08/12/2021
The dream feed is when you wake your baby, not completely, to feed them before you go to sleep for the night. This feed gives your baby those extra calories so they are less likely to wake hungry in the middle of the night. 👍🏻
Normally your babies bedtime will be between 6 and 7, without the helpful dream feed they will most likely be waking up to eat in the middle of the night 🌙 or very early in the morning. ☀️
Starting the dream feed a little before the 4 month regression hits is a great time to introduce it! Before going forward with a dream feed make sure to talk with your doctor about it to see if it's the right decision for you and your baby.👩🏻⚕️
Here are some easy steps to follow to properly execute a dream feed:
-Choose a time to wake your baby, make it consistent ⏰
- Don’t wake baby before you pick them up 💤
- Once they are out of their bassinet/crib and in your arms gently rouse them awake and latch them onto the bottle/chest 🤱🏾
- Don’t interact much with your baby during this time and keep the environment quiet and dimly lit. 💡
This feed is going to be shorter than a normal feed and you can expect your baby to only get in about half as much as they do during a typical feeding.
The goal for the dream feed is for you and your baby to get some more nighttime sleep while ensuring baby is still getting all the nutrients that they need! 😊
Have you used the dream feed with your little ones?