Author Topic: Dream feed - new to it  (Read 1341 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline nikipowerssa

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 28
  • Location: nottingham
Dream feed - new to it
« on: September 09, 2005, 19:31:36 pm »
I have a 7week old daughter who is a light sleeper.  Her 'usual' routine is to be bathed and bed by around 7pm.  She goes to sleep without a hitch until around 11pm (I have had 6hrs on two occasions before but usually 4 or 41/2 hrs is the amount).  She then feeds generally 3hrs, 2hrs and is very fussy in the morning.  I am going to begin the dream feed tonight at 10pm to see if this helps hewr to extend her sleep.  I assume I just pick her up, feed and put back straight away.  Can anyone confirm this please?
mum to izzy - currently 5weeks old

stasztk

  • Guest
Dream feed - new to it
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2005, 19:36:09 pm »
Yes. Make sure you don't wake her. What I mean is she should be only awake enough to eat. Don't talk to her or play with her. Just quietly feed her. No lights no commotion of any kind.
I think a df (dream feed) is a good idea. Good luck.

Offline nikipowerssa

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 28
  • Location: nottingham
Dream feed - new to it
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2005, 20:29:19 pm »
Many thanks for your tip.
mum to izzy - currently 5weeks old

Offline Mariek

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 225
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 6686
  • If the Beatles had read Hunter
  • Location: St Helens, UK
    • My Blog: Protect The Cookie!
Dream feed - new to it
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2005, 20:50:23 pm »
Hi

Yes, the idea of a dreamfeed is not to wake her. The theory behind this is that sucking as actually a reflex for babies so they will do it automatically when the bottle/breast is placed in their mouth.

Is your lo bottle or breast fed? If she's bottle fed then to get her to take the bottle while she's asleep try rubbing the teat over her bottom lips then popping the bottle in when she opens her mouth. If that doesn't work you can try stroking the cheek nearest to you which should cause the "rooting" reflex so she'll open her mouth. It's a little more difficult with breast feeding but the same principle applies to get them to latch on.

If she stops feeding once the bottle is on or she's latched then try twisting the bottle round or stroking the palm of her hand.

Once the feed is finished you can probably put her down without winding (they tend to take in much less air when DFing because they're more relaxed) unless she's a particularly windy baby, then it's probably best to wind her over your shoulder with gentle rubbing rather than patting.

HTH. Let us know how you get on.

love
Marie



Offline nikipowerssa

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 28
  • Location: nottingham
Dream feed - new to it
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2005, 21:40:40 pm »
Many thanks for the advice.  I have had a breakthrough on a different issue that has connections to this.  The only query I have now is what happens when they won't take it?  It has happened only twice so far.  The 1st time I left it and she woke half an hour later!  The second I went in 1/2 hr later to pre-empt the wake and she took it ok but was surfacing.
mum to izzy - currently 5weeks old