Stopping the dream feed

[Mum2b_Claire]

Hi. Just wanting to hear about other people's experiences of this if poss. I don't mean people who found dreamfeeding didn't work for them or whatever, I'd like to hear from anyone who dreamfed for the first few months and then stopped it. Did you deliberately cut it down gradually, did LO just stop drinking it, or did you just stop giving it?
I'm asking because Ruby point blank refused hers last night, (we've dreamfed her from birth) but it made no difference whatsoever to the time she woke up. Maybe she just doesn't need it anymore. That was 13 hours without a feed and she wasn't even hungry when she woke up.

 

[AnnaHughes]

i was going to ask the same thing too!

Over the last week, reuben has only taken between 60 and 90oz, after that, his lips get pursed tight, as if to say, leave me to sleep!

He has been draining his 8oz bottles pretty much all the time in the day, so he is now drinking the same on just his 4 day bottles as he was when he had 5 iykwim

i might try not giving it tonight, and see what happens - although, he will only be on 4 bottles (1000ml in total) in 24 hours then, not sure if it is too soon to drop to that?

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yeah Ruby is the same, she would be down to 1000ml and 4 bottles if we stopped the dreamfeed. I think we will offer it tonight but not worry if she doesn't take it. (I was rather worried last night tat she would wake in the early hours but it never happened.)

 

[NIfirsttimer]

this week Ruby has started to sleep thru, i was dreamfeeding her around 12, but recently shes been taking an ounce if even that, so last 2 nights i decided to not give it, and see what happened... and what happened was she slept RIGHt thru from 10pm to 9.30am!!!! its amazing! i imagined she would wake early in the morning for a feed but she seems to have just dropped it without even really noticing! (shes fed EBM)

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yeah our Ruby was sleeping 10-9.30 at that age. Great isn't it! Then we slowly put her bedtime back to 7pm in stages...by about 12 weeks OH and I had evenings together again!
If you decide to put her to bed earlier when she's a bit older you could start dreamfeeding at 10 or something...that will really help when she has growth spurts...

 

[Missy85]

i was wondering what would happen with this feed, as im starting to do it with Zack as i would rather stay up and give him a feed at 10/11 than get up at 3/4 in the morning, but worried that i would always end up giving but it seems they wean themselves off it! Good babies!!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

From what I've read, it's a good idea to keep offering the dreamfeed until they're eating a decent amount of solids. But if Ruby keeps refusing hers I'll just stop offering I think. I use ready made milk and it's too expensive to keep chucking away, lol!
I'll update on how we get on tonight!

 

[Missy85]

well im under the impression they will let you know if they are hungry! good luck tonight!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

well im under the impression they will let you know if they are hungry! good luck tonight!

Well I've just dreamfed her and tonight she took a whole 9oz bottle. Confused much?

 

[Missy85]

haha they like to keep us on our toes! probably the best thing is to keep offering until she refuses it consistently... only thing is, it is a waste of milk lol

I gave Zack bottle before bed at 7, he went to bed at 8, went to give him dreamfeed at 10:30 but he only took 3oz of a 6oz bottle so i think i need to wait a bit later to give it to him..