If you have been using the magical dream feed as a way of gaining more sleeping hours and yet you still end up shifting from one bed to another at 2 o’clock, then you must be wondering why this is not working. Babies differ in many ways and feeding needs are no exception. Let us now take a deep dive into the dream feed problem and also see why it might not work for your little ones.
WHAT’S THE DEAL? UNDERSTANDING DREAM FEEDING
Dream feeding involves giving your baby a last breast or bottle feed before you retire to bed, usually between 10pm and midnight with an expectation that they will sleep longer into the night. Many parents swear by this tactic during the first months of their baby’s life. But what happens when the dream feed isn’t the dreamy solution it’s chalked up to be?
WHEN THE DREAM FEED DOESN’T WORK
Sometimes, regardless of what you do, those precious night time hours just won’t budge no matter how much milk is given during that dream feed period. This could be due to low sleepiness levels of your child during that particular meal resulting in increased alertness or maybe it does not make any difference since he/she doesn’t consume enough milk at this point. Understanding these intricacies about your baby’s sleep patterns and hunger stands may explain everything.
IS DREAM FEEDING NECESSARY?
Like many other parenting techniques, dream feeding is not always applicable in all situations; it would have never been so if that were true. For example, some babies benefit greatly from this practice especially if they have strong sucking reflexes or slow weight gain tendencies while for others, choosing not to offer them such feeds is fine since it may not be working or because they are growing well without it.
CAN DREAM FEEDING BE HARMFUL? IS DREAM FEEDING BAD?
Although not necessarily harmful, dream feeding can create dependencies and interfere with natural sleep patterns and digestion. Thus, if your baby wakes up during a dream feed or experiences discomfort such as increased gas after the feed, this may do more harm than good.
DOES DREAM FEED CAUSE NIGHT WAKING? DREAM FEED NOT EXTENDING SLEEP
One of the paradoxes surrounding dream feeding is that instead of allowing babies to rest more between feeds at night, some infants tend to wake up frequently. This can happen when during this time they are fed hence interrupting their normal sleeping cycle pushing them from deeper states into lighter ones which might easily be disturbed.
HOW TO KNOW IF DREAM FEED ISN'T WORKING
You'll know why dream feed isn't working for your baby if you notice that he or she is becoming even more wakeful at nighttimes and has shorter sleeping durations following its consumption. Besides, if a baby who usually grasps everything fails to show interest in his/her sleep or significant quantities of milk remain in the bottle then it may be time for an intervention.
AGE BY AGE: DREAM FEEDING THROUGH THE MONTHS
Dream Feeding 2 Month Old and 4 Month Old: Newborns might take easier on this since they generally need higher amounts of nutrients throughout the night. But by four months when they start developing established sleeping patterns it could become less effective.
Dream Feed 6 Months and Beyond: As babies grow older, their nighttime feeding requirement tends to reduce. At this age, no longer contributing to prolonged sleep stretches means they could drop off that final bottle before going down for good.
Dismissing The Dream Feed At 9 Months: Many babies may be well on solids and might not need the extra calories at night by around 9 months. If your nine month old is eating well during the day, they are unlikely to require a dream feed.
Dream Feed Adjustments: When to Consider Dropping It
But if a dream feed isn’t working out and your baby is otherwise healthy and weight gain is good, it may be time to phase it out. Start reducing the quantity you offer when giving them a dream feed little by little or move its timing back some minutes to see whether it will naturally fade away.
Final Thoughts: Is Dream Feeding Effective?
In some homes, however, dream feeding is indispensable when a child is still newborn. In others, unintended distraction from sleeping time results. The concept here is that the parents should listen carefully to what their children want and respond accordingly. Trust yourself—nobody knows your baby better than you do.
In reality, wading through the shores of dreaming while feeding can seem very contentious but with some trial and error you’ll come across what works well for you as parents in future. Regardless of whether you keep on with dream feeding or choose to quit doing it altogether, remember that every child’s path towards night-long sleep differs from other children’s path. There will be sweet dreams at the end no matter which way you chose!