How to Use a Dream Feed Strategy

Today I want to talk a little bit about DREAM FEEDS!

Because I feel like it’s often touted as a miracle cure for babies that don’t sleep. Almost every parent thinks “well that sounds easy enough, I’ll just try that tonight”.

19 out of 20 of my clients are doing it wrong before they start working with me.

That doesn't mean a dream feed is a bad strategy, it just needs to be used in the right context and at the right developmental stage.

First of all a dream feed is most helpful for ages 10-15 weeks! (Some of you are gonna go WHAAA?!) You can not rouse an older baby from sleep and expect this to go well. It’s supposed to be a short term strategy.

What's a dream feed? This is when you give your baby an extra feeding around the time you would go to bed yourself, as an "insurance policy" for getting a nice long stretch of sleep before your baby is ready to get up and eat again.

Around 10:30pm, wake baby just enough to nurse (around 10 min if breastfeeding) or take a bottle. Stay quiet and move quickly, this isn't play time or cuddle time. Lay baby back down drowsy (this is important!).

You should be able to get a 4-5 hour stretch this way, assuming your baby is taking in the required amount of calories during the day.

This strategy is NOT as effective for older babies, so make sure your sleep strategy is targeted for your child's exact needs and evolving with their age and developmental level.

Need help with your child's sleep? Schedule a free 15-min discovery call with me to discuss how I can help you make amazing changes to your child's sleep.

Sweet dreams!