Night time feeds

[JulyBug]

Hi all,

My little boy will be 5 weeks on Monday and I'm just after some advice.. I'm a first time Mum so a bit clueless but I think he sleeps ok during the night (as well as to be expected anyway)..
His bedtime is 7pm but this varies depending on how well he settles, sometimes his tossing and turning until gone 8..
I was advised to do a 'dreamfeed' at 10-10.30 which I do, he takes a good 3-4oz and goes straight back to sleep (after having a little winge!)
He then usually sleeps until 1.30-2am
Then wakes again at about 5-5.30am
He'll then sleep until 7.30 when I wake him for his first feed.

My first question is, are those wake up times normal for his age?
Also, should I do a dreamfeed? Or should I just leave him once his gone down? I know its probably personal preference but I wonder what difference it would make if I just left him? They say they only sleep one long stretch so if I left him he may sleep until 11 say but then still wake up at 2 because he would have already had his long stretch?
What are people's experiences with dreamfeeds?

His day time naps are another matter.. he can go all morning without sleeping, he finally gives in after his 1pm feed and falls fast asleep for a few hours then wakes to feed then just wants to go back to sleep.. No matter what I do he just doesnt want to sleep in the morning?? Any ideas?

Thank you in advanced

 

[mylullaby]

I don't think there really is a "normal" at that age. If it's working for you and/or baby, just roll with it I say. Ours didn't have an early bedtime till much older than yours. He would "sleep through" from midnight- 8am at first and it gradually got earlier and earlier over time, so dream feeds weren't really an option. Sounds like you're doing great though. Is there a reason why you wake him at 7.30am? Do you need him to be up? I'd have let mine sleep if possible but depends on if you have to be somewhere? Xx

 

[snowbee]

What is a dream feed?

My boy is 15 weeks, we have no routine as such, he sleeps when he wants and eats when he wants. During the day he barely slept until this last week when he has been much more active and I presume tired. At night he eats around midnight and then will often sleep until 5. If he is having a growth spurt he will feed every couple of hours. I think they are all fairly different and as long as they are growing ok I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[snowbee]

What is a dream feed?

My boy is 15 weeks, we have no routine as such, he sleeps when he wants and eats when he wants. During the day he barely slept until this last week when he has been much more active and I presume tired. At night he eats around midnight and then will often sleep until 5. If he is having a growth spurt he will feed every couple of hours. I think they are all fairly different and as long as they are growing ok I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[JulyBug]

Here's some info on dreamfeeds, probably explains it better then I would..
http://www.madeformums.com/baby/what-is-a-dream-feed/32730.html

My LO just naturally fell into the 'dream feed' really as he feeds 3 hourly at 7,10,1 & 4 so he would normally wake at around 10 hungry anyway so doing the 'dream feed' just made it easier as I don't need to resettle him like I would if he was to wake on his own.. I'm just hoping that as he gets older and is able to take more milk he will start sleeping later then 2am as at the moment he only goes 4 hours and it's usually exactly 4 hours to the minute!! lol

Any advice of daytime naps? Recently he refuses to sleep in the mornings, maybe for half an hour or so but only goes down properly in the afternoon. Should I worry or just let him sleep when he wants?

xx

 

[millielaura]

I would just let him sleep when he wants in the day. We still don't do a nap routine as such but she usually has 2 a day and I just encourage a nap when she starts rubbing eyes etc. Defo don't worry. He's probably just getting more alert so staying awake longer in the day

I'd say his night time feeds sound fine for his age too . I personally didn't used to dream feed or wake for feeds but she had bad silent reflux and colic so when she was awake she was screaming so I figured if she was hungry she would wake haha. I didnt really get into a night routine until around 4/5 months. If the dream feed works for you though then keep it xx

Sent from my SM-G928F using Tapatalk

 

[YorksLass]

Think it depends on the baby. Mine still dreamfeeds at 14 months! If I don't do it, she wakes at awkward times in the night still, wanting milk.
I think it's a bit early yet for your son to be totally settled into a reliable night pattern, but if you feel it helps right now, do it!

 

[Celene]

I definitely wouldn't drop the dreamfeed until baby was sleeping through the night consistently. Even then I didn't drop it until solids were established. I think the more feeds/awake time they get during the day the more they are likely to go longer stretches at night. I was told to talk and make eye contact with baby during day feeds and at night no talking or eye contact so they start to learn that night time isn't play time.

 

[JulyBug]

Yes I follow the no talking etc at night feeds (not that I do any anymore, he more or less sleeps through now) I do how ever look at him lol I feel strange avoiding eye contact with my baby!!! Lol

As for more awake time meaning more night sleep, I think that's a common misconception, babies that have regular consistent naps during the day will sleep better at night, if they have been purposely kept awake they will become very hard to settle due to be over tired and over stimulated. My LOs naps had improved since writing the original post,
He now has 40-60 minutes awake time after each feed then will nap for at least an hour and settles straight away at bedtime.

I did decide to drop the dreamfeed in the end and worked out better for me, he continued to sleep until the same time without it and then within days that time extended and continued to stretch until now where his sleeping until 6am most days. I didn't want the hassle of tying to wean him off it at a later date as I've heard it can end up messing up their sleep pattern! Plus I was struggling to stay awake to do it!! lol

xx