Dropping dream feed cold turkey: Everything you need to know about dream feed + the science behind it.

Опубликовано: March 6, 2023 в 6:23 pm

Автор: alexxlab

Категории: Miscellaneous

Everything you need to know about dream feed + the science behind it.

During the first several months of a baby’s life, they spend most of their time sleeping. In fact, it’s recommended for newborns to get 16-17 hours of sleep per day. However, their sleep patterns generally consist of shorter stretches of just a few hours at a time.

As a result, it’s common for new parents to find themselves exhausted and searching for ways to help their baby sleep a little longer at night. After all, quality sleep isn’t just important for your mental and physical health—it’s also important for the growth and development of your little one.

In fact, a child’s brain is developing most rapidly during the first two years of their life and much of this development occurs while they are fast asleep. Out of the 16-17 hours that babies sleep, nearly half of it is spent in the REM stage, during which neural connections form at the highest speed. This helps babies store and process all the new information they are learning at a much faster rate than adults.

Additionally, infants and children who don’t get enough sleep are at an increased risk for health issues, such as obesity, attention and behavioral problems, and poor cognitive development, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dream feeds may offer you and your little one a way to get longer stretches of sleep at night while also providing the necessary nutrition for their growing body.

What is a dream feed?

Dream feeding is a popular way to potentially help you and your little one get a little extra sleep at night.

“A dream feed is a late-night feeding session given to a child while they are mostly asleep. This is typically done in the earlier part of the night, before a parent goes to sleep,” says Dr. Nilong Vyas (MD, Pediatrician), founder of Sleepless in Nola.

Let’s say you usually put your baby to bed around 7 p.m., and they naturally wake around midnight to eat. By adding a dream feed before you go to bed, around 10-11 p. m., you may be able to get several additional hours of sleep before your baby wakes again for the next feeding. Without the dream feed, you would likely be up within one to two hours of going to sleep. As a new parent, these several hours of uninterrupted sleep could make a significant difference in your mental health.

“By proactively feeding them, rather than waiting for them to wake hungry, it can help both parent and baby get a longer stretch of sleep,” shares Jessica Torrisi, Pediatric Sleep Consultant of Little Ones.

Did you know?
You naturally cycle through non-REM and REM sleep throughout the night. A longer stretch of sleep on the front-end of your night may allow you to get some extra non-REM Stage 3 sleep, which is the deepest and one of the most important stages of sleep. This stage is when the body repairs tissues, builds muscle, and strengthens the immune system.

Did you know?

You naturally cycle through non-REM and REM sleep throughout the night. A longer stretch of sleep on the front-end of your night may allow you to get some extra non-REM Stage 3 sleep, which is the deepest and one of the most important stages of sleep. This stage is when the body repairs tissues, builds muscle, and strengthens the immune system.

If you choose to sleep train your baby, dream feeds can also be incorporated into your schedule to help reduce nighttime wakings and help your baby sleep longer.

The science behind dream feeds

A variety of factors cause night wakings—hunger being the main one.

Research shows that proactively sneaking in an extra feed earlier in the night usually reduces night wakings as it delays the hunger cues that typically kick in during the early hours of the morning.

“Babies are usually in their deepest sleep in the first half of the night. Around midnight, they usually come into a lighter sleep phase, as their natural melatonin wears off,” says Torrisi. “As a result, a baby will often sleep soundly until around midnight, and then wake for multiple feeds between midnight and morning.”

Torrisi adds, “The dream feed doesn’t necessarily change their overnight milk intake. It simply brings one of their feeds earlier in the night, which helps reduce their wakings from midnight onwards and allows you to get some sleep in the meantime.”

Did you know?
Research shows that infants who consumed more calories, whether from milk or solid food, during the day were less likely to feed during the night.

Did you know?

Research shows that infants who consumed more calories, whether from milk or solid food, during the day were less likely to feed during the night.

How to do a dream feed?

