How to do a dream feed when breastfeeding?

Understanding Dream Feeding
Dream feeding is a technique used by parents to feed their babies while they are still in a semi-asleep state. This method is particularly popular among breastfeeding mothers who want to extend their baby’s sleep duration during the night. The concept is simple: by feeding your baby without fully waking them, you can help them consume enough milk to potentially sleep longer stretches until morning.
When to Implement Dream Feeding
Typically, dream feeds are introduced when your baby is around 2 to 3 weeks old and can be beneficial until they are about 6 months old. The ideal time to perform a dream feed is usually between 10 PM and midnight, after your baby has been asleep for a few hours. This timing allows you to take advantage of the natural sleep cycles of your baby, ensuring they are in a light sleep phase, making it easier to feed them without waking them fully.
How to Perform a Dream Feed
1. Prepare for the Feed: Before you start, ensure that you have everything you need within reach. This includes your breastfeeding supplies, a comfortable chair, and perhaps a dim light to avoid fully waking your baby.
2. Gently Wake Your Baby: While the goal is to keep your baby in a dreamy state, you may need to gently rouse them. This can be done by softly stroking their cheek or gently lifting them to a more upright position. The key is to avoid fully waking them, as you want them to remain relaxed.
3. Latching On: Once your baby is in a semi-awake state, guide them to your breast. If they are too drowsy to latch, you might need to wait a moment or try again later. Ideally, your baby should suckle as they would during a regular feeding session.
4. Monitor the Feeding: During the dream feed, pay attention to your baby’s cues. They may suckle for a few minutes and then drift back to sleep. Aim for them to consume a similar amount of milk as they would during a daytime feed, which can help them feel full and sleep longer.
5. Post-Feed Routine: After the feed, gently place your baby back in their crib or bassinet. Avoid stimulating them too much to ensure they can easily transition back to sleep.
Benefits of Dream Feeding
The primary advantage of dream feeding is that it can help extend your baby’s sleep duration, allowing both the baby and the parents to enjoy longer periods of rest. This technique can be particularly helpful for parents who are struggling with frequent night wakings. Additionally, it can help establish a more predictable feeding schedule, which can be beneficial for both the baby and the parents.
Conclusion
Dream feeding can be a valuable tool for breastfeeding mothers looking to optimize their baby’s sleep patterns. By understanding the technique and timing, parents can create a smoother nighttime routine that benefits everyone involved. As with any parenting strategy, it’s essential to remain flexible and responsive to your baby’s needs, adjusting the approach as necessary.

Do you change your diaper after a dream feed?

Unless baby is leaking, changing the diaper isn’t needed. If baby isn’t unhappy, don’t wake them to change a diaper. If you feel you need to, however, change the diaper before feeding so baby will remain asleep for the feed then be put straight back to bed.

What if baby doesn’t burp and falls asleep?

What to do in this case? A: If your baby falls asleep before burping, gently try to burp them while they are still drowsy. If unsuccessful, it’s generally okay to let them sleep without forcing a burp. Ensure a comfortable sleeping position to prevent discomfort, and try burping after the next feeding.

Do you give a full feed for a dream feed?

A dream feed is when you give your baby a full feeding while they are still asleep. So your baby is not waking up at all, they aren’t crying or acting hungry, you simply stick a bottle in their mouth or latch them onto you and give them a feed before you go to bed or in the middle of the night.

When shouldn t you dream feed?

My general rule is that you can bid adieu to the dream feed 2 to 4 weeks after your baby is sleeping well from the time of your dream feed on through to the morning. (Learn when your baby might start sleeping through the night.) Of course, if the dream feed isn’t working for you, there’s no need to continue!

Do you burp baby when dream feeding?

Do you burp after a 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.

What is the difference between a dream feed and a night feed?

Many people confuse a late feed with a dream feed, a late feed if just when your baby wakes for a feed around 10/11pm at night, you feed them and pop them back to bed. A dream feed though is when you go in while your baby is sleeping and feed them, they don’t wake up.

How to do a dream feed while breastfeeding?

How do you do a dream feed? You simply pick your baby up from the crib while they are still asleep and feed them. They are mostly asleep during this feeding, so you shouldn’t have any trouble putting them back down afterward. Once the feeding is done, burp your baby if necessary and put them back down in the crib.

How long to let baby cry it out?

How long to let a baby cry it out? For the cry-it-out method, you let your baby cry until they fall asleep, and rest assured they will. Some babies may protest for 25 minutes, others 65 minutes, and some even longer. It’s important not to put a time limit on it (that’s a different sleep-training method).

Do you take baby out of crib for dream feed?

With a dream feed, your goal is simply to provide one more feeding before you go to bed. You’ll take your little one out of the crib or bassinet about 2-3 hours after the bedtime feeding and offer another full feeding. It’s that simple! If your baby needs a diaper change, do it.

What is the cry it out method?

What is the cry it out method? Cry it out (also known as CIO or extinction) is a method of . In short, a child is put into their sleep space while they’re still awake and then left to fall asleep on their own.