Dropping a dreamfeed cold turkey?

[IndigoJaguar]

Has anyone ever dropped the dreamfeed cold turkey? My almost seven month old still takes a dream feed of 8 ounces, but she doesn't eat very well during the day. She is breastfed every four hours during the day, then after her 5 pm feeding, she eats food at 6, and an 8 ounce bottle at 7, then off to bed. She also eats food 3 times a day. She has been having many early wakings. If I upped her daily food, could I just drop it cold turkey? Any experience? Oh...and her A times are 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours or so.

[amayzie]

Hi hon- We did a Bf dream feed and dropped it cold turkey and it was fine. I think it depends on your LO- my guy is textbook and so isn't phased very easily- but if your LO is a little more on the touchy or spirited side you might eed to take a more softly softly approach.

[katie80]

Could you not just drop an oz or two every couple days until it's totally gone?  I'm sure you could drop it cold turkey, but it seems like you could get it dropped pretty quickly just by gradually reducing it.  Then, you don't have to be worried she's hungry if she starts waking at some other point in the night.

[Shellha]

I have dropped it cold turkey with all 3 of mine, the first 2 at just 7months and this time round at 6.5mths as she wasn't that hungry in the morning.

[IndigoJaguar]

Thanks, all. I think I will try reducing the ounces and moving it back too for a few nights. I hope she will then take better day feeds. As is tho, she df's and then eats again at 5:30-6, which I think is a habit.

[katie80]

If you think the 5:30/6am feed is truly a habit, you can always try wake-to-sleep to get rid of it... How do I address habitual wakings?  (wake-to-sleep and other methods). Or, we'd be happy to take a look at your routine to see if there is a tweak to make. Does she usually go back to sleep after that feed, or is she then up for the day?

[IndigoJaguar]

She used to go right back to sleep after her 5:30/6 am feeding. Now she sometimes goes back to sleep, but sometimes lays there awake for an hour or so. She sleeps in the co-sleeper beside me, so I just put her paci in now and then when she fusses from laying there, and usually she will go back to sleep until seven or so. This morning she was awake an hour, I think. Not really sure as I was dozing in and out. LOL
Our days usually look about like this:
7:30 w/u
9:00 bf
9:30 cereal
10:15-12:45 nap
1:00 bf
2:00 eat
3:30-5 nap
5:00 bf
6:00 eat
7:20 8 oz bottle
7:45 in bed for the night
DF at 10:00 and early morning feeding at 5 or 6
Some days when we are out and about, our afternoon A time is longer, but most days this is what our schedule looks like.

[katie80]

Ok, it sounds like she's a bit UT at the early morning waking/feed and that would fit with your EASY (a bit too much daytime sleep, esp in the morning).  I'd start pushing your A times out to 3hr each and capping the morning nap to 2hr.  After a few days to a week, this should help her sleep through and if she's still waking for the feed, then you can try w2s to get rid of it.  What do you think?

[IndigoJaguar]

She is for sure doing well at 3 hours. I will try doing a shorter morning nap. I hadn't thought of that, but I think it will really help. Yesterday I had shorter naps for her and she slept until 6:30 this morning. I like that. If it doesn't work, I will def. try w2s.

[katie80]

Sounds good!