Cluster & Dream Feeding Support/Chat

[bensmomma]

Hello,
   I have started the dreamfeed with my 9 wk old.  We've been doing it for the last 3 nights.  Leading up to starting the dreamfeed DS was actually sleeping from ~8:30-2/3am without a dreamfeed.  I figured a dreamfeed would extend this even longer.  Since we started he has actually been waking up between 12-1am, ~3am (to feed) and again around 5am.  I think he has been waking because of gas.  I realize that the dreamfeed may take a week to kick in but should he be going backwards.  Should we continue to dreamfeed or since he was doing well in the first place drop it?

[LŠuren]

Michelle

I would continue doing it for the week or just over that.  If you see NO improvement stop and maybe try again at another time.
Lauren

[bensmomma]

Thanks for the reply.  We skipped last nights DF. DS had last feed at 7:30pm and he lasted until 12:30am.  Should the DF extend this next feed time even longer?

[lsmummum]

I am a bit confused about cluster feeding, even after reading the books. I have a  4 month old (actually 3 months, he's a preemie), and need some help. We have "dinner" at 5-6pm, play until 730pm when we have a bath, then to bed after a couple of ozs at 8-830pm. This is a loose schedule, some nights the times are different. Sometimes he's ready for sleep before a cluster is due.The question is what if he is asleep before his second cluster feed. Do you wake him up or do you do a "dreamfeed" . That would make 2 drreamfeeds before 12am. Should I wake or feed when still asleep?

[CJF]

hi again....
if it is not one thing it is another with my lo (LOL)
i thought we had everything under control and going smoothly until now; my little guy is waking at night to eat.   (not sure if i should post this in sleeping, but i think it may be an eating thing)  he is on a 4 hour easy and taking great naps.  we just recently went to all bottles, no more bf.  a few weeks ago he would sleep until 4am-ish eat and go back to sleep.  then he started sleeping until 7 or 7:30 and i was estatic!!!  i thought we were actually there!!!!  ...a perfect EASY day!!! now this week it seems to be every other day he wakes up around 2am to eat.  last night i tried to get him to go back to sleep without eating and he wasn't having any of that...he wanted to eat.  i guess his waking could be due to developmental???  he just turned over the other day to his tummy.  or growth spurt??? i didn't think that happened until 6 months. (oh, btw he will be 5 months next week on the 20th).  how can i get more food into him without screwing up EASY?  i have read the fax section about giving more ounces, but he already is taking 8 oz 4X a day.  when would i give him another bottle?  is it too late to start a dream feed?  (i never started doing this because after he eats he needs to be held upright for 20 minutes)
we just moved to the bigger teats/nipples and that has helped alot...when before he was pushing his bottles away after a few ounces and then was hungry a short time later.  joey is a big boy, weighing 18 pounds 10 oz at his 4 month checkup so i guess he just needs more food. his schedule as of lately has been a typical 4 hours EASY starting at 7:00 or 7:30 am, napping about an hour 45 minutes to 2 hours after he wakes and will nap for about 2 hours or so. so he is following the EASY schedule almost perfectly except for the darn wakeup at 2 am.  should i just wait it out another week and see how things go?  is he still settling into the great routine?he has been taking good naps for about a month now (as opposed to those nasty 45 minute ones and started sleeping the WHOLE night about a week or so now)
alright, i think i have all the info you need...sorry so long, i wanted to make sure i had all the info you need.  

[KathrynK]

Hi there
I went through the exact same thing with my dd and I am afraid to say she contimued to wake to feed until she was established on 3 solid meals a day- she has slept through again from that day! I am not recommendign however you jump to solids now! I increased her bottles to 4 x 9 ounce initially, then when that didn't fill her I changed her formula to the one for hungrier babies (was on SMA gold, then changed to SMA white- don't know what you have over there) then when that didn't fill her I had to go to 5 bottles (was on 7,11,3 & 7, went to 7am, 10, 1, 4 & 7pm- bit of a squeeze, but we did it) then when that didn#t fill her she was 2 weeks off 6 months so I introduced rice cereal and slowly weaned her onto solids! So if it is the hunger I guess you might have a while of night feeds ahead of you yet........ 
hth
Kathryn

[* Paula *]

Your lo may be going through a growth spurt.

You say that your DS is on 4 x 8oz bottles a day - Is he draining these bottles?  If he is then I do suggest adding another oz to each bottle, it may mean that you have to make up 2 bottles if your bottles do not hold 9oz.  This may eliminate the night wakings if you increase the amount he takes during the day.

[* Paula *]

Hi,

If you say that sometimes your lo is asleep before the second cluster feed you could try doing your cluster feeds at 5:00 and 7:00.

What time are you doing the dreamfeed?

[CJF]

yes, he is on 4 bottles 8 oz each and yes, he drains all of them.  i was worried to do 9 oz, because he spits up alot, but i guess if he needs it, he needs it.  i will try it and see how that goes.
i was also thinking that when he is on solids nights will go smoother since some nights he can make it all night and others he can't.  i know to start with rice cereal at first 1 x a day but how does the rest go?  for example, about when will he be on 3 meals a day to fill him up?  i am just asking in advance to prepare mentally how long this might go on.
i didn't know they had formula for hungrier babies.  i will have to investigate that and ask my doc about that.
thanks

[Grace's Mom]

The DF for us never worked. I don't think it is for every baby.  I wish it worked but it just made Grace wake 3x's as much.  I am hoping it works out for you and your lo.  Good luck.

Mel

[swiper]

If I give Aimee a DF she wont eat her breakfast

[* Paula *]

See how he gets on with the extra oz.  Monitor him to make sure that he does not spit up too much.

This link has information on the stage 2 formula

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68010.msg517360#msg517360

It is not always true, that solids will make them sleep better through the night.  Their milk is still their main source of nutritian until they are nearly one.  The guidelines today are to try not to introduce solids before 6 months of age.

Here is a link from the solids FAQ board on introducing solids

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=36922.0

Your best bet with regards to where to go once you have introduced solids would be to post on the Solid Foods board, you will get a lot of information from them.

HTH

Paula x

[lsmummum]

I have to admit that the DF is usually late, 1130-1200. My husband is the one who has taken on that task. Is that to late?

[* Paula *]

I would suggest doing the dreamfeed at around 10 - 11pm, closer to 10pm if you can.  11:30 / 12:00 is a bit late.

[lsmummum]

We'll give it a go tonight, thanks