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Offline chargerfans

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Waking before dream feed
« on: October 26, 2005, 13:44:42 pm »
My 3 1/2 month old is waking before his 10 pm dream feed. He eats at 7, 10, 1, 4 and 7. What's going on?
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Offline Isom'smom

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Waking before dream feed
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2005, 15:18:04 pm »
Well, it's probably a growth spurt, you're about due.  Just offer more in the day time. Let us know how it goes.

Crystal
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« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2005, 15:13:32 pm »
Still waking before his dream feed!

Now that I am back at work, he has the bottle 3 times during the day until I get home at 4. We just increased his bottles to 6 oz and he seems to finish them (with a little extra prodding from my Mom!) And when I get home he always wants to nuzzle and have a little milk - so he usually eats a bit at 4 and then eats again at 7 before bed. He will usually only drink 4 oz during his dream feed. Last night he woke up at 930!  Then he woke up at 1,230 and 4. I fed him at 1 and he ate pretty well but when he got up at 230 I didn't really think he was hungry. So I sshh/pated him (he wasn't crying yet when I got in there but was about to start) and gave him his paci. He slept for 1 1/2 more hours. Then I fed him at 4 but he didn't really eat that well either.

Should I just try to sshh/pat or PU/PD more rather than offering him the breast? How often should a 4 month old be eating during the night if he is eating 18 oz while I am at work, and still nurses from me 3-4 times (including early am)???

Every once in awhile I am lucky and he only wakes once at night after his dreamfeed... but those days are few and far between. I don't think he is ready to sleep through the night, we have never had that happen before. He was full term but small 5 lbs 2 oz

He is going to be 4 months on Sunday.  And this time change has definitely affected his waking time - he is up by 6 am!
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Offline GraceKellysmom

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Waking before dream feed
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2005, 19:17:42 pm »
It sounds to me he is waking for a different reason than the breast. How does he normally fall to sleep? (for naps and for nighttime)

Has he rolled over yet?
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Offline chargerfans

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« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2005, 23:20:41 pm »
Sometimes he goes down for his naps with his binkie. Sometimes he just likes to suck on a piece of material. He is drooling like crazy and always likes to have something in his mouth - be it the bib or paci or my shirt!

At night he goes to sleep with the paci. He only keeps it in his mouth for about 10 mins and then spits it out.

He has rolled from his tummy to his back but when he goes down at night he is still swaddled. Should I try leaving a hand out for him to chew on?
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Offline GraceKellysmom

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Waking before dream feed
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2005, 01:48:48 am »
That's a great idea! A lot of babies find their thumbs between 3 and 4 months old, and are a lot happier for it.

Is he taking good naps during the day? Sometimes if babies have short naps, they're overtired, and wake frequently like you describe through the night. If that isn't it, I'm guessing something is waking him, be it his teeth or his body. And he isn't putting himself back to sleep, which a lot of babies won't/can't at that age. So that is why you're having to help him. I would keep trying to get him to sleep without feeding, except once or maybe twice in the night he may still need to eat at that age.

Another idea is to stop the dreamfeed. If he wakes, get him to sleep without feeding. My ds woke up for his dreamfeed and then woke several times after that, it was like his sleep cycle had been interrupted and he couldn't get back into really deep sleep.
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Offline chargerfans

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Waking before dream feed
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2005, 14:41:04 pm »
Last night was much better! He ate at 630 and was out by 710. He had his arms out and I stayed with him a little longer to make sure he was asleep. But then at 930 - ready to eat before his dreamfeed! So my husband gave him the bottle while I got some much needed rest. He woke up at 1 and I fed him. He ate pretty well. Then he got up at 3 and I just went in and ssshh/pat'd him. I offered the binky but he didn't want it. I also turned on some white noise. Then I went back to bed and I got up at 5 to get ready for work. I could hear him stirring and by 515 be was hungry. I fed him and he went back to sleep. When I left at 540 he was sleeping soundly! Not sure what time he got up since I haven't spoken to my husband yet (only 640 now).

