Author Topic: Too late to initiate a dreamfeed?  (Read 2659 times)

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Offline Helentracey

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Too late to initiate a dreamfeed?
« on: February 06, 2018, 08:23:40 am »
My LO is 4 months this coming weekend and has had a lot of change re feeding etc due to being hospitalised as a result of a cows milk protein allergy. I continued to EBF until a few weeks ago when I went to th3 children’s hospital and was advised to try a 2 week hydrolysed formula trial. Long story short but after a few days of bottle refusal my LO is now taking 25-30oz/day. He consistently wakes at 1.45/2 so I thought it might be worth trying a dream feed. The first night he took 3oz at 11 then slep through until 7, however the three nights since then he’s taken v little (0-3oz) if anything at all as usually my husband can’t wake him and he won’t take milk, and he’s still waking at the same time in the night. My questions are is he too old to establish s dreamfeed and if not I guess it can take a few weeks to make any difference? All advice welcome!

Offline Lolly

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Re: Too late to initiate a dreamfeed?
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2018, 12:11:11 pm »
It can take a few weeks to establish a DF, I would try it a bit earlier than 11pm and see if catching him in a different part of the sleep cycle helps. He may still wake for 1 nightfeed for a while yet plus 4 months is big growth spurt time so he will be looking for more calories.

He's not too old, but give it a couple of weeks and if he's not taking it or it's making no difference I would stop trying. Some babies just don't take to it whatever age, neither of mine would take a dream feed so we just fed when they woke and got back to sleep as soon as possible.

HTH!

Laura


Offline Helentracey

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Re: Too late to initiate a dreamfeed?
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2018, 13:19:33 pm »
Thanks that makes sense. We tried 10.45 last night and e took 3oz so perhaps if we go earlier still, say 10.30,  it might help? Yes my other son never took a dream feed but he slept through very early on so we were v lucky! Does persisting for say a two week period sound reasonable?

Offline Lolly

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Re: Too late to initiate a dreamfeed?
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2018, 15:06:51 pm »
Yes, 2 weeks sounds reasonable. You should know by then if it's worth carrying on or not.

Good luck! ;D

Laura


Offline Helentracey

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Re: Too late to initiate a dreamfeed?
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2018, 09:37:05 am »
So we’ve made some progress as my LO is now waking at 3.30/4 for a feed after a d feed at 10.30.is this reasonable progress? I’m going to keep going for a few more days then review I think. The other issue is that my LO is taking 4oz ormsomat 3.30/4 and has no interest at all in his morning feed. His next feed is 11/11.30.would this suggest I need to begin to reduce the volume of night feed?