dream feed - how much?
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Topic: dream feed - how much?
Posted By: arohanui
Subject: dream feed - how much?
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 8:09am
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Well we did our first dream feed last night and it went really well. The only thing is, I'm not sure how much to give him. Last night he had 120ml of EBM. I don't know how much he has at a 'usual' feed cos that's the only time he has a bottle. I think he would have easily had more, but I was worried about over-feeding him. When they're asleep, are they able to stop when they're full?
So how much did/does your baby take at a dream feed? ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 8:46am
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That sounds pretty good to me. Cooper is 6mths and has 100mls. Harry would need more because of course he's younger.
------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 9:05am
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My wee man is 3 months and has 170mls at his dream feed. Sometimes he does stop and won't finish it so am guessing he knows he has had enough. He is purely FF tho so not sure if that makes a difference.
Did it make a differnce to his sleeping? -------------  
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Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 9:05am
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When i did dreamfeeds - though it was breast not bottle - bubs would still stop when full, even though he was pretty much asleep. -------------   
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Posted By: arohanui
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 9:22am
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Yeah it did seem to make a bit of a difference - he had his dreamfeed at 10.15pm and had the next feed at 3.15am and then woke at 7am. It made a difference in that we didn't have to either wake him or wait for him to wake up for that first feed. And lately he's been waking at about 2.30am and 6am, so it's pushed it out slightly.
So do you think I should offer him more? ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 9:33am
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Personally because you've only just started doing the dream feeds I'd play it by ear. Remember that just because you are giving him more doesn't necessarily mean that he's going to sleep for longer. You also don't want to put pressure on yourself to get that amount every night. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3)
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Posted By: Bel
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 9:39am
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Yeah the dreamfeed is a hard one - I tried it with Luke for a while when he was around 3 weeks old - he still woke at the same time, not matter how much he had to drink... So we gave up and he has been sleeping really well anyway. But in answer to your question, he would stop once he was full - breast or bottle...
(12 hours last night!! Woohoo!!) ------------- Mum to two beautiful kids 
Luke (09.11.2007) Amy (01.04.2009) |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 9:59am
| Daniel at that age had anywhere between 100-150ml, we made up 150ml (he was BF at that stage but DH gave him a bottle for dream feed) and he would just stop when he was full. Now if he has a dream feed (we only do it now when he's teething and hasn't wanted to eat much during the day) he has 200ml easily and has done that since about 4 months. |
Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 11:04am
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we manage 120 - 140 ml here but I agree with .Mel - play it by ear. If he's taking and seems like he'll take more offer a bit more the next night and see how you go.
Rowan varies - one night she'll only just manage 120ml and the next night she'll down 140ml in about 1 gulp. -------------  
 
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 11:32am
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I was told if they finish their bottle 3 times in a row, offer 20ml more and keep going until they're leaving about 10ml in the bottom.
Jack has anywhere between 120-150ml at his dreamfeed and he sleeps right through till 7.30am. |
Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 1:28pm
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I would definitely offer more if hes taking it easily, as he will pull away when hes finished. I think Jake had about 90-120mls around that age (not a big drinker then as he'd been thru surgery), then it increased to 160mls, and just before we dropped it (after going on solids) it was around 200mls. Some nights he'd suddenly take way less though.
Also remember, it may take up to a week for him to start really pushing out the next feed, so stick with it.  ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 1:30pm
ooh that's a good rule emz -------------
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 2:35pm
| Yeah I was told it by my m/w cos she said you don't want to give baby a complex that the food is going to run out lol! |
Posted By: LittleBug
Date Posted: 11 March 2008 at 4:57pm
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It should vary depending on how much he has managed to drink during the day. But Chloe is 5 weeks old, and I wouldn't really say I was experienced, but the times that I have done it, I made up a bottle initially of 140mL. Sometimes she finished it all, sometimes not. Now I make up 180mL bottles, because she generally drinks around 170mL, but I let her wake up on her own for a feed at night now so she is a bit hungrier... but it seems to make her sleep longer after I do that than if I wake her for a feed when she isn't that hungry yet. Someone gave me some advice which seems to work... they said if the bottle is easily drained then you should offer some more and see if they will take it. I was worried about overfeeding Chloe but she always seems to stop when she is full (off the bottle anyway - when I boobie feed her she will just suck for hours and I never know when she is finished) ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Posted By: arohanui
Date Posted: 12 March 2008 at 9:05am
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Thanks guys!
Last night I put 150mls in the bottle just in case and he ended up only taking 90mls - I think cos he had his last feed later and probably had more at that feed too. He slept through til 3.15am again and then woke for the day at 7.45. And he slept in his own room last night! Big step for mummy and daddy but Harry wasn't fussed... lol.. ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 12 March 2008 at 9:53am
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That's good news. Like I said just play it by ear. I think if you tried around 120mls for now, you might find he'll have at least 90-100 of that. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3)
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