“A dream feed will be most effective if done approximately three to four hours after you’ve put your little one to bed for the night—preferably shortly before you go to bed to get the longest stretch of sleep possible,” says Dr. Vyas.

Pick your sleeping baby up from their crib and change their diaper if needed. Rouse them slightly by slowly unswaddling them, rubbing their back or cheek, or gently moving their arms. Be gentle, as you want to wake them enough to feed without fully waking them. Place the bottle or breast near your baby’s lips, allowing them to latch and begin feeding independently. Once they’re done eating, gently burp them and lay them back down in their crib. If your little one falls asleep during the dream feed, simply burp them and lay them back down in their crib.

Keep in mind that you don’t want to force your baby to eat. Allow them to latch on their own to reduce the risk of choking.

“When dream feeding your baby, you want to try to keep them nice and sleepy, so aim for as little stimulation as possible,” advises Torrisi. “Keep the room as dark as you can and continue playing white noise to help keep them in that sleep zone.”

Do dream feeds work?

As you’ve likely figured out by now, every child is different, and there’s no “one-size-fits-all” method to parenting. Dream feeds can be an effective method of extending stretches of nighttime sleep; however, they may not work for everyone.

“For some babies, the dream feed can disrupt their natural sleep rhythms and actually cause them to wake more overnight,” says Torrisi. “If that happens, it’s best to drop it and let them wake naturally for feeds instead.”

Another scenario might be that some babies may wake easily and have a hard time getting back to sleep following a dream feed.

It’s essential to do what works best for you and your little one. You can always try out a few nights of dream feeds to see if they may benefit you. If not, you can continue to allow your baby to wake and eat based on their own feeding schedule.

When to drop dream feeding

Even if dream feeds have been successful for you and your little one, there comes a time when you will need to stop.

All babies are different, so there is no specific age recommendation for when to stop dream feeding. However, experts generally suggest weaning off dream feeds at six months of age, as long as there are no concerns from you or your pediatrician. This will allow enough time for your little one to show that they are continually gaining adequate weight according to their growth curve and meeting the necessary milestones.

After six months though, babies can start to form habit wakes in the middle of the night in response to stimuli like light, food, or communication.

“They become so used to having a feed at that same time every night that they will start to wake instinctively at that time, expecting to eat,” advises Torrisi. “To help prevent that habit from forming, I generally recommend dropping the dream feed by six months old.”

In some cases though, it may be beneficial to continue dream feeding past six months of age.

“Ideally a child should be capable of sleeping through the night by that time. However, if your baby is still waking to feed multiple times per night, continuing to offer a dream feed in the earlier part of the night could be useful to eliminate those additional night wakings,” says Dr. Vyas.

How do I stop dream feeding my baby?

Once you decide to drop the dream feed, there are a few different methods.

Gradual weaning process

One option is to gradually decrease the amount of milk consumed during a dream feed. If you are bottle-feeding, you can slowly decrease the amount of formula or breast milk in your baby’s bottle. For example, you could reduce the amount by half an ounce every two to three nights. When you are down to only one to two ounces, you will drop the dream feed and allow your little one to wake on their own.

However, it can be more difficult for breastfeeding parents to know how much breast milk their baby consumes. In this case, you could time the feeding session and reduce the time you allow your little one to eat during a dream feed session. For example, you could reduce the dream feeds by one to two minutes every two to three nights until you are down to only one to two-minute sessions. At that point, you’ll drop the dream feed altogether.

Dropping the dream feed cold turkey

Some parents find it easier to drop the dream feed cold turkey. If your baby is not drinking very much of their bottles or not nursing for very long, cold turkey may be an option. It also may be the best option for babies who get upset by the decrease in their formula or breast milk during the weaning process.

Again, it’s important to do what’s best for your baby’s unique needs. If you’re planning on dropping nighttime feeds altogether, discuss it with your pediatrician to ensure that your baby is gaining weight as expected and there are no other concerns.

