Author Topic: too old to introduce dreamfeed?  (Read 1374 times)

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Offline lauraj79

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too old to introduce dreamfeed?
« on: June 23, 2006, 11:34:09 am »
hi
i just borrowed traceys new book from library and its great. i already had secrets of a baby whisperer but this is more detailed. charlie is already on a loose form of 4 hour easy, but im hoping to take this seriously and perservere. the thing is he still wakes once a night for a bottle. he is 24 weeks and on 3 meals a day (started at 19 weeks at hv`s advice). the times are erratic, but only once a night. however, im now exhausted as i have a 3 year old too, so i was reading about the dreamfeed (which i tried a month ago for 10 days, didnt work as i hadnt realised you have to do pu/pd rest of night!) i am quite keen to implement this but is 6 months a little late? tracey says in the book that most 7 month olds shouldnt need a dreamfeed. so do i wait a month and then just do pu/pd with no feed or start now with df? he self soothes, has no paci but a muzzie he sucks and hugs. naps in cot no prob and rarely protests, general routine ias as following but bear in mind he has a big sister so sometimes we are out and about and he does at times napin car or buggy......

6.30 am- awake
7am- bottle (5-6 oz)
8 am- 1- 2 tablespoons breakfast
9- 11 am sleep
12.30- 1-2 tablespoons veg, dessert, water
1-2.30 sleep
3pm- bottle
4.30-5pm sleep
5.15 - tea
7.ish- bottle, bed
1-3 am bottle

if he has bottle at 1 am like last night hes up for day at 5.30 am, if he has bottle at 3 am like night before he will slepp till 7 am. i am very confused about what i can expect from him (dont want to be unrealistic). i presume that as his night waking is erratic then he is waking in hunger rather than habit?  i did speak to my hv who said most babies sleep through by 6-7 months (if self settle) and to hang on in there. gina ford advocates controlled crying and says he shouldnt need a feed. tracey seems more flexible but i am unsure f which route to take and how i can get a better nights sleep? my daughters room is next to charlies so i dont want her being woken too. he has dropped his 11 am feed this week and has a good lunch. when he wakes at 5 am i find our routine is all off track.this morning he woke at 5.30 am and chatted and sang for 45 mins til he got fed up. so by 7.45 he had to have another nap (1 hour) he then went to bed at 11 am and is still sleeping at 12.30 pm, which then puts lunch time off track. im sorry if im going off topic here, but a bigger picture sometimes helps.
thanx, laura

Offline teezee

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Re: too old to introduce dreamfeed?
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2006, 12:33:33 pm »
you could try it and see if it works - just try by all means to keep lo asleep and see how it goes. tracy does suggest weaning the df about 7 months b/c at that point it will cause more wakings then help subside them. it does not work for all lo's but can't hurt to try again i suppose.

i think if you started stretching that A time after the am nap that you would be able to cut out the catnap soon enough which is probably what is causing this waking - lo just isn't tired enough to stay asleep the whole night. it is usually between 6-8 months that lo's tend to need to drop this.

how many bottles a day is your lo getting. from what it looks like it is 3 with one at night?? i would suggest making this four during the day imo, and it may make it easier to cut out the nighttime one.

i wouldn't suggest controlled crying as it will prob be harmful to the parent child relationship...and it is not advocated by this site in anyway. tracy beleif is that you should listen to your lo - and respond to his needs when he calls - there is always a reason for lo crying and that is his only means to communicate -whether it be pain, hunger, or just not being tired. there is always a solution..some are just more obvious than others..but we will try and help you come to an answer :)

lo has prob dropped the feeding b/c he is getting that night feeding kwim? i woudln't suggest dropping that night feeding cold turkey but i will post a link at the end of this post for you to check out that will help with weaning the night feed gently although it will take some time - will work. lo will most def need that other 'dropped' feeding once the night feeding is dropped - lo needs the nutrients he is just taking them at night right now.

i wouldn't suggest putting lo down an earlier b/c of an early waking (at least not too much earlier ) as this will reinforce the early waking as lo will be making up for the lost sleep with an early nap. if lo gets tired try and keep that A time low key and if not able to make the entire A time try and stretch it as much as possible without lo getting overtired.

