any tips on how to extend my wee boys dream feed?

[Sarah Q]

I am solely breastfeeding and I'm having problems getting my wee boy to take enough at his dream feed. He will only suckle for 3-4 minutes and then stops and lies with my nipple in his mouth or will come off my nipple, clamp his mouth shut and refuse to latch on again.

He is only 9 weeks old but for the last couple of weeks was sleeping for a 8-9 hour block at night (so I know he can do it). However, he has only been on EASY for four days now...when sleeping through he was having a last feed at 10:30 just before bed. We've managed to break this habit of feed then bed (in two nights!) and he has been going to bed at about 21:30 - but he is now waking at 5am wanting food. If I could get him to take more for a dream feed at 11pm I think he would go for another couple of hours.

Any tips on how to extend his dream feed?

[GraceKellysmom]

The best way to work with a dream feed is to get them at the right place in their sleep cycle. You don't want them to wake up, or they will sleep worse, waking more frequently. But you don't want them to be so asleep that they won't eat.

Try him at different intervals according to when you put him to sleep. Usually between 2-3 hrs after bedtime.

And with any changes, try to only make one at a time, like Tracy says. Give him time to adjust to a new schedule, it sounds like he is already making great progress.