping
.
.
6am bf and restarting cycle.


I have recently started work again, developmental issues and illness are all factors I have considered but there are so many and I'm so tired and frustrated that I would appreciate the help of someone else!!


Cordelia & Logan (a cloth bottomed boy)

[GraceKellysmom]

Cloth bottomed babies make me happy. 

So when is this dreamfeed you're hinting at, and what do you do when he wakes at 7:45 and 3?

[Dela]

We're having a bit more success now as I have started giving him a 4oz bottle at 10pm. This is seeing him through until 5am on the dot and I know I am reinforcing this habitual wake up by bfing at that point but as we have to get up and out to work i've fallen into it as it is one less thing to do when trying to get everyone ready in the morning.
I am going to try bringing that bottle down by an ounce over the next three days (have added an ounce to one of his day bottles) and feeding at 9.45 - does this sound about right?

When he wakes I'll listen for a minute to see if he'll settle himself and if he doesn't I go in, speak to him and put my hand on him saying sshh. If he still doesn't settle I'll lift him onto my shoulder and pat his back (sometimes this works and sometimes sends him into a real screaming cry) he usually settles again at that point. He hasn't been waking through the night since I started the dreamfeed again. (stopping cold turkey as suggested by others was a Big mistake)

Trouble is I've got him used to getting the 5am feed and when I've tried to stop it we've been up with him crying on and off until 6 or 7am. But, i'm trying to tackle one problem at a time!

[momtoelise]

I eliminated the df very slowly - by moving the time up in 15 minute intervals.  When it got to 8:30, I did it for a couple nights & then dropped it completely.  So far my dd is doing well with this & hasn't woken up for it (it's been a little over a week now). 

Good luck!

[JacobMarksMummy]

I went cold turkey with the dream feed, I gave DS some water instead and after a little bit of a grizzle he went back off to sleep. This happened only for two nights. It depends on how brutal you are prepared to be and how ready you are to drop the DF I was deffo ready, DS didnt need the DF for nutrition anymore and he had started to wake up properly and want to play after. Not good! But if he hadnt been so easy about dropping it I would have done as heather advises. HTH

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