If your baby wakes up hungry at night, it makes sense to boost evening calories by dream feeding.
If your baby wakes up hungry at night, it makes sense to boost evening calories by dream feeding.
The dream feed will hopefully eliminate—or delay—one of the top reasons babies wake throughout the night-rumbling in their tummy.
What Is Dream Feeding?
Dream feeding is when you wake your baby to feed one more time before you go asleep for the night. Research shows that sneaking in one more feed between 10pm and midnight reduces night waking’s among 3-month-olds...and it works great for older infants too!
How Do I Dream Feed?
To do this, wake your little one between 10 pm and midnight and encourage them to nurse (5-10 minutes on one side and the rest on the other side).
If they have a hard time waking for the dream feed, change their nappy or tickle their toes, to rouse them just enough to feed.
Why Dream Feeds Are Great for Your Little One
- They'll get the extra calories they need to sleep better.
- The feed at a convenient time (so you sleep longer).
- They will feed less during the night and therefore be hungrier in the morning, which will hopefully boost their daytime eating.
At What Age Should I Stop Dream Feeding?
Your goal with dream feeding is to help your baby sleep from the time you go to bed through until the morning. All babies are different so there is no specific age recommendation. A realistic goal on stopping the feed is to try a month after your baby is sleeping consistently well from the time of your dream feed on through to the morning
Laura Doyle, mum of 4. Kyle 9, Noa Belle 4, Briar 2 and Milla 12 months. Breastfeeder, co-sleeper, coffee drinker. Staying positive and inspired by the chaos of it all. Writer and blogger at www.lovelifeandlittleones.com.
