Should I dream feed my breastfed baby?

Understanding Dream Feeding for Breastfed Babies
Dream feeding is a technique used by many parents to help their babies sleep longer stretches at night. This practice involves feeding a baby while they are still asleep, typically during the late evening or nighttime hours, to help them stay full for a longer period and potentially reduce nighttime awakenings. For breastfeeding mothers, this can raise several questions about the benefits and potential drawbacks of dream feeding.
The Benefits of Dream Feeding
1. Extended Sleep for Parents and Baby: One of the primary advantages of dream feeding is the potential for longer sleep periods. By offering a breastfeed while the baby is still asleep, parents may help their little ones sleep for a longer stretch, allowing everyone to gain some much-needed rest.
2. Increased Caloric Intake: Babies, especially newborns, have small stomachs and require frequent feedings. A dream feed can ensure that the baby gets enough calories, especially if they are going through a growth spurt or have been particularly active during the day.
3. Easing Transition to Nighttime Sleep: For some babies, a dream feed can help ease the transition into a longer sleep cycle, as it can help them feel more secure and full when settling down for the night.
Potential Drawbacks
1. Disrupting Sleep Patterns: While dream feeding can be beneficial, it may also disrupt a baby’s natural sleep patterns. Some babies may become reliant on being fed during the night, which could lead to a cycle of frequent awakenings rather than fostering self-soothing skills.
2. Impact on Milk Supply: For breastfeeding mothers, it’s essential to consider how dream feeding might affect milk supply. If a baby is being fed at night but not during the day, it could lead to an imbalance in feeding patterns that might affect the mother’s milk production.
3. Not Suitable for Every Baby: Not all babies will respond well to dream feeding. Some infants may not take to feeding while asleep, and forcing it could lead to frustration for both the baby and the parent.
Recommendations for Parents
If you’re considering dream feeding your breastfed baby, here are a few tips:
– Timing is Key: Aim to dream feed when your baby is in a light sleep stage, usually about two to three hours after their last feed. This can help ensure they are unaware of the feeding process.
– Observe Your Baby’s Cues: Pay attention to your baby’s behavior. If they seem to wake up or refuse to feed during a dream feed, it may be best to skip it.
– Maintain Daytime Feedings: Ensure that your baby is getting enough milk during the day to support their growth and development. A well-fed baby during the day may naturally want to sleep longer at night without the need for a dream feed.
– Consult a Pediatrician: If you have concerns about your baby’s feeding patterns or sleep habits, it’s always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional. They can provide personalized advice based on your baby’s needs.
Conclusion
Dream feeding can be a useful strategy for some families navigating the challenges of nighttime feedings. However, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons and consider your baby’s individual needs and sleep patterns. Ultimately, every baby is unique, and what works for one family may not work for another. By remaining attuned to your baby’s cues and consulting with healthcare providers as needed, you can make informed decisions that best suit your family’s sleep and feeding dynamics.

What age should you stop breastfeeding to sleep?

Stopping breastfeeding at night
You may decide that you are happy with breastfeeding back to sleep, but you are feeling pressured by others’ expectations about what your baby ‘should’ be doing. Some books suggest that after six months babies no longer need night feeds.

How do I know if my baby needs a dream feed?

How do I know if my baby needs a dream feed? Newborn babies have small stomachs and need to be fed every two to four hours. Once your child shows signs that they can sleep for longer periods of time, you might want to consider introducing dream feeding. This is usually around two to three months old.

What is the best age to start dream feed?

It is never too soon to introduce a sleep feeding into your baby’s schedule, although some prefer to wait until their baby graduates from the newborn phase. Infant dream feeding is most used for babies between 6 weeks and 10 months old.

Can a mother breastfeed while sleeping?

Conclusions: Accidental asphyxia is a rare but possible outcome if mothers fall asleep in bed with their infants while breast feeding. Nursing mothers should be made aware of the potential dangers of fatigue and sedation in such circumstances.

What are the negatives of dream feeding?

Disadvantages of a Dream Feed
Sometimes a dream feed may not work out as you expected. You may wake up your baby. At times, you may end up waking up your baby when you’re trying to feed them. According to research, infants up to six months old spend as much as 50% of their time in REM sleep.

Why is dream feeding not recommended?

Dream feeding can also have a negative impact on a baby’s sleep by causing early morning wakings and disrupting their sleep cycles. When a baby is dream fed, it can disrupt their natural hunger cues and interfere with their ability to self-regulate their sleep.

When to stop dream feed breastfeeding?

Stopping the dream feed from 7 months old is recommended as around this age older babies’ sleep patterns will be starting to mature, and offering a dream feed past this age can actually encourage more night waking /night feedings as it will disturb their stage of deep sleep until midnight.

What is the 5 3 3 rule?

The 5 3 3 rule is a sleep training method where you have your child sleep for 5 hours, then wake for 3 hours, then sleep for 3 hours again.

Do you burp a baby after a dream feed?

Yes! It’s important to always remember to burp after the dream feeding to help minimize reflux and gas, which can become very uncomfortable and lead to frequent wakeups in the night. Feeding in a cradled position with the baby’s head slightly elevated will also help with this.

Can you dream feed a breastfed baby?

How to do the dreamfeed while breastfeeding: You can do the dream feed while breastfeeding, but it often a bit harder, and sometimes almost impossible with some babies. You can stroke baby’s bottom lip with a pacifier, your finger, or your breast to get his sucking reflex going.