Sleep and nutrition are crucial factors in your child’s development, especially during the first two years when the brain is most adaptable. Dream feeds may provide you with an option to ensure your little one is getting adequate nutrition while allowing you and your baby to get longer stretches of sleep during the few months after birth.

And let’s face it, we could all benefit from a little more sleep during the postpartum period.

FAQs

Q: When should you not dream feed?

A: It is recommended to drop dream feeding when your baby turns six months old.

When should you not dream feed?

It is recommended to drop dream feeding when your baby turns six months old.

FAQs

Q: When should you not dream feed?

A: It is recommended to drop dream feeding when your baby turns six months old.

Sources:

Sleep is important for infant development. NCBI. 2009. “A review of the effects of sleep during the first year or life on cognitive, psychomotor, and temperament development.”
A child’s brain is rapidly growing during early childhood. NCBI. 2018. “Imaging structural and functional brain development in early childhood.”
Much of infant sleep is spent in REM. NCBI. 2012. “Sleep and infant learning.”
Lack of sleep can lead to health issues. CDC. 2021. “Short sleep duration among infants, children, and adolescents aged 4 months-17 years — United States, 2016-2018.”
Differences in sleep stages. NCBI. 2021. “Physiology, sleep stages.”
Early night feedings may decrease night wakings. NCBI. 1993. “Help me make it through the night: behavioral entrainment of breast-fed infants’ sleep patterns.”
Infants who eat more during the day, eat less at night. NCBI. 2015. “Infant sleep and night feeding patterns during later infancy: association with breastfeeding frequency, daytime complementary food intake, and infant weight.”
Newborn stomachs are small but will expand with time. American Academy of Pediatrics. 2020. “How often and how much should your baby eat?”
Sleep needs for babies depend on age. Stanford Children’s Health. 2021. “Infant sleep.”

Dropping the DREAM FEED Ultimate Guide

Everything you need to know about dropping the dreamfeed. The ultimate list of information on dream feed for baby.

The dream feed is that feeding that happens around 10-11 PM. You get baby up, feed him, and put him back down. He often doesn’t even wake up for it! This is a great strategy to help your infant sleep through the night.

Dream feeds are helpful for getting your little one to sleep longer through your night so your night sleep is less disrupted. For more on what a Dreamfeed is, see Dreamfeed Frequently Asked Questions.

Dreamfeed is a term found in the Baby Whisperer books. This is the feeding that is often called the “late evening feeding” in Babywise books.

Post Contents

When To Drop the Dream Feed
Baby is sleeping through the night (STTN) consistently
Baby has been STTN consistently for 2-4 weeks
Baby doesn’t wake up for the dream feed anymore
Baby is old enough to drop a feeding in a 24 hour period
The dreamfeed is interfering with baby’s night sleep
How to Drop the Dream Feed
Move the time for the dream feed back by 10-15 minutes slowly
Drop it cold turkey
Slowly decrease the amount eaten at the dream feed
Which method is best?
Adjusting Baby’s Schedule
Dropping the Dream Feed Common Questions
Is swaddling okay after dropping the dream feed?
Does baby need to be in a crib to drop the dream feed?
Can you use a pacifier to drop the dream feed?
Conclusion
Related Dreamfeed Posts
Reader Dreamfeed Questions:

When To Drop the Dream Feed

You might be wondering when to stop dream feeding baby. You know it is safe to drop the dream feed when the following are true of your little one:

Baby can sleep through the night
Baby has been sleeping that long stretch of sleep all night for at least two weeks
You consistently need to wake baby for the dream feed
Baby is old enough to drop a feeding
Baby is old enough to go a longer stretch of sleep between feedings
The dream feed is interfering with good night sleep and baby is waking early in the morning

Let’s discuss these in more depth.

Baby is sleeping through the night (STTN) consistently

By that, I mean that he is staying asleep from the dream feed until your desired waketime in the morning. You no longer have night wakings.

