Cluster & Dream Feeding Support/Chat

[jlbb_1]

I haven't yet got the hang of the cluster/dream feeds.

My 1 month old seems to be happier on a 4hr EASY - even though at this point I know it should only be 3hr - and is drinking 3oz (bottle fed) every 4hrs.  (I'm sure we'll go to 3hr EASY when she hits her growth spurt.)  However, she follows this routine right through for a 24hr period. 

To cluster feed, should I be ensuring that she drinks the full 3oz each time?  I can't get much more than 1oz into her whenever I attempt a cluster feed.

For the dream feed - do I take her out of her crib, or try to feed her in her crib?
How do I burp her without waking her?
Again, how much should I expect her to take?

[* Paula *]

If your lo is only taking an oz at a cluster feed, then I would not worry too much about it.  When cluster feeding the aim is to try and tank them up, however if they are not taking much then it is just best to stick to normal feeding times.

With regards to the DF, yes take your lo out of the crib and hold her in your arms.  Feeding a lo lying down in the crib can cause chocking as well as ear infections.

With regards to burping at a DF.  There is no need to burp your lo.  Becuase they are asleep they are not sucking in as much air as they would normally when feeding during the day so do not require burping.

DF, you could probably aim for about 3-4 oz.  You can increase this as she starts to take bigger bottles.  Let her guide you, if she takes more at a DF great.

Good luck, keep us posted on how you get on.

[agent99]

Hi all,

Is it too early to start dreamfeeding a 4 week old? Should I wait until he is 6 weeks? He seems to sleep from after his 6pm feed till about 1am.
His day is 6.30am/7.00am wake - feed, play sleep - down 1.15mins later
10.30/11am - wake - feed, play sleep - down 1.5 hours later
2.30/3pm - wake - feed play sleep - out for a walk 1.5 hours later - small sleep about 30-45 mins
5.30/6pm - bath
6.00/6pm bottle
6.30/7pm sleep
10pm Dreamfeed

My husband and I tried the dream feed at 10pm but found he woke again at 2pm, then woke again at 5pm which then seems to wreck the day as he is difficult to resettle at 5am.

I am wondering if I wait for another 2 weeks until he is 6 weeks whether this would be beneficial or should I continue with the dreamfeed at 10pm. The main issue I have is that he seems to wet himself and wake himself up - he is still in the smallest nappies which are not that absorbant!

Any help would be appreciated

Cheers
Danielle

[* Paula *]

The DF does not always work or every lo.  You say that your lo is sleeping from the last feed at 6pm, until 1am in the morning, that is fantastic. 

The DF can go either way.  It can either cause more night wakings as it interferrs it their sleep pattern, or it can work and help them sleep longer.

[Marygal]

Hello

May be a bit of a daft question, but I am new to motherhood, how much do you give in a cluster feed?

My 8 week old is currently on 5-6oz every 3-4 hours
xx

[* Paula *]

I would make up a normal size bottle and judge over a few days how much your lo is taking between the two feeds.  You can then adjust your bottles from there.

[cromerc]

My baby is typically having 4 ounces sometimes 3 ounces. She is 5 weeks old. She has slept up to 7 hours straight without waking for a bottle.  Is that normal?

[* Paula *]

Sounds like your lo is doing fantastically 

[EmandBen]

Hi there,

I'm new to the boards and hope you can help.  My DS is 7.5 months old and I've started thinking about weaning the dreamfeed.  Before reading Tracy's advice in BWSAYP, I was thinking of gradually offering less milk but still at the same time of 11pm.  Does anyone know why Tracy recommends reducing the volume of milk AND gradually bringing the dream feed forward?

Also, my DS is breast and bottle fed with a 210ml bottle before bed (about 7pm) and another 210ml bottle for the DF at 11pm.  He drains both bottles and very quickly!  He is always awake during the DF but settles back to sleep OK afterwards.  My question is, if he's still taking the DF at speed should I be thinking of weaning him as it looks like he still needs/wants it?? 

The other 3 feeds are breast with one before breakfast and a top-up after lunch and tea (as recommended by HV).  He's on 3 solid meals a day of 2 courses each totalling about 8 tablespoons in quantity per meal (cereal and fruit for breakfast, protein and fruit for lunch, vegetables and fruit/dairy for tea) and he's gaining weight really well for the first time ever!.  He always has a good breastfeed first thing between 7am and 7.30am and eats a really good breakfast so DF not affecting his early feeds/solids.

