Dream feeding

[Harrysmum2015]

Hi everyone

I'm not sure if this query should go onto the sleeping or feeding board…

I have a 6 week old son and we have just started to try and dream feed him at around 10.30pm after putting him down to sleep at around 7.30pm. The problem is that he doesn't really drink anything and if he does start sucking then he spits it out. Also, I'm worried I'm disturbing his deep sleep as he usually does a 4 or 5 hour stretch first thing at night - if I interrupt this have other users found this long stretch then automatically goes into later in the night? At the moment he goes down at around 7.30/8pm and then we let him wake up naturally which is around 1pm for a full feed (4 or 5 oz) but then he will only do three or two hour blocks after that waking at around 3.30am and again at 5am. We were hoping the dream feed might knock one of these feeds out but this doesn't seem to be happening mainly because he's not taking the dream feed.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Lolly]

Hi and welcome!

I have a 6 week old son and we have just started to try and dream feed him at around 10.30pm after putting him down to sleep at around 7.30pm. The problem is that he doesn't really drink anything and if he does start sucking then he spits it out. .

You could try it 15/20 minutes earlier or later to see if he takes it better in a different part of his sleep cycle. How long have you been trying it for? I would carry on trying for a week or so and if there's no improvement leave it for a few weeks and try again when he's a bit bigger. Some babies just don't take to the DF, neither of mine ever did so we just fed when they woke.

At the moment he goes down at around 7.30/8pm and then we let him wake up naturally which is around 1pm for a full feed (4 or 5 oz) but then he will only do three or two hour blocks after that waking at around 3.30am and again at 5am. We were hoping the dream feed might knock one of these feeds out but this doesn't seem to be happening mainly because he's not taking the dream feed.

He's doing really well! Sleeping that long stretch then waking at shorter intervals is very normal at this age - frustrating when their long stretch isn't when you need it I know! The DF may not actually help this yet as he is so tiny, and it's early yet to be dropping one of those feeds, even with a DF. If I remember rightly my DD woke around 11pm/midnight and then again 3/4am ish until about 4 months then the first feed started creeping to 1/2am which pushed the next feed to a wake up time - often a bit earlier than I would have liked though. We weaned her off the one nightfeed when she was about 8 months.

What do you think?

Laura

[Harrysmum2015]

Thank you so much. It's great to know he's on track and doing ok as he's my first I have no idea what is good for his age or not. I will keep trying the dream feed and then, like you say, if it doesn't work then try again when he is a little older. I think he might be going through a 6 week growth spurt at the moment as he is hungrier and fussier than normal.

[Lolly]

Got to love a growth spurt

Let us know how you get on!

Laura