Cluster & Dream Feeding Support/Chat

[* Paula *]

3-4oz after a 6oz feed sounds about right.

You don't need to burp your lo at all - when they are asleep they don't take in as much air as they would normally do when awake.  If you feel your lo needs a burp, you could always just pop your lo over your shoulder.

[madie]

Hi,
I have a six week old daughter that I want to start the cluster feeding and dream feeding but I am kind of confused. At what time of day do you start cluster feeding. For example do you start say with the 4pm bottle then 6 then 8 and then a dream feed? This is my first child so I am very new at this.

[* Paula *]

Hi and welcome to the BW boards 

It all depends on your routine, if you put your lo to bed at 7pm then you could cluster feed at 4 and 6, or if you put your lo to bed at 8 pm you could clusterfeed at 6 and 8 pm - There is no right and wrong way to do it, it is whatever suits you and your lo.

They do suggest doing the DF closer to 10pm as doing it later can actually disrupt your lo's sleep pattern and actually cause more night wakings.  Remember though, the DF does not work for every lo, but you should give it at least a week to see if things improve.

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

Paula

[madie]

Paula,
Thank you so much for the advice. I am going to try it tonight and see what happens.

Heather

[* Paula *]

Good Luck Heather,

Please keep us posted on how you get on.

[oliversmum]

Hello I have just come across this wonderful site and was wondering of someone could please give me advice on the dream feed. My little boy is seven weeks old and feeds every 3/4 hours normally about 140-150ml per feed. How much should I be giving at the cluster feed and the dream feed.

Hope I may join in, thanks in advance

Rachel

[* Paula *]

Hi Rachel, welcome to the BW website.

With regards to the cluster and dreamfeeds, I would say that for the first few days just make up a normal size bottle and judge how much your lo takes per feed, from there, you can re-adjust the amounts i.e if your DS takes 2oz at the cluster feed you can make smaller bottles etc.

Hope this helps.  Good luck and please keep us posted on how you get on.

Paula

[oliversmum]

Thank you so much Paula, will let you know

Rachel

[madie]

Ok. I tried to do the dream feed last night but I couldn't get her to take anything. I had fed her at 5 then at 7 and tried  to do the dream feed at 10. Should I change the time? or does anyone have any suggestions on how to get her to eat.

Thanks Heather

[* Paula *]

Hi Heather,

How did you try offering the DF - was she fast alseep in her cot, did you pick her up?  Did you try rubbing the teat on her mouth to see if she would open her mouth?

[madie]

Hi Paula,
I picked her up but she was dead alseep. I rub the bottle on her teeth and she put the bottle in her mouth but then just wouldn't suck on it. Do you think I should have tried it at an earlier time?

Heather

[* Paula *]

Heather,

10pm is perfect time to offer the DF - I would give it a couple of days and see if she gets the hang of it.  It could just be that she will not take to a DF - My DS never took a DF at all - some lo's it just does not work for.

Try it a few more times and see how you get on.

Keep us posted.

Paula

[Maddysmom]

Heather,
I have an 8wk old and I've had  this problem with him. He would be dead asleep that I couldnt even get him to open his mouth. Its true what paula says about the df not working for every lo. My dd did clusterfeeding and df from 6wks with no problems and was sleeping 10:30-5 right away, but  it hasen't worked for noah. I have tryed to do the df with him this past wk and have decided to stop. He was taking the bottle but waking alot more in the night then before I started. I do however do clusterfeeding for him. So i was feeding him  4oz every 3hrs at 9am,12pm,3pm,6pm a clusterfeed at 8pm(4oz) and straight to bed and he sleeps until 1amwith a  feed at 1am and 4am. I'm currently trying to loose the 4am feed and have him down to 2oz at that bottle. You could also do 5:30pm and 7:30pm for a clusterfeed and straight to bed until the df.
Good Luck 

[AfonsoandDinisMum]

Hello everybody!
Just to let you know how things are going!
I've started to do the df just a little early, I'm now doing it around 11:30pm and it seems to be working... The past few nights he sleeps from around 9:15pm to 8:00am, just waking one or two times before midnight but going back to sleep very easily, just by putting him again in his side! letīs see how things will progress
Now, another thing, as I said before, I df my lo in his cot, with him laying, with a small pillow under his head , do you think that this can cause ear infection??? 

[* Paula *]

I am pleased that things seem to be improving.  Keep us posed.

Now, another thing, as I said before, I df my lo in his cot, with him laying, with a small pillow under his head , do you think that this can cause ear infection??? 

As long as your lo is propped up, this should be fine.  It is just best to ensure that your lo does not lie completely flat.

HTH's