As with most things baby or sleep-related, dream feeding works for some babies and not for others. In my experience, it works about 50% of the time. Some research shows that by getting one or more feedings between 10pm and midnight, babies wake up less during the night, which makes sense!
What happens when dream feed doesn’t work?
This is the dream feed not working!
If you aren’t getting close to this, the dream feed isn’t working as it should. Some babies will wake every 2 hours after a dream feed! This is a sure sign you need to drop the dream feed and allow your baby to naturally sleep longer.
How long does it take for a dream feed to work?
It happens approximately 2-3 hours after your baby has had their bedtime feed. This usually occurs between 10pm-11pm.
Does dream feeding work straight away?
You shouldn’t dream feed your little one sooner than two to three hours after he last ate. Otherwise, your baby may be too full to take enough milk to make a dream feed effective. That could mean timing the dream feed to happen between 10 and 11 p.m., though it depends on your baby’s schedule.
Are dream feeds a good idea?
Largely, dream feeding is considered a good idea if your baby is having trouble sleeping because they are hungry. But it’s important that you take your baby out of the crib and wake them up enough to eat (but not too), then try to avoid feeding them on their back if you’re using a bottle.
Can dream feed make sleep worse?
Dream feeding generally takes place in the first hours of a baby’s sleep, which is when they sleep most soundly, so there’s a risk of interrupting a deep sleep. That might be fine if your baby can fall right back asleep. But if a dream feed disrupts your baby’s sleep for the rest of the night, it may not be worth it.
What do I do if my baby won’t dream feed?
If your baby won’t eat for the dream feed, they simply might not be awake enough and require some extra gentle stimulation. Alternatively, dream feeding might not be for your baby and can often disrupt babies sleep. Try to establish it for a week, but know that a dream feed is not for everyone!
Should you burp after dream feed?
Do you burp a baby after a dream feed? Yes. You always want to burp a baby after a dream feed—or any feed—before putting her back down on the back.
How do you know when to drop dream feed?
It typically works best to try to wean the dream feeding before 6-9 months of age. After that, it can disrupt sleep even more than it helps. Babies tend to become a lot more alert by that age and will fully wake up, wanting to play when you are trying to sneak in that extra feeding!
How long should night feeds take?
Depending on how long you usually nurse, you can reduce between 30 seconds and two minutes each night until you’re down to three or four minutes of nursing for that feed.
What if baby wakes up during dream feed?
If your baby consistently wakes shortly after the dream feed, it’s likely you have a sleep problem on your hands that involves more than simple hunger.
Do dream feeds help baby sleep through the night?
Even though a dream feed is meant to keep baby “asleep”, in order for your child to have the tone to suck & swallow, they have to be mostly awake. Therefore, this feed actually interrupts this period of deep, restorative sleep.
Can you stop dream feed cold turkey?
Unfortunately dropping things cold turkey really backfires with some kids and they will start waking up at all hours of the night. So beware. Decrease how many oz or how long you nurse every few nights. Slowly move the dream feed closer to the bedtime feed.
Can dream feed backfire?
While providing a dream feed to your newborn who needs to eat frequently might be an effective short-term strategy, dream feeds can backfire as your little one approaches 4 months. Between 3 and 4 months, a baby’s biological sleep rhythm is maturing. During this time they start to cycle between light and deep sleep.
Do you change nappy at dream feed?
How to do a dreamfeed. Just gently get your baby out of bed at around 10pm, feed from both sides or give a full bottle. Don’t worry about burping or a nappy change.
Do you change diaper during dream feed?
When you pick up your sleeping baby for the feed, the key is to minimize stimulation—don’t turn on the lights, sing or change their diaper unless there’s poop in it. … Dream feeds also won’t work for all parents—you may prefer to go to bed at 8 or 9 p.m. and sleep through until your baby’s first natural wake-up.