Many babies start sleeping through the night, then wake in the night, then back to sleeping through, back and forth. My babies ALL did this.

It is normal to go back and forth. Do not drop the dream feed while your baby is in the back and forth stage of sleeping in the night.

Wait to drop the dream feed until the baby is sleeping through so consistently that you would be surprised for baby to wake early in the morning.

Once you drop the dream feed, you don’t want to wonder if baby is waking early because he needs the dream feed or because it was just “one of those days.”

You want baby’s night sleep patterns to be consistent before dropping the dreamfeed.

If baby wakes early, you do not want “is it because we dropped the dreamfeed” to be on a long list of possible causes for the sleep disruption. You want it to be on a short list.

One caveat to this is that if your baby is waking in the night at the exact same time every night, your baby might be waking from habit and could still be ready to drop the dream feed.

If you think this is the case for your baby, try the wake to sleep method to get baby to stop that night feed.

>>>Read: How To Get Baby to Sleep Through the Night

Baby has been STTN consistently for 2-4 weeks

Wait until your baby has been sleeping through the night for 2-4 weeks before dropping the dream feed.

This is for your own confidence.

If baby has shown that STTN is his thing now, you will have a solid foundation if you need to problem-solve after dropping the dreamfeed.

>>>Read: Is Baby’s Night Waking from Hunger?

Baby doesn’t wake up for the dream feed anymore

Not all babies wake up for the dreamfeed, but if yours did and has stopped, it might be time to drop that feeding.

Your baby might be ready to drop the dreamfeed if you have to wake baby up every night for it.

Note that this is just one of the signs. If your baby does this but does not sleep through the night, it does not mean your baby is ready. Your baby might still need those extra calories even if he isn’t waking for this feeding.

Baby is old enough to drop a feeding in a 24 hour period

Baby needs to be old enough that the appropriate number of feedings will still be met if you drop the dream feed.

You don’t want to drop the dreamfeed if that means baby won’t be getting enough feedings for his age in a 24 hour period after you do so.

Your baby needs to be old enough to be able to go longer stretches at night without eating. See this post to know how many feedings your baby should get right now, whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding.

Your baby will need to be able to go from the bedtime feeding until the morning feeding without needing to eat.

If you drop the dream feed before your baby can drop that extra feeding, then your baby will wake in the middle of the night from hunger.

The age of your baby can really vary. The common range is 3-7 months old.

With my own kids, Kaitlyn was 7 months old, McKenna was 28-29 weeks old, and Brinley was 18-19 weeks old. So there was a wide variation among my own kids.

>>>Read: When To Stop the Dream Feed

The dreamfeed is interfering with baby’s night sleep

The dream feed can interfere with baby sleep. This is not super common, but there are instances when the dreamfeed actually interferes with baby’s night sleep and leads baby to wake in the night.

This happened with Brinley and is the reason she dropped the dreamfeed so young. She started waking in the night after sleeping through the night consistently for a long time.

We tried some other things first, but settled on thinking she was waking from the dreamfeed. So we dropped it and it fixed her night sleep. Read more about that here.

How to Drop the Dream Feed

Here are a few strategies for dropping the dreamfeed when baby is ready.

Slowly move the time of the dream feed
Drop it cold turkey
Slowly decrease the number of ounces taken at the dream feed

Let’s discuss each method in more detail.

Move the time for the dream feed back by 10-15 minutes slowly

This could be each day, every couple of days, etc. Decide what is best for your baby.

Move it back until you are too close to the evening feeding to warrant doing both feedings. This will typically be when your dreamfeed would be happening less than two hours after the last daytime feeding before bedtime.

So if you dream feed at 10 and the evening feeding is at 7, move it back until you reach 9, then drop it altogether.

