What is dream feeding?

A dream feed involves feeding your baby when they're still sleeping. Typically, dream feeds are done around 10 or 11 p.m., before you've gone to bed for the night. The idea is that a baby will sleep longer through the night and, ideally, until morning on a full stomach.

When should I start dream feeding?

Dream feeding works best for babies between 0-6 months old and can be introduced at any time during that age bracket. We recommend dropping the dream feed around 6 months because at that age, it can start to negatively affect your baby's nighttime waking and in some cases, can become a habit wake.

What is a dream feed and how do you do it?

Tracey Hogg, who first coined the term, defines dream feeding as feeding a young infant while he or she sleeps. To accomplish this, you gently hold your sleeping baby in a feeding position, and try to stimulate the rooting reflex by stroking your baby's mouth and offering your baby a breast or bottle.

Is a dream feed a full feed?

WHAT IS A DREAMFEED? The dreamfeed is the last feed of your baby's day. It happens approximately 2-3 hours after your baby has had their bedtime feed.

Do you burp after a dream feed?

Many parents ask: Do you burp a baby after a dream feed? and the answer is always yes. You want to burp a baby after a dream feed—or any feed—before putting them back down on their back.

The correct way to dream feed your baby

How do I know if baby is Dreamfeed?

What is dream feeding? Dream feeding is exactly as it sounds. You feed your baby while they're semi-awake, or in a dreamy state. Most of us wake to feed our babies when they give us a signal (stirring or fussing), but when you dream feed your baby, you'll be the one to rouse them from sleep and initiate a feeding.

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.

How do you burp a dream feed?

What happens if baby won't wake up for dream feed?

If your baby doesn't wake up at all, you can try unswaddling them or a gentle massage. If your baby still doesn't wake up enough after a few nights of trying, then the dream feed may not be the best option for your little one. Once baby is alert enough, put your breast or the bottle to their mouth.

Is it OK to put baby to sleep without burping?

Even if your baby falls asleep, try burping them for a few minutes before placing them back down to sleep. Otherwise, they make wake up in pain with trapped gas.

Should you pump after dream feed?

It's not essential to use expressed breast milk for the dream feed of course, and if you are using formula, or are combination feeding and prefer to use formula milk for this final feed of the day, then I'd still recommend expressing your milk before you go to sleep to keep your supply functioning in accordance with ...

Do you hold baby up after dream feed?

Usually, no. When baby is in a dazed sleepy state, they do not suck in as much air, and it's usually fine to put them down after the feed. But if your baby wakes up gassy and feeling uncomfortable, hold baby upright after the dream feed for 10 to 15 minutes before putting baby down to sleep.

Do dream feeds disturb sleep?

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.

How much do you feed a baby for dream feed?

How much do you feed during a dream feeding? There is no right or wrong answer to this one; you can do a small “snack” feeding of 2-3oz, you could do their normal 4-6oz, you could feed on one side if breastfeeding, or feed on both sides! Some babies will only drink a tiny amount, some will take in the full feeding.

How long is too long to let a baby cry?

Self-soothing

Many parents begin to pause before responding, or allow children to cry during bedtime without running to their sides around this age to teach children to sleep on their own. Even using this method, many suggest that babies should not be allowed to cry for more than 10 minutes without your attention.

Do you change diaper during night feeding?

As the saying goes, “What goes in, must come out!” So, if your baby is feeding frequently during the night, it is normal to expect frequent wet and dirty diapers during the night.

Do you change diaper when baby is sleeping?

“There are very few circumstances where I'd recommend waking a sleeping baby to change their diaper,” says Mochoruk. Unless your baby has an open sore or serious diaper rash that requires monitoring, let them sleep, she says. You really needn't worry about a bit of pee in the diaper.

How long after bedtime is dream feed?

What is the dream feed? # Basically, a dream feeding is the last feeding of the day. It typically happens 2-3 hours after the bedtime feeding and right about the same time that you are going to sleep.

Do you Unswaddle for night feed?

If your baby is swaddled, keep them swaddled throughout their night feeds. Or if your baby is older, keep them in their sleeping bag. If you need to do a diaper change before or during their feed, re-swaddle them again or put them back in their sleeping bag as soon as they are changed.

Why do babies lift their legs up while sleeping?

Benign neonatal sleep myoclonus: sudden movements of their arms, legs, and face during sleep. It disappears on its own by 6 months. This is completely normal, and it just means that the infant's brain is active.

What happens if baby doesn't burp during dream feed?

If the baby does not release air through a burp after feeding, they may have discomfort later as it moves through the intestines and causes gas. In addition, some babies are so sleepy at the breast or bottle that they fail to take in enough calories at their meals.

Why you shouldn't do a dream feed?

Dream feeding might wake up your baby more and lead to trouble falling back to sleep, or result in more night wakings because you disrupted that first very restorative period of sleep. Dream feeding may also backfire in the long run because baby will get used to having an extra feed overnight.

How do you introduce a dream feed?

Should I dream feed or let baby sleep?

Around four months old is also when babies start to become more aware of their surroundings. They might start to wake up when you feed them. If you are doing a dream feed and seeing an improvement in your baby's sleep, then keep at it. But for many babies, you can stop the dream feed and you'll get similar results.

How long should I try to burp my baby?

Support your baby's head and neck, make sure their tummy and back is nice and straight (not curled up), and rub or pat their back gently. You don't need to spend ages burping your baby, a couple of minutes should be enough.