Dream Feed

[mumofalice]

Not sure if I'm posting in the right place really - but wasn't sure exactly where to go!

My DD (soon to be 8 months) is exclusively BF - inc. a DF of EBM. She's not a particularly big baby 15lbs 4.5oz last week - but has been gaining weight steadily so I've got nothing to be concerned about really . . . however, am sure most of you would agree, that being a Mum means you have to have something to worry about LOL!

My DD has always been a fantastic night sleeper (pretty much going thru the night since 6 wks - I know how lucky I am!!) - and we found BW when she was around 10 wks old. Hard to remember exactly what happened before then but I think she used to have a late-ish feed (somewhere between 8.30 and 10pm) and then sleep til the morning. When we started following the EASY routine we introduced the DF - a bottle of EBM so that she would get used to a bottle (should we ever need it) and so that DH could feed her.

In the BW books it suggests that you should start to wean your LO off the DF (which has been in the back of my mind) but am just wondering if it's the right thing to do at the moment. We started introducing solids at 6 months - we're doing BLW so it's a slow process . . . but as I keep telling myself 'until one food is just for fun' - so once again I shouldn't be worrying!! My theory was that I could start to wean DD off the DF once I knew she was getting enough calories during the day (maybe by taking in more solids). The thing is my LO seems to have 2 BIG feeds a day - first one of the day and the DF (she drains between 7 and 9oz of EBM from the bottle - does that seem like a lot?) I know it's hard to tell how much milk a BF baby is taking in (apart from EBM) but she spends much more time on the breast first thing and as I'm fuller in the morning iykwim - am sure that's her main feed. She has 5 feeds a day plus the DF - so 6 in total. She usually feeds around 7, 11, 2.30, 5.30 and 6.30 with the DF between 10 and 10.30pm.

Hope this makes sense - feel like I'm waffling . . . any thoughts / suggestions would be much appreciated.

Berni
 

[mumofalice]

Forgot to say earlier (mum brain!) . . . another reason I'm a bit reluctant to drop the DF at the moment (as well as calorie intake) is that I don't want to upset night time sleep - not sure if that's being selfish tho. DD hasn't woke up before her DF for quite some time - she tends to wake up when we go in to do the DF, but we put her straight back down once she's had the bottle (unless she NEEDS a nappy change) and she's usually back to sleep within 10 mins - sometimes she goes straight off and sometimes she has a little 'chat' to herself.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hi, i just wanted to mark this page as my ds is much like yours. Hes only 6 months but it would be great to know what to do when Zane gets to that age (i also worry about calories).

Kate x

[fifibobandmore]

Hi Berni. My Edward is almost 10 months old and I still give him a DF. I think that as long as you are happy giving a DF then why take it away especially with your LO not waking in the night. I you take the DF away then LO might start to wake in the night again on the bad side. Anyway I always say mum knows best so do you think is best for your LO as only you now her and know what is the right thing for her but like I said ubove as long as you are happy continuing with the DF then continue for a bit longer as calories are important

[mumofalice]

thanks for the responses

Kate - it's sometimes nice to know that there is another LO out there who is a bit like your own iykwim?

fifiboboandmore - am more than happy to continue doing the DF with her at the moment (DH does it more often than not - unless he's on a night shift). Guess I just wanted some reassurance and it's nice to hear that there is someone still giving a DF to a LO who is even older than mine! I think she needs those extra few calories at the moment and I don't want to start with NWs when we haven't had them in a long time - I suppose it's a case of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' - which is kind of what I thought . . . it's just in the back of my mind that BW suggests dropping it around 7 months. I remember reading a post a few weeks ago which said that if your LO was still emptying the bottle (which DD is) they probably needed the food - so I guess until she starts taking less at the DF I'll just stick with it.