Drop it cold turkey

You can try to just don’t get baby up and see what happens. If baby wakes up in the night, then you can add the dreamfeed back in and try again later. It doesn’t hurt to try.

Sometimes cold turkey can be rough even if baby IS ready. I prefer the slow methods because it lets baby adjust.

So be aware that if baby doesn’t respond well after a cold turkey approach, it doesn’t definitely mean baby is not ready to drop the dreamfeed. But it does mean baby might not be ready.

Slowly decrease the amount eaten at the dream feed

Slowly adjust how much your baby eats at the dreamfeed, either by fewer ounces or less time nursing. Decrease amount daily or every couple of days.

This allows your baby’s metabolism to slowly adjust to needing to eat more at other feedings to make up for the lost calories during the dreamfeed.

Which method is best?

Any one or combination of the three ideas can work. You can first decrease the amount eaten, then move the time back, or decrease the amount eaten then drop it cold turkey. You decide.

Your baby’s age will likely be a factor in how you go about it.

I personally like the strategy to decrease the amount eaten over time best. I breastfed my babies, so to decrease it means my body adjusted to the amount eaten slowly.

Then I had a better chance of sleeping well myself because I wasn’t waking up at 5 AM engorged.

But again, Brinley needed to drop the dreamfeed because it was interfering with her night sleep. She dropped it cold turkey.

Adjusting Baby’s Schedule

When you drop the dream feed, you might need to adjust your baby’s schedule during the day.

When dropping the dream feed, you need to be sure your last feeding of the day is about 12 hours before your baby’s morning wake up time.

So if you wake at 7 AM, start the last feeding anywhere from 6-7, depending on your baby’s needed sleep at night and how long baby can go between feedings. You could even do 7:30. Just be sure it is late enough baby won’t get hungry in the night.

You might also need to increase ounces at other feedings of the day. Your baby won’t necessarily drop the ounces taken in during the 24 hour period–your baby will just be rearranging the number of ounces in each feeding.

Dropping the Dream Feed Common Questions

Here are a few common questions people have when dropping the dream feed.

Is swaddling okay after dropping the dream feed?

Yes, you can still swaddle baby after the dream feed has been dropped.

Does baby need to be in a crib to drop the dream feed?

Your baby does not need to be in a crib to drop the dream feed. Your baby can still be in a bassinet. However, most babies will be in a crib by the time they are old enough to drop the dream feed.

Can you use a pacifier to drop the dream feed?

Some people like to use a pacifier when dropping a night feed. This can be used for a dream feed, also. If your baby stirs and seems to want to eat, you can use the pacfier to get your baby to settle back down and go to sleep.

I will caution that you might find you get nighttime feeds start if you use the pacifier to drop the dream feed, however. Only use this method if you are confident your baby does not need to eat and can go the needed hours of sleep at night to make it to the next feed.

If you have a question that was not answered here, see Dreamfeed Frequently Asked Questions.

Conclusion

Dropping the dreamfeed can be scary. If you are considering it, then you most likely have a baby sleeping really well at night. No one wants to mess that up!

Just be sure your baby is ready to drop. You might be wrong, but be as sure as you can.

And remember, you can always return to the dreamfeed if you try to drop it and it doesn’t work out. So give it a try!

Related Dreamfeed Posts

The Basics of a Dreamfeed
When To Stop the Dreamfeed
Dreamfeed Frequently Asked Questions
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Doing a Dreamfeed

This post originally appeared on this blog January 2008

Join my private Facebook Group to problem-solve with parents of all ranges of experience. It is a very helpful, no-drama group! You have to request to join and you must answer all questions or your request will be denied.