Has anyone followed Tracy's schedule of weaning the dream feed, how did it go?  Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[tonihomer]

Hi Im new to this website and to the baby whisperer books.
 I wanted to ask about doing a dream feed and wind. I have given my 8 week old baby a bottle dream feed the past two nights however both times she hasn't burped  but has then spent the next few hours straining (whimpering and moaning) to do a poo. When she has finally done the poo  she has then needed to be changed as it has gone through her clothes.  This has meant she hasn't settled to sleep. Prior to doing these dream feeds her sleeping pattern would vary but she would go from 11.30 until about 4.00 most nights over the past two night with the dream feed she has woken and cried to be fed more 2.00. Does anyone have any ideas to help the wind following a dream feed or any other ideas. Im just trying to get her to go a little longer than till 4.00.
thank you
toni

[* Paula *]

Hello and welcome to the BW website.

EmandBen, with regards to weaning the DF, Tracy suggest weaning that way by bringing the DF forward, so that your lo is still taking some milk, and then hopefully starts increasing their intake with their first feed of the day.  Have a look at this link on how one of our members weaned the dream feed.  She has given day to day progress.  It is definitely worth a read.

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=103104.0

tonihomer, the DF does not always work for every lo.  It can take up to a week for it to actually start working properly, but unfortunately it can affect their night time sleep for some lo's.  It sounds like it is doing this with your lo if you are saying that she is waking earlier than normal.  It is up to you, you can give it a week to see if it makes any difference or you can just leave the feed and let your lo wake up for it when she is ready.  Another way to try and get extra feeds into them is to cluster feed, and you can offer these last two feeds 2 hourly to help them tank up.

We never did the DF when DD was yonger, we always waited for our lo to wake and then feed.  This worked well for us.  We did however introduce a DF on days where her intake was lo due to illness or teething, but this was when she was a lot older and it seemed to work well and helped keep her full for the night.

[LindyLou71]

Accidental EASY/Dreamfeed -

Well I had one of those days  - considering my last 2 it was coming... It was G-R-E-A-T so I decided to push my luck and try a dreamfeed - So here it is:

After a horrific day yesterday including a very OT LO and a sporadic EASY we knew we would be in for a rough night - no naps = not great night!

So this is how it went (usually we get him bathed/bed for 8 and asleep for 9 or so then he wakes at 4 and starts the 3 hour Easy)
1am - E - 5oz
2 S
5:30 E - 4 oz
6 - S
7:30 - awake
8:30 - E 3.25
9:30 - S
12 E - 4.25
1:15 - S
3:15 - E 4.25
4 ish - S - wasn't a great nap a lot of crying and coughing - reflux
5 - Awake
6:15 - E - 4.75
8 - sleep -
This is when I didn't know what to do - he would be due at 9:15 for E , BUT at this point he should be in bed for the long haul, he was also due to take his reflux med - so I tried to wake him -NOPE., He was awake a bit and took his meds I held him upright.  He fell back asleep.  So at 9:20 I made a bottle and with my hubbys help we did the DF - (hubby rubbed the palms - it really WORKS!).  I am curious to see how long he goes - he drank 3.75 ounces = he even burped without burping.  He really was sound asleep - limp arms and all - what was really nice is he didn't fight us at all - with the reflux sometimes we get a bit of a battle.  I held him upright for 10 mins, and we sleep him upright in his carseat in a bassinet.  SO here's hoping!  If it works I may cluster feed and do the Bath routine at 7 and DF at 10:30 or 11.  This ends up being 29 oz which is a lot but we started at 1 am......

Oh wouldn't it be nice.... shouldn't jinx myself but we'll see - he is only 8 weeks old BUT 10.5 lbs book says he should go 8 hours at night now....
Linda

[LindyLou71]

hmmm - made no difference he was up at 2... sigh... I am going to chk back on my previous nights when he went to 4....

[* Paula *]

I would not be too disheartened about the DF, it can take up to a week before you start to notice any difference.  It does not always work for every lo though.  I would definitely give it at least a week though to see if it helps.

I would not worry to much about him not going 8 hours at night, he has been battling with his reflux, and once he starts taking more milk per feed, he will start to increase the amount of time between feeds at night.

Keep us posted on how the meds go.

[LindyLou71]

Today we are a bit off - I fed him at 3:15 I was going to do the next one at 5:45/6 ish then bath and bed for 9 ish.  This is what I did in the past and was able to sleep longer - he is happy today and I was a little late with one of his feeds- he was crying but (in the car) but then I got home and chatted with him while making the bottle and he calmed down - which is nice - esp w reflux I don't want him taking in too much air