Having a baby is a magical time, that brings with it immense happiness but also the need for a new sleep schedule, with parents trying to figure out how to maximise sleep for both themselves and their baby. Cue the dream feed - a promising solution.
What is a dream feed?
Dream feeding involves feeding your baby while they are still asleep, typically before the parents go to bed, occurring two to three hours after putting your little one to bed for the night. This technique aims to provide nourishment without fully waking the baby, creating a bridge between evening and overnight feedings. Ultimately, it is to encourage your little one to sleep for longer before they wake for a feed.
Dream feeding involves gently rousing your baby from their sleep to provide a late-night feeding. While your baby might be too drowsy to consume a full meal during the dream feed, this late-night snack can potentially delay their hunger for the next feeding by an hour or two. This can result in a win-win situation, granting both you and your baby more peaceful and prolonged sleep.
For babies who need to gain weight or require additional calories, dream feeding can serve as a helpful strategy to ensure they receive the extra nutrition they need to thrive. It's a gentle way to support their growth while fostering a better sleep routine for the entire family.
When do I start to dream feed my baby?
Deciding when to start dream-feeding your baby is a personal choice that often aligns with your little one's sleep patterns. Newborns, with their small stomachs, typically need to eat every two to four hours. Around 2 to 3 months old, you may notice signs that your baby can sleep for longer stretches without a feed, making it an opportune time to introduce dream feeding.
While dream feeding can be initiated in older babies, around 4 to 6 months, most infants naturally achieve about 10 to 12 hours of nightly sleep with just one or two feedings. In this age group, introducing a dream feed might not be necessary and could potentially disrupt the baby's deep and restorative initial sleep. However, if they are still waking frequently overnight for feeds, a dream feed may reduce the number of nighttime awakenings by filling them up for longer. You need to assess your little one’s wake-up times and reasons for waking up.
How to dream feed your baby:
Dream feeding your baby is a relatively straightforward process whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Here's a step-by-step guide:
Choose the Right Sleep Phase:
Opt for dream feeding when your baby is in an active sleep period, known as REM sleep. Recognising this phase is apparent as your baby may twitch, move their arms, legs, fingers, and feet, flutter eyelids, and even display facial expressions. Catching them during these moments, especially when they are stirring, is ideal for a more substantial feeding.
Time it Strategically:
Time the dream feed to maximise both your baby's sleep and your own. Ideally, aim for a dream feed around two to three hours after the last feeding, ensuring your baby isn't too full to take in enough milk. This may involve scheduling the dream feed between 10 and 11 p.m., depending on your baby's routine.
Coordinate with Your Bedtime:
Plan the dream feed just before you intend to go to bed. For instance, if your bedtime is at 11 p.m., target feeding your baby around 10:30 p.m. This helps align the longer stretch of your baby's sleep with your own sleep schedule.
Gently Rouse Your Baby:
Pick up your baby from the cot gently, try not to wake them fully, but rouse them, this can be done by unswaddling them, holding them upright, adjusting the lights slightly, or stroking their cheek.
Initiate the Feeding:
Position your breast or the bottle to the corner of your baby's mouth. This stimulates a latch and the sucking reflex, ensuring your baby gets their late-night feed. Remember to keep your baby propped up in your arms during the feeding. The aim is to offer your baby a FULL feed, similar to that of a daytime feed.
If your baby shows little interest and you've been attempting to feed for 15-20 minutes without success, it's perfectly acceptable to conclude the feeding for that night. If this becomes a consistent pattern, it might indicate that the dream feed isn't currently suitable for your baby. Paying attention to your baby's cues and responsiveness during the dream feed can help determine if it aligns with their current needs and preferences.
Wrap up the Feeding:
Once your baby has finished taking milk, attempt to burp them to alleviate any potential gas and then gently return them to the cot on their back.
By following these steps, you can make the dream feeding process a smooth and effective part of your baby's nighttime routine.
Does a dream feed help a baby sleep for longer?
Although some parents, like myself, believe dream feeding does enable a baby to sleep for longer, there is little research supporting the claim.
In one study involving 279 mothers with young infants, participants underwent a sleep education program, while others served as controls. Families in the education program received guidance on various sleep-related practices, including dream feeding, bedtime routines, self-soothing techniques, and the use of swaddles, pacifiers, and white noise to facilitate their babies' sleep. The findings revealed that babies in the education program tended to sleep longer. However, determining the specific impact of dream feeding in this outcome proved challenging.
Additionally, a smaller study focused on breastfed newborns who received a dream feed between 10 p.m. and midnight. The results indicated that babies who underwent the dream feed and associated techniques slept well between midnight and 5 a.m.
While these studies provide some insights into the potential benefits of dream feeding, it's essential to acknowledge the limited scope of research in this area. Further studies are needed to establish a clearer understanding of the role dream feeding plays in influencing a baby's sleep patterns.
It is important to use a trial-and-error approach when it comes to your little one. As a baby sleep consultant, I often advise parents to attempt a dream feed if their little one is waking multiple times at night, however, in a few instances it doesn’t always work, and for some parents, we need to consider other options.
What are the benefits of dream feeding?
Extended Sleep Periods: Dreamfeeding can potentially lead to longer stretches of uninterrupted sleep during the night, offering respite to both baby and parents.
Consolidated Sleep Cycles: By helping to consolidate sleep cycles, dreamfeeding contributes to a more seamless transition between different sleep stages, promoting restful sleep.
Reduced Nighttime Feedings: Dreamfeeding may decrease the number of times your baby wakes up for nighttime feedings, addressing hunger needs proactively.
Increased Parental Sleep: Dreamfeeding isn't just for the baby—it allows parents to maximise their sleep duration, providing a welcome reprieve for the sleep-deprived.
Establishing a Routine: Incorporating dreamfeeding into a bedtime routine can create predictability, signaling to your baby that nighttime is for sleeping.
What are the risks of dream feeding?
Not Universally Effective: While dream feeding works wonders for some families, it may not be a universal solution. Each baby is unique, and what works for one may not work for another.
Disruption Risk: Dream feeding can inadvertently disrupt your baby's sleep if not executed with care. There's a fine line between providing nourishment and fully waking them up.
Dependency Concerns: Some experts caution against creating a dependency on dreamfeeding, as it might interfere with a baby's ability to self-soothe and establish a regular feeding schedule.
Potential for Overfeeding: Without the baby's active participation, it can be challenging to gauge how much they've consumed during a dream feed, potentially leading to overfeeding.
Dream feeding is generally regarded as safe, provided that you remove your baby from the cot, awaken them sufficiently for the feeding, and refrain from feeding them while lying flat on their back, particularly if you're using a bottle. Optimal dream feeding involves placing your baby in a semi-upright position, with their head nestled into the curve of your arm. This positioning enhances safety and comfort during the feeding process.
When to stop dream feeding?
Typically, by the time a baby reaches 6 months, most healthy babies no longer require dream feeds. However, it's crucial not to rely solely on age as the determining factor for discontinuing dream feeding, and follow your little one’s lead.
The primary objective of dream feeding is to ensure your baby is sufficiently filled up to promote longer nighttime sleep. However, some families discover that dream feeds don't have the intended impact and might even result in the baby waking up more frequently. If you observe this pattern, it's likely a good decision to consider discontinuing dream feeding. The effectiveness of this practice can vary among babies, and it's essential to be attentive to your baby's responses and adapt accordingly.
If you would like any support with introducing a dream feed or dropping one, please get in
to find out how I can help.