Reader Dreamfeed Questions:

Mom2Cohen said…
I was just reading about “dream feeding” and it sparked a thought. We started late (as you know) with Cohen and since we have started he has actually done quite well…at night anyhow. Basically where we are right now is: Go to bed at 7:30, wake at 12:00 (he wakes up consistently every night at this time), feed him and put him back down. He usually sleeps until about 5:30 after that feeding. I would obviously like to NOT have to get up at midnight to 1:00 every night so I was wondering if I should wake him for a “dream feed” instead. Or should I just try to wean him from eating at all? I am confused…any advice. BTW…he is three months old and we have been doing Babywise for about 2 weeks.
BabwiseMom said…
It is worth a shot, but don’t hold your breath. Kaitlyn didn’t dreamfeed. She ate at 8:30 then went to bed. Over time that feeding moved back and became a dreamfeed. When she was about 8 weeks, I decided to try a dreamfeed. I went in, woke her up, fed her. She woke earlier in the night than she usually did, and twice instead of once! It then took her a week to get back to where she was before I tried the dreamfeed. That is just a warning to you that it might not work, but I do think it is worth trying. At three months, 7:30 is an early bedtime in that he won’t make it until the morning. He will definitely need a night feeding in there. If you try something at 10 or 10:30, it might work. Let us know how it goes!
Dyers said…
I need some advice… I am a first time mom and my daughter is 10.5 weeks old. She has slept through the night since 6.5 weeks. Now she is currently sleeping from 9-930pm to 7 am. I am questioning what to do about her schedule. Currently I feed her at 7a, 1030a, 130p, 4p, 7p. I consider her bedtime 730p. I then wake her at 9-930pm for a last feeding. For the past several days she will not hardly wake up at 9 to eat. I think she would be satisfied with 5 feedings per day (I am exclusively breastfeeding). But the problem is that between naps she can only stay up 1.5 hours max. My first question is is it to early to drop the 9p feed. And how can I adjust her schedule so that she gets 5 feedings daily but so that I am not having to wake her at 9p to eat? I can’t figure out what to do. I would love any advice or comments. Thanks!
BabwiseMom said…
Dyers, You are right at the age where most babies move down to 5-7 feedings a day. This information is found on page 123 of Babywise. This page also says most babies drop that late-evening feeding (aka dreamfeed) between weeks 12-15. You are very close. You are the parent–if you find that she is ready to drop that dreamfeed, give it a go. You can maintain your same feeding schedule and just eliminate that 9:00 feeding. See the dropping the dreamfeed post for information on that.
alicia said…
My 3 month old daughter usually eats at 6:30 and is asleep by 7:30. I wake her up to eat at 9:30 for a dreamfeed, otherwise she wakes at 2 a.m. With the dreamfeed, she wakes up at 5:00. I would like her to wake at 6:30 and eventually eliminate the dreamfeed. Right now she sleeps the entire time and eats very little then. How can I adjust her routine to get her to sleep later? Should I wake her up later for her dreamfeed? Or should I try to adjust when she eats her last meal? Thanks for your help!
BabwiseMom said…
I would try adjusting the dreamfeed time. Maybe move it back an hour. You might have to experiment with the time. You could start with moving it 30 minutes. It isn’t a guarantee that it will work, but it is worth a shot!
Karen said…
I have a 12 week old and I am trying to figure out when to start dropping the dreamfeed. She starts her day with a 6am feeding and her last feeding of the day is 10pm…we all enjoy sleeping through the night. She does well on a four hour schedule but I am wondering how to make sure she gets enough ounces in a day if we drop this last feeding. She was unable to breastfeed so I pump my milk for her and I’m able to monitor how much she eats pretty closely. How do I work towards dropping this last feeding but still make sure she is getting enough to eat?
BabwiseMom said…