here is the link - let me know if you need anything else:)

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=46907.0
Tawnya
Mommy to Alecksandria
June 11, 2005




Offline lauraj79

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Re: too old to introduce dreamfeed?
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2006, 21:50:51 pm »
thanks for your advice. he was very overtired by 7.30 pm and wouldnt take bedtime bottle, screamed house down. unsure if he was overtired or teething. probably both. he eventually took 3 oz at 8.30pm and went to bed (very late for him) i then gave a df at 10.15pm and he had a further 4 oz. i have decided no to do df as i feel we are too close to the 7 month mark and i dont want to upset or confuse him. when he reaches 7 months(in 4 weeks) do i just do pu/pd when he wakes? offer water/juice instead? or like the lady who waterd her daughters milk? i am still pluoghing through "the baby whisperer solves all your problems", its a big book! :o   but fab and so well written. wish i could find someone like her to come into my home and help! i phoned the cow and gate helpline today about it, andthey said that many babies at 6 months need a night bottle and if he sleeps 7-3 am they apparently class that as sleping through?????????? (i dont :)
he has gone 8 hour stretches since 12 weeks, butjust not at the right times! according to the quiz he is angel/touchy. def touchy today!!!!

Offline teezee

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Re: too old to introduce dreamfeed?
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2006, 03:29:52 am »
i would wean by watering down the feeds slowly so lo has a chance to 'make up' those extra calories during the day without really noticing.

sorry to hear you are having these problems..it can be stressful not having sleep for 6 months - i know i was there - i know how you are feeling  :-\

i do really think if you adjust that A time and cut out the catnap that it would solve alot of problems and for the night feedings go for it and start watering those bottles down! i did it at six months and it went very well :) when lo's need to drop that catnap usually they start having numerous night wakings/and or early wakings as they just aren't tired enough to get the sleep..they already slept enough in the day..put lo to sleep early while you are transitioning..which may last a month til lo is able to stay up for longer periods without becoming overtired.
Tawnya
Mommy to Alecksandria
June 11, 2005




Offline lauraj79

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Re: too old to introduce dreamfeed?
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2006, 06:08:18 am »
well its now 7 am saturday morning, and he SLEPT THROUGH. ended up checking him anyway. no idea if it was the df at 10.15 (he only had it as he hadnt eaten his 7pm bottle well). no idea if its a one off, fingers crossed its not. will do the df tonight, too afraid not to. i am in utter shock. i just thought he would never sleep through. didnt even have to do pu/pd, he jut didnt cry out. like i said it could be a one off, wont know till tonight. we are visiting m-i-l today in southend on sea so obviously all daytime naps will be off track. we are planning to leave at 7pm ish, so i will bath kids and give him a bottle, then just lift them from car to bed when get home (1 1/2 hr drive) well at least thats the plan. ella, 3 next month often wakes up and thinks shes had a nap!! thanx so much for your kind help, and of course i may well still need to use it. i agree the late catnap can be stopped soon, though i have found in past he gets too tired and is unable to fiish bedtime bottle.the big prob for me is he cant always have those two long naps as as mentioned ive got ella andits unfair on her to live life around his naps. eg she likes music box which satrts at 2pm, and messy play also 2 pm. but the days we arein i stick to the routine. his feeds arealways same wherever we are.
laura, ella, charie 24 weeks

Offline teezee

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Re: too old to introduce dreamfeed?
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2006, 13:47:28 pm »
maybe try feeding lo a bit earlier and putting him to sleep even a half hr or 15 min earlier so he does finish that bottle..could make all the difference in the world!

congrats on the sleep btw! don't be alarmed if lo has a bit of regression. just keep moving in the same direction and stay consistant with whatever you have started...things should still iron themselves out :)

if you have any quesitons ask away! i will be leaving tomorrow afternoon for a wk and won't have internet access so don't think i am ignoring you ;)

keep me updated definately and when i get back i will get caught up - good luck and keep up the fab job!!  :D :D
Tawnya
Mommy to Alecksandria
June 11, 2005