Berni x

[fifibobandmore]

Berni so glad to hear that you are happy to continue with the DF especialy with it soiunding like your LO still needs it. I have tried to take my LO off his DF as he turns 1 in 10 weeks (I can not believe a year has almost passed) but I have put him back on to his DF as he is hard to settle at night and he has gone back to waking loads in the night and the only way to settle him back to sleep is by giving him a bf which I don't want to go back to doing as I have just got him into a new bf routine which is working more for me and giving me more time for my older 2 and some personally time for myself and for my DH. Keep going for as long as you feel your LO needs her DF she will tell you when she is ready to give up the DF like I think (if  understand the last sentence you wrote) you are planning on doing

[camys mum]

Hello Ladies,

I just wanted to add that my LO is 8 months and I started to wean him off the DF at 7/7.5 months.
I did this by subtracting 15 minutes per day for a month or so. By this, I mean we started the DF at 11pm and ended up doing the DF at 9pm. Once we hit 9pm I stopped the DF and he went through the night! YAY!
BUT what I found was that he was getting constipated a lot easier. So, instead of giving 4 feeds during the day and a DF later, I added that DF into the day, so we had had 5 feeds per day, to make sure he was getting enough liquid/calories.  What i'm getting at is, if your LO is needing the calories or liquid, it may be a good idea to continue one way or another until they indicate otherwise? I hope that makes sense?
 

[mumofalice]

What a lovely surprise to see some more replies.

Have also just read a similar post about dropping the DF at 7 months which you both replied to which was really helpful to.

Fifiboboandmore - was always happy to continue with the DF as I think my LO needs the calories (as she takes in nearly twice as much as she used to!) and I don't want to mess up what I think is a good sleep pattern. It was just in the back of my mind that DD is 8 months and I remember reading in the BW book that you could drop it around 7 months. I've copied and pasted the questions you wrote in the other post and put them in below - along with my answers . . .

1) Does my LO sleep through the night? YES
2) Is my LO taking enough solids during the day? NO
3) Does my LO need the extra calories from the DF? YES (or at least I think so!)
and finally
4) Am I doing this for myslef or my LO? Neither - was just thinking it might be time iykwim!

My DH does the DF most nights (unless he is on a nightshift) and when he works a 12hr day the DF is the only time he sees DD - so we'll keep going for now.

Camysmum - our DF is usually at 10pm (again that's because DH gives it most nights and when he's on a 12hr day he tends to be in bed by 10.30 himself - so we've usually given it at 10pm so he can do it). I know most people do it later . . . so I do wonder how it will work when we start to take off 15 mins per day as we'll be at 9pm so much quicker. Part of me is tempted to just go cold turkey when we do decide to drop it - but as my LO is such a good night sleeper (I know I'm blessed!) I really don't want to upset that pattern.

Thanks for the support ladies - looks like we'll be continuing with the DF for now, but I'm happy with that  - as usual I just wanted a bit of reassurance!

Berni x

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hi Berni, Seems like you have made your dessision, which i think is best for you now. But when you do decide to drop it, just do it slowly by 15mins every 3 days and then when you get to 9pm reduce by a min every couple of days. To just go 'cold turkey' could be a bit sudden and then you have the added worry of the 'calories' again.

Best of luck

Kate x

[mumofalice]

Hi Kate

I do think it's the right decision for us now. When I do decide it's time to drop the DF (which I think I'll miss in a strange way) I will take your advice - I did think cold turkey was probably a bit harsh - but I do always wonder if DD would sleep thru without the DF as she hasn't woken for food in such a long time iykwim.

Thanks for your advice and support

Berni x

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

I think you worked it out for yourself, i was just here to mull it over with you. I think when you talk to other people and get there opinions, you can judge for yourself the right and wrong things that would be good for our own lo's needs.

So as for support goes im always here but advice well i only say of my own experiences and those of other people that i have learned from these boards. Thanks anyway but your a great mum for getting to 7mths +

Kate x

[mumofalice]

What a lovely response - have to admit I am quite proud of myself for getting this far with BF - it was tough to start off with but we got there in the end 

I must admit I think you're right about working out what is best for your own LO - it's just great to be able to pop on here and talk to other people and get advice and opinions - it's certainly helped me a lot, as sometimes I think I just need some reassurance that I am doing the right thing as it were.

No doubt I will be back on here at some point taking you up on that offer of always being there for support. 

Berni x

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]