You might need to wait for a bit. Typically, dreamfeed is dropped before you move to a 4 hour schedule, so since you did the 4 hour first (which is fine), you might need to keep that dreamfeed around longer than usual to ensure the right number of feedings are in a day. My guess is you have 5 feedings a day if you start at 6 and end at 10 on 4 hour schedule. The earliest she could move down to 4 feedings a day would be 16 weeks, perhaps as late as 24 weeks (some babies need 5 a day longer). So you should hold on to the dreamfeed for another 4 weeks at least. One option would be to shorten your feeding schedule so you could end the day sooner, but not drop a feeding. Remember a combo 3-4 hour schedule is okay. You want to keep 5 feedings for now. If you do move the schedule up, be sure right now (until 16 weeks) you don’t let more than 9-10 hours go between pumping sessions for you.
david, blair, and sadie beth said…
Hi! Thanks for your recent posts…I’ve enjoyed them! I’ve been debating what to do about the DF with my daughter, who is now almost 6 1/2 months old. We still do a DF at 10:30pm. She rarely will wake up during it and goes right back down no problem. My guess is she would sleep through without it, but I’m concerned about keeping my milk supply up if I’m only nursing 4 times a day. It seems that I have read that to have a reliable milk supply you need to nurse at least 5 times a day (or pump). Unfortunately, my body simply won’t pump, (and I have a good electric pump). I really can’t risk losing my milk because formula is expensive and we’d like to avoid that cost if at all possible. I’d like to drop it though, simply so my husband and I can go to bed before 10:30! Recently, we’ve been dealing with some early waking due to illness, not eating solids, and being on 2 very strong antibiotics that are messing with her poor little body…so I probably wouldn’t even think of dropping it until we move past all this. Any thoughts?Thanks, Blair
BabwiseMom said…
Blair, It is hard to say. I do fine with four feedings a day, but some women really do need that 5th. One thing you could try is to move the DF back a bit. It would give you a slightly earlier bedtime 🙂 Have you tried the tactics of looking at a picture of your baby or thinking of your baby while pumping? You might want to see if you can contact a lactation consultant for ideas on how to successfully pump. The hard thing is that at some point she is really going to need to not have the DF–it will likely start to become a disruption for her. I would see if you can solve the pumping thing. I would also wonder if you could pump and get the stimulation even if no milk comes out. That would be something to ask a LC. Good luck!
david, blair, and sadie beth said…
I’ve tried just about everything to resolve the pumping issue, but I might try again since it’s been awhile. I’ve talked to LCs before and didn’t have too much luck, but I just switched to an OB that has one on staff so I might try to set up a time to meet with her. You mentioned that you expect the DF will become a disruption…did that happen for your kids? How do you think it would be disruptive?
BabwiseMom said…
Blair, The dreamfeed gets disruptive because you want your baby to have 10-12 hours of consecutive sleep without disruption. If she is in bed after the DF by 10:45, then she would need to sleep until 8:45. The dreamfeed disrupts that full nights sleep. Often babies will start to not sleep as soundly with that disruption.
momtobobby said…
I have an 11 week old and he eats at 7pm and goes to bed at 8pm. I wake him at 10:00 for a dreamfeed and he then sleeps until 5:30 or 6:00. Recently, he has been difficult to wake for the DF and he only takes 3 oz. when he normally takes 6oz. Is this an indication that he is ready to drop the dreamfeed? If so, how do I do that? He is on a 3 hour schedule and usually gets 30 oz. a day. Also, should I let him CIO until 7am? Thanks for your help!!
BabwiseMom said…
I wouldn’t drop the DF until he is sleeping until your desired waketime. Your baby is still young and actually sleeping well for his age. If you think he can make it to 7, you can try CIO. Otherwise, I might give him a few weeks to see if he does it on his own. Here is a post for more ideas: Early Morning Feedings Before Waketime. Good luck!
misty said…
my baby is 10 weeks old today. she has been STTN for about two weeks. her feed schedule is as follows:
6:45-7:00am feed
10:00am feed
1pm feed
4pm feed
7pm feed
10pm feed