I hadn't considered dropping the dreamfeed. Its nice giving your husband a chance to feed (and you a chance to rest!) Technically it's not a dream feed if he wakes up before for it thought right? If I just try to get him back to sleep without it, and he wakes up at say 1 - should I feed him then and just try not to feed him after that if he is waking? Or can I feed him at 930 with the bottle and then just sshh/pat him later in the night for his other feeds?

He has a small cold, he has had it for over a week now. We had these problems before but of course the cold isn't helping it. I am going to add a humidifier to his room tonight, hopefully that helps.
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Offline GraceKellysmom

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Waking before dream feed
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2005, 19:48:02 pm »
What you did last night sounds perfect. When they are sick, you should never try sleep training or withholding food.

If you can go to bed early, and your dh doesn't mind offering the feed, then that is fine. Make sure you are nursing or pumping for every other feed, you don't want your supply to suffer. 

After he gets better, if you do forgo the 9:30pm feeding, I would plan on feeding for any wakes after 1, and possible again around the 5 mark, especially if you are waking up for work.
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Offline chargerfans

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« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2005, 23:00:37 pm »
He went to bed last night at 7. Was up by 930 to eat. He ate from the bottle during this feed. Was up at 12 to eat again. I offered the paci and tried sshh/pat but it didn't work. He latched on and started gulping like crazy. This lasted maybe 4 minutes and then he just suckled back to sleep. Up again at 3 - tried sshh/pat and the paci but refused all. Again latched on like a mad man but only ate for about 5 mins and then suckled to sleep. Stayed asleep until 7 (wish that 4 hour window was at night when I was sleeping!) and ate this morning.

He still has a runny/stuffy nose .... We are going to try and increase the 930 feed. He takes the bottle at that time so maybe we can squeeze a few extra ounces in there.
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Offline GraceKellysmom

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Waking before dream feed
« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2005, 02:24:18 am »
Is he eating well for you during the day? Do you nurse on one side or two? Still doing 3hrly?
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Offline chargerfans

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« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2005, 14:59:50 pm »
He has the bottle during the day while I am at work (expressed milk). He usually eats about 15 oz during those 3 feeds. Then he nurses twice when I get home. He will even nurse even if he has had a bottle recently. Must just be for the connection. But he eats well. Usually eats from both - about 12-15 minutes total. We used to go to a breastfeeding support group and he was getting enough milk in that short time. On the weekends he eats well from me. We usually don't give him a bottle on the weekends.

Last night was great. He was exhausted and at 630 he ate (I didn't think very well but apparantely it was) and was asleep by 710. My husband went to sleep when I did and was going to wake and feed him when he woke up (since he has been waking before his dreamfeed). Well 11 pm rolled by and my husband woke up and Daniel was still asleep! So we just let him be (no D/F) and he got up at 3 am to nurse. It was great! I haven't had this much sleep since I was 7 months prego! He ate well and went back to bed. He woke up at 630 this morning and was a happy camper, not starving either. Hope he makes this a habit.

He is sort of on a 4 hour sked. Somedays he goes 3.5. So its usually inbetween 3-4 hours.

If he doesn't wake before the dreamfeed we are going to drop it all together. He was starting to wake during it as well so we are going to cut it out if he is still asleep at 10.

Funny that if they are sleeping - which is not the norm for him - then you wake up wondering if things are ok! We must have checked on him 5 times last night!!!
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Offline chargerfans

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« Reply #11 on: November 17, 2005, 14:20:27 pm »
We have decided to drop the dream feed. He still has a runny nose and is now starting to get really grumpy, his sleeping habits are all off - his naps are short and he is really tempermental. We are assuming its his teetch (4 months) so we just have to take it slow. When he has woken up at 10 we ssh/pat until he goes back to sleep. For the past 2 night she has gotten up at either 12 or 1 and is hungry. Then he is up one  more time - either 3 or 4. Ond day at a time!
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