Too early for dream feed?

[JoannaB]

Just wondering about introducing a dream feed...

My DS is almost 5 weeks old and am wondering if it's too early to try to dream feed him?  We did this with DD1 but cant remember when it started!
He is a very windy baby and when he wakes for a night feed by the time the bottle is warmed up, he is screaming and then gulps it down leading to more wind and more screaming.  I thought the DF may help with this, but my concern would be that at 5 weeks old he's too little and it may just end up being an extra feed but not cutting out any night feeds?

7.30am  4oz
short naps
10.30am  4oz
long nap
2.30pm  4oz
v short nap and v fussy but managed til 6pm thanks to the tummy tub and bouncy chair!
6.00pm 4oz
Bed time

Night feeds are usually around midnight/1am then 4am approx, however if he's had a rough time between 4 and 7pm and hasnt slept at all then he can go from around 7pm til 3am with no feed!   

Any thoughts are appreciated!

[ChicStylishMom]

I don't thu j it's early to df. I also introduced df when my son was 4/6 wks and he's been sttn since 7 wks I also cluster fed at 6 then 8 then the 10 pm df

[*Kara*]

HI Joanna

I agree with previous poster that you don't know until you give it a try

That said, how long is your LO awake between naps?  From your above example, I suspect it is far too long for LO's age.  At 5 weeks, most bubs are only awake 1 hr 15 mins before needing a nap.

[SarziHogg]

Hey, just wondering what brand/type of bottle you are using.. there might be a better suited one to help with his gassiness..... and i usually do a dream feed from around 2 weeks onwards... so starting now would be helpful

[Lolly]

I agree with the others! Dr Brown's bottles are really good at reducing air intake. It may be worth looking at what flow teat you are using, sometimes babies take in more air because the teat is too slow and they have to suck too hard to get their milk, sometimes it's because it's too fast! If your bottles do a vari-flow teat that is suitable from birth that may help as they control the flow thwmselves by how hard they suck. If you have Avent bottles don't try their vari-flow because it will be way too fast!

At this age I wouldn't expect the DF to stop the NF, not many babies sleep through with it for a while yet. My two were not good at the DF so we just waited for them to wake and they woke naturally for a bottle around midnight and then 3/4am for a good while. The DF should give you a stretch from bedtime until 2/3/4 am so you are only waking up to feed once (I went to bed early because we were waking twice with no DF ).

What do you think?

Laura

[JoannaB]

Thanks everyone for the replies!  Sorry, have only just logged on again!

We went ahead and started the DF, so now he's fed at 10-10.30pm and then normally wakes himself again at 2-3am so only doing one night feed which is great.
Sometimes he is so hungry at 5pm so needs fed bfore his bath and sometimes instead wants more than his 6oz at bedtime so we have to give him 8oz, which then plays a bit of havoc with the dream feed but otherwise, it's working great so far. 
With regards to his wind, we have just changed him onto the MAM anti-colic bottles and so far the last 24hrs have been much better.  We might just be having a few good days, but fingers crossed he remains the same calm baby we have seen today!