the 10pm has become a dream feed. i have to wake her for this feeding. i am breast feeding and it takes a few minutes to get her to latch on and then she pulls herself off after about 8 minutes or so (I usually take her off after 10). I try and get a burp out of her then I have to struggle to get her on and feed for 5 or 6minutes. I know she is sleeping during this feeding time. So my obvious question is…what should i do? And when should i do it? I’m a first time mom so this is all very new territory for me. I constantly refer to the book, but can’t quite find a clear answer. I have started at 9:45 and 9:30 on occasion and she has still slept anywhere from 6:30-7:00am.
BabwiseMom said…
BW says WEEKS 9-15Baby can gradually move to 9-10 hours of continuous sleep if breastfed, 11 hours if bottle fed So, for the next five weeks, the longest she should sleep at night is 9-10 hours. You don’t want to cut back because of milk supply. You could move it back a bit if you want to go to bed earlier, but be sure to be within the hours suggested. While it sounds like she is ready to drop the dreamfeed, I would continue to do it until she is closer to 15 weeks. At that time, pick your favorite method of dropping it described in this post (or one of your own) and go for it. It sounds like she is doing very well!
Rachel said…
At what age do you drop the dreamfeed? My baby is 5.5 weeks old and I feed her about 630,930,1230,330,630,930, and sometimes another time in there if I switched to a 2. 5 hour schedule. Do I put her to bed at 7pm after the 630 feeding and then wake her up for the 10pm feeding? Right now she stays awake most of the time from the 630 to the 930 feeding. When do I establish that as bed time?Im so confused… 🙁
BabwiseMom said…
Your baby will be much older when you drop the dreamfeed. I would put her to bed at 7, wake for the 9:30 feeding, then put her right back down.
kim said…
thanks for your prompt response. i’ll definitely try moving up her dreamfeed by 15 minutes tonight. caitlin woke up this morning at 5:30 instead of 6 am. should i wait till she wakes up consistently at 6, before pushing up her dreamfeed time? if i want to push back her wake time to 7 by 15 minutes, what do you suggest i do. at 2 months, caitlin’s napping b/t 1 hr 45 minutes to 2 hours. is this too long? her waketime is pretty consistent at 1 hour.
BabwiseMom said…
Kim, I was just organizing comments and saw you had a follow-up question I never got notice of. I apologize! Let me know if you still have questions. I wouldn’t mess with the dreamfeed until nights are consistent.
Susanna said…
Valerie-I’m contemplating dropping the DF for my 16 week old. How do I know he’s getting enough calories to hold him over for the entire night? Also, how many feedings are recommended by BW to sustain a baby who is dropping the DF? I’ll be taking my baby out of town at the end of the month. Would you recommend dropping the DF after we get back or starting now before our trip? I didn’t know if trying to do too many things would be too much…Thank you!
BabwiseMom said…
You would know there are enough calories if he continues to sleep well through the night. You just make sure he is taking a full feeding at each feeding and then give it a shot. If he starts waking up, you know he isn’t ready for that move yet. In regard to the trip, I think it would depend on how long until you go. I would give yourself at least a week before traveling, preferably two. That way you can be sure any night disruptions would be from one or the other, but not both. Know that disruptions and seeming regressions might happen while traveling, but at least you would know it is because of traveling and not because of dropping the dreamfeed. Good luck!

Cold turkey and 4 more English thanksgiving idioms ‹ Inglex

Thanksgiving is a very special holiday in the United States. New York’s famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is watched by 3.5 million spectators and over 50 million television viewers every year. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are so many Thanksgiving-related idioms in the English language. Today we invite you to explore the 5 most interesting and popular of them.

Count your blessings – think about the good, consider yourself happy, appreciate your happiness.

Literally, “count your blessings.”

Meaning of the idiom :

This expression is said to pessimistic people who do not value their happiness, do not notice anything good that is happening around them.

History of the idiom :

The origin of this English blessing idiom is traced back to an ancient Jewish tradition. So, every Jew had to try to say 100 blessings (prayers) a day. At the same time, it was not necessary to say the classical prayer, it was just necessary to praise God 100 times. Therefore, the