Is the dreamfeed working?

[RothE]

Hi all!

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.  I have a 14 week old, EBF DS who is still not doing much of long stretch in the night.  For a few weeks (like 2) he was sleeping 7:30-2:30. He then started waking at 12 so I started a dreamfeed at 10:30. The first night he did 10:30-3:30, but ever since has been waking at 2:30 and then again at 5:30. This mean his longest stretch is 4 hours.  I guess my question is whether this is normal and he's just young (and relatively small, only 13lbs) or is the dreamfeed preventing a longer stretch? Last night, I also tried no dreamfeed and he slept 7-12, but then was up at 2 for a paci replug and at 4 to feed again. With a dreamfeed, he's never up for a paci replug, but he sleeps for shorter stretches.

Here's our EASY yesterday (he's stretching out to 3.5 hr feeds) - every day is different whether he'll go 3.5 or 3 hours between feeds, but he's mostly doing 3.5 hrs so i'll give yesterday as an example:

NF: 5:15
Activity/Wakeup: 7:30
E: 8 (wouldn't eat immediately upon waking)
A:  7:30-9
S: 9-11:30
E: 11:30
A: 11:30-1
S: 1-3:30 (with about 20 minutes of shh/pat and paci replug at the 45 minute mark)
E: 3:30
A: 3:30-5
S: 5-5:30 (could not resettle nap)
A: 5:30-6
E: 6
Tried for catnap slept maybe 10 minutes
E: 7
S: 7-12 (no dreamfeed night)
NF: 12
Paci replug 2
NF: 4
Wake 6:45

I guess I don't even know whether this is an EASY problem, a prop problem (although I don't think so) or not enough feeds in the day. I do think he should have a longer stretch in the night...is that wrong?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!!!

[Bex09]

Hi there, I do think that it is certainly not uncommon for a 14 wk old EBF baby to still be waking 4 hourly for a feed in the night. So if you were to stick with the DF at around 10.30/11.00pm, he shouldn't need to feed again before 2.30/3.00am and then in the morning around 6.30/7.00am.

I do wonder with the 45 min nap that you had to extend and the transition towards a 4 hr EASY if your DS is ready for maybe 10 or 15 mins more A time though. Does he often do 45 min naps and does he still fall asleep for naps easily or not?

[babymunkey]

Hi RothE!!

I had the same question for the same problem..... our days are pretty identical, and nights (with a DF) too. Although we've recently used formula for the DF (doesnt seem to make any difference btw, but not why we did it, shes reflux so we hoped it might be thicker and help her) We've had an NW between 1.30 and 2 the last few nights and I was wondering if the DF was doing more harm and disturbing her sleep. If we treat it as a NW she will go back til between 4 and 5....

Its hard when you hear other babies sleeping through though 

[RothE]

Thanks for the reply Bex and hi H!

Bex - It is reassuring to hear that its not uncommon to have 4 hourly feeds at this age. I know I shouldn't compare, but by 14 weeks, DD was going from the DF at 11 through til 5 or 7.  I usually give a paci if its been less than 4 hours and don't feed unless he spits it out a few times in a row.  Like last night, DF at 10:30, BF very poorly only one side and then woke a 12 (paci replug) and at 2:30 and had GIANT feed. Up again at 6:30 for feed. So not a bad night actually, except for the so so DF and 12 p.m. paci replug.  I'm considering pumping and giving DF like that...but afraid he still won't take much and then i've pumped out all my milk for the next NW!!

As for the transition to 4 hour EASY, I agree he has short A times. He gets SOO cranky and goes down for naps so easily that I'm not sure he's ready for the increase. I will give it a try. Do you think going for 1hr 40/1hr 45 would help a bit??

H - Thanks for commiserating! It's nice to know I'm not alone up in the middle of the night!

[Bex09]

It sounds like you are doing exactly the right thing with the NFs hun. If DS is taking a giant feed then he is obviously still needing that feed for sure. So for now I would still go with it in the hope that, as he gets older, he will start to go longer between feeds. Also there is a big growth spurt around the 4 mo mark too, so he will no doubt demand more feeds at this time.

As for the A times, they are not short for his age hun, so don't worry about that. It is just that 45 min naps and NW can be a sign that LO needs to increase A times. If you are not having a lot of trouble with the 45 min naps though then the odd one could just be a developmental thing. You know your LO best so if you think his A times are ok as they are and he seems fine with them stick with it. If you think that he could cope with another 10 mins then that can sometimes make a difference, but you could keep the last 10 mins very calm and quiet to extend.

[RothE]

Thanks so much! The last week has been horrible with NW almost every hour although I'm only feeding after 4 hours.  I dropped the dreamfeed which has helped a little.  I think maybe I have a prop issue or an A time issue or just some developmental leaps - or all 3!

Hourly NW are brutal!!

[Bex09]

Oh no, hourly NW are brutal indeed! Have you tried increasing DS's A times by just 5 or 10 minutes or did you decide to stick as you are? What do you think the prop issue might be?