dream feed not such a dream

[mixtim]

Question:  Should I really wake my sleeping baby for the so-called "dream feed" that's never really a dream?

History:  At 5.5w my baby started doing 5 hour stretches from 11 to 4.  This happened for 4 nights.  Then she switched the 5 hour stretch from 8 to 1.  That's when I intervened and started doing the dream feed at 10 or 11 to switch her back. It was never like the book described.  My baby  became fully alert, always required a diaper change, cried, the full monty.  Thereafter she went back to 3 to 4 hour stretches for a few nights.  Then she did 6 hour streches for 2 nights (from 11 to 5).  Now she's back to 3 to 4 hour stretches.

Should I continue to wake my baby to eat at 10 or 11 in hopes she goes from there?  It's never the "dream" Tracy describes.  I can't feed my baby in the complete dark anyway!  What's more, the other sleep expert, Dr. Weisbluth(?) adamantly advises against waking sleeping babies!  Add to that, that I'm worried she won't recognize her 7 or 8 p.m. feed and routine as the "bedtime" cue if I'm going to wake her 3 hours later!  I'm so confused

[Kimberly®]

actually the point of a dreamfeed is to NOT wake your baby.  You feed your baby in her sleep. Its tricky but it does work. Give it a good week to really work. If after a week it doesn't make a difference then do stop.
The reason its not working is because your LO is being overstimulated and gets overtired, so don't wake her. Pick her up gently and rub the nipple (either yours if you bf or the bottle nipple) so she opens her mouth then pop the bottle or boob in, then she'll eat in her sleep. Thats how a dreamfeeds supposed to work.

[BabyBsMommy]

Did you ever have problems getting your lo to start taking the dream feed?  Mine doesn't wake up but I've tried for 15 minutes the past 3 nights and he hasn't eaten yet!  I tickle his lip with my nipple, get it in but he just lets it sit there, grinning in his sleep!  Ugh! 

[colenliam]

I would say if he is not taking it when you offer then he either is just plain not hungery or dosen't want to be disturb while he is sleeping.
Like other have said, try for a week and if he still won't take it, give up on it.  It could just disrupt his sleep cycle.
The dream feed isn't for every baby remember

[BabyBsMommy]

He finally took a dream feed last night at 10:45 pm and ate for a full 15 minutes.  He then proceeded to wake up at 12:30 (pu/pd), 3:30 (feed) and 5:00 (pu-pd) and slept until 8am which threw everything for a loop today because of all of the extra night wakings and the late start to the day (usually up at 7am) - all three of his naps ended at 45 minutes and hubby is currently battling him to go down for a catnap since he is miserable and tired right now.
I am officially giving up the dream feed - too stressful on all of us!!!!

[RachelC]

If I may piggyback this question...
This past week my lo decided she was done with the swaddle at night.  We have df from the beginning.  The problem now is, when I go in to feed her, I scare her when I pick her up (she now sleeps on her belly) whereas before when she was swaddled, she didn't budge.  She also takes time to resettle afterwards.  Should we drop it?  Will she make up for the lost milk during the day (probably a bf question).  She sleeps through the night 7-7, execpt now she wakes when I df... Sorry, I'm now rambling, must go get dd1 in bed.
Thanks
~Rachel

[BabyBsMommy]

Do you have the baby whisperer book?  There is a technique in it to drop the dreamfeed - you do it gradually so your lo doesn't start to habitually wake for it..... 

[RachelC]

Yes, I do have the book (all three)... it's just not entirely clear how to go about this when breastfeeding.  I fully understand how to go about it with a bottle.  She hasn't been waking... yet.

[BabyBsMommy]

Hmmnn.. that's true... I wonder if you would just either let them feed a little less each time or maybe  just get them up a little earlier each night for their feed until they don't want it anymore and just sleep right through?  Maybe that is something you should make a new post about....or maybe there is already something in the breast feeding forum....