#20 Dream Feed

Help Your Baby and Help Yourself

 

Chances are if you are a first time mom you may not have heard of Dream Feeding.  No, it is not sleepwalking to the fridge and filling up on lots of food!   



Dream Feeding refers to feeding your baby, by breast or bottle, once they have fallen asleep.  Why, you may ask, do moms try this?  Firstly it can help to satisfy a baby who wakes up frequently with hunger pangs.  Secondly it can provide you mom, with a longer stretch of uninterrupted sleep.

Give it a go, maybe it will work for you and baby.  Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Dream Feed just before you go to bed.  That way you will (hopefully) increase your chances of getting more sleep before you are awakened for that first night feeding.
• Ensure your bottle is ready or your breasts are prepped.
• Choose a location close to baby's bed.
• Lower the lights and minimize any noise, next pick baby up, careful not to wake him/her.  Get comfy and cradle your bundle of joy.
• Ensure the nipple has a drop of milk on it and then gently put it into his/her mouth.  If baby's mouth doesn't open right away, you may need to carefully open his/her mouth and wriggle the nipple around a bit to trigger the sucking reflex.
• Tried the above and it still isn't working in that baby isn't taking the nipple?  No problem, just shift your position a little, enough to disrupt his/her sleep but not enough to wake baby.
• It may take a few tries, but that's okay.  Be patient and take it slowly.
• Once you feel the feeding is sufficient it is time for bed - for both of you!

In summary, for the Dream Feed what you are in essence doing is filling up baby on your schedule for this one feeding so that he/she will be more likely to sleep that much longer before the next one.  This will hopefully give you something that you really need and long for ..... a little more shut-eye.

Sweet Dreams

Image courtesy of papaija2008/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net