Dropping Dream Feed

[daveandstine]

My lo is 6 1/2 months and I'm wondering about dropping the df.  He eats 3 solid meals a day, plus 5 bf.  It seemed like he wasn't eating much at the df, so we dropped it last night and he slept through, but then tonight he woke up at 2 am and was hungry. Could his need to df vary by day, or is he just not ready?  I'd be happy to drop this feeding, but not if it means sometimes feeding in the middle of the night! Any suggestions?

[cazao]

yes i think his need could vary day by day. Tracey recommends dropping the dreamfeed gradually...cut down an ounce (or a little bit of time if you`re bf) every 3 days, and bring forward the time by 15 minutes every few days. that way they get used to eating so little, so early, that it really doesn`t make much difference to them when you cut out the df entirely. if your lo starts waking , then go a bit slower with reducing. we did it that way and it took a few weeks, but we dropped the feed with no effect on her sleep....hope this helps...

[Kinlagh's Folks]

So happy to see this post today.  We're dropping the dreamfeed TONIGHT!!!  Have been preparing for this night for weeks by reducing the ounces (we were down to 2.5oz) and changing the times.  Keep your fingers crossed for us.  I'll let you know how it goes!

[cazao]

good luck Michelle!!  :lol:

[annb]

good luck with the DF....i have been so worried to drop it in case DS woke up at night....but we dropped it on Thursday night after getting him to 10pm and 100ml (not sure how many ounces that is) and guess what for the last 2 nights hes not woken up at all till 7am so he obviously didnt really need the DF, he is on 2 bottle feeds and 2 breastfeeds and 3 solid meals a day

[Kinlagh's Folks]

So far so good.  2 nights with no waking!  Even though the DF only took 15 minutes or so, it's so nice to be done with it.  Another sort of milestone for the lo.  Yay!

[CarolinaGirl]

DS will be 4 months tomorrow, EBF. I dropped his DF several weeks ago cold turkey because I didn't think he was getting much milk that time of night anyway. He slept right through and has only awakened twice in the night since then and we were on vacation (strange place) so it worked fine. He usually sleeps 9-6, nurses and back to sleep for 2-3 more hours!! 

I definitely think it helped when he was younger though b/c their bellies can only hold so much!! I highly recommend it for younger babies who aren't sleeping through. Good luck to you!

Heather
Mommy to Logan (10 yrs) and Luke (4 months tomorrow)

[Kinlagh's Folks]

So far so good.  No night wakings since dropping the dreamfeed.  However, she is waking earlier in the morning.  Is this normal?  Will she go back to her original wake time once she's adjusted?

Used to wake 7:30-7:50, and is now 6:00-6:30.

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

Hi Michelle,
Is she looking for food when she wakes? or have you given her time to settle herself back to sleep? She might suprise you if she is not looking for food, make sure the room is not too bright.
Fiona

[Kinlagh's Folks]

Fiona, no she is not desperate for food which tells me it's not due to the dreamfeed being dropped.  This am she stayed in bed til about 6:50 (after waking at about 5:55) so I did give her time to sleep.  She seemed to sleep off an on, but nothing too deep.  Perhaps she's waking earlier cause of her teething?  Her room is dark and shouldn't be the issue.

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

Then I think she will readjust to the later wakeup time, dd often did this was awake on and off for an hour before her usual wake up time and if she wasn't crying I would just leave her, it gives her the chance to learn how to stay happily in her cot and also to learn how to drop back to sleep on her own. She rarely does it now but if she does I still leave here there while she is happy. By the way I also put a small rag doll in her cot when we dropped the soother and she used to play with it for a bit , sing and then go back to sleep, and I lay in bed listening to her which was soo cute.
Fiona