2 q's - Dreamfeed and Grunting/Straining in Sleep

[kermit_o]

Does anyone else's LO's only take a few mouthfuls at dreamfeed?  My DD is almost 9 weeks and seems to just have a few sips for a dreamfeed and was wondering whether it was worth persevering with. I am breastfeeding and have to change her or something to wake her enought to take any.

If I give it up do I just drop the feed altogether or move is closer and closer to last feed.  Currently I feed at 7.15pm and she is usually in bed by 8pm, then dreamfeed at 10.30, she then sleeps (mostly) til 4.30ish, then quick feed and sleeps til 7am.

I remember at some time that a dreamfeed used to just disturb my DS and make him wake again in the night, just can't remember what age.

Another thing, is it usual for her to grunt/strain/make funny (loud) noise most of the night?  She has reflux but seems to be managed with gaviscon through the day but the noise at night it is waking me hour upon hour.  I began by going to check what was wrong but most of the time she is still asleep.  Between 3am and 5am she will wake for food but makes similar noises.  Could it be gas, reflux or is it just normal?

Thanks
Katharine

[Lolly]

My two refluxers both went through a stage of grunting/groaning/straining in their sleep. DD also used to bang her legs down on the mattress - that was fun . DS "grew" out of it by about 14 weeks and DD after we started her on reflux treatment. I think for both of mine it was related to the reflux.

With the DF you could always not give it to her for a few nights and see if it makes any difference. Or you could try a slightly different time to see if she drinks better in a different part of her sleep cycle - so 15/30 mins earlier or later.

HTH!

Laura

[kermit_o]

Thanks - I am putting it down to reflux and hoping she will grow out of it (soon!)

I will try without for a few nights, and if that doesn't work try a bit after or before like you say.  Sometimes she takes hardly anything in the night so thought she was dropping it but last night she ate loads!  I must try stopping to second guess her!

Kath

[Yazzie]

We didn't do a DF till ds was about 4.5 months, that's when we discovered BW ..& I know not all mums do it, so you really need to find what works for you

You might want to post on the reflux board about the sounds.

[kermit_o]

Thanks Yazzie - I will try relfux board (if I can find it!)

Last night she was in bed by 8pm, I didn't wake her for DF and she woke at 3am had a longer night feed than usual but woke ravenous at 6 - screaming so much I couldn't change her nappy or make gaviscon for fear of her waking DS or OH (he has to go to work, don't you know, whereas I get to swan about the house all day... )

I decided however if she could go 7 hours then, if I can get her to take enough at DF, she might go thru the night so tonight I am going to try and wake her at 11pm (later than I used to), change nappy etc. and try and get her to take a big feed (not sure whether to give gaviscon so reflux doesn't wake her???) and see if she'll go to 6am.  I have no problem with being up at 6 so long as I haven't been up in the night, otherwise old method is better as although I am up in night, morning doesn't start til 7.)

So going from: 8pm bed, 10.30 DF, 4.45/5 ish night feed, 7am up
to trying:        8pm bed, 11pm DF (but with more waking and possibly gaviscon) and aiming for 6am up.

Guess if she continues to be too sleepy for DF then I'll have to try something else...

Wish me luck
Kath

[Yazzie]

Let's see how things go, so she doesn't feed @ all when asleep, even if you sort of tip the bottle by her lip, so that she just opens her mouth & start sucking? I'm just worried that she might get into the habit of waking up @ this time.

Here's the link for the reflux board:
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?board=13.0

I really wish I could help you more on the topic, but it might be worth checking the bottle feeding board about DFs, actually I think this link would be helpful:
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=72130.0

[kermit_o]

I am breastfeeding so it is impossible to get her to feed unless she wants to.  Managed to get her to take a good feet at 11 and she slept til 5.30, woke ravenous so fed well and gave gaviscon, then by 6.15 was back in bed.  Although she was grunting and groaning, by 6.45 I was WIDE awake so got her up and she took a little more, gave a huge trump and is now fast asleep again - so not too bad.

[kermit_o]

Meant to say - thanks for boards Yazzie!

Kath

[Yazzie]

I'm sure you'll find a thread about DF on the BF boards as well, in general, when ds was too fast asleep for the DF, I'd usually try again in 20~30 mins, so that I'd catch him @ a different point in his sleep cycle.

I'm going to move your post to the BF boards, since it's more related to eating than routine & there you'd get more eyes looking @ this:)..Have you checked out the reflux boards?

[kermit_o]

Thanks for moving this Yazzie - I have posted on reflux too and had a reply.

Katharine

[Khalam's Mama]

Are you cluster feeding in the evening? Tracy suggests that if she won't take both a DF and cluster feed to opt for the DF to get her thru the night. Doing it later around 11 always worked better with us.
Even though you BF have you thought about expressing and giving it in a bottle as sometimes they take that better? If you BF sometimes using a dummy to rub the lower lip can stimulate the sucking reflex then slip the nipple in instead.
Ideally you don't want to have to wake her to feed her else she might start waking for it and also it disturbs her sleep.
Is her matress elevated to help with the grunting if due to reflux?

[arbour01]

hi there

I couldn't ever get my DS to take a good dream feed from breast I needed to have him WAIDE awake..

- At about 3.5 weeks my DH started giving DF by bottle w EBM.. maybe something to try? It is easier to get the nipple in their mouth without really waking them.

good luck