too late to START df?

[micah'smom]

hi all,

i have a 5mo spirited baby. he was always a good nightsleeper.... until recently, if you've read my other posts, he's been waking b.c of rolling, teething, starting solids (wow i guess there's been a lot of changes for him!)

anyway.

is he too old to START df'ing? he's on 4hr easy, and used to only wake up at 4am with no dreamfeed. i'm wondering if he needs more calories though b.c he's more active and my milk supply seems much less. so if it's ok to start df'ing, do i df AND feed when he wakes at 4am? so basically 2 nightfeedings?

so confused. thanks!

[sara_derek]

It's worth a try!  Tracy recommends dropping it around 6 months I believe, but you could try it.  Are you sure he is hungry at that 4 AM feeding?  Have you tried eliminating it?  Just curious

Sara

[micah'smom]

hi sara,

cute pic!

i tried eliminating it - once he was ok, but the other times he fussed for a while and seemed like he was trying to go to sleep, but couldn't settle for over an hour. i gave up and bf'd and he gulped it down.

last night he woke up every hour until midnight. i don't know what's going on!!

[sara_derek]

Hi Selena,

Why don't you share your daily schedule with me so i can get a better picture of your day.  Why do you think your supply is low?  There are things you can do to increase it, if you are interested.  If you decide to do the df, then hopefully that would eliminate that 4am feeding.  At his age, he shouldn't be hungry after that until wake up time.  Looking forward to seeing your schedule!

sara

[micah'smom]

hi sara, here's our ideal schedule

6:30ish: wake and BF
7:30: cereal and fruit
8:30-9:00 nap (usually 1.5-2hrs)
11:00: bf
12:30-1:00 nap (anywhere from 45 min - 1.5hrs)
2:30-3:00: bf
4:30-5:00: catnap (45mins)
5:00: fruits and veggies (sometimes an extra bf if i feel supply is low)
6:00: bath and massage
6:45-7:00-last bf and bed by 7:30
anywhere from 2-4am: nightfeed bf

some days it's wacky. yesterday he only took 3 X 45min naps, today his morning nap was 2.5hrs, midday 45 min, last one 1hr. we always keep awake time about 2hrs between naps.

some days by the 3:00 bf i feel milk is low, and ds seems impatient. by the last feeding i feel really empty - sometimes i supplement 2oz formula.

is that enough info? if not let me know!

[sara_derek]

Well, your schedule looks pretty good!  Seems like he is getting bf'd enough throughout the day to me.  If you are feeling your bf supply is low, you might want to offer the breast a couple more times during the day, like before solids just to try to up your supply.

If you do the df, I would suggest doing it with a bottle of formula or pumped milk instead of taking him out and bf'ing him.  That way you know he is getting some milk and it will take that question out of your mind.  I would do the df no sooner than 10:30 or right before you go to bed if it's later than that.  I tried to elevate my ds head a little with a small pillow, so he didn't choke.  I could do it without waking him up though, so do it only if you think it will not wake him.  then if he wakes during the night, try pat/sh, sucking on a paci back to sleep or pu/pd.  If he acts starving, then feed him, but he really shouldn't be hungry after a bottle at 10:30.

Let me know how it goes...I have a 2.5 year old hanging on me right now, so I don't know if I'm making sense or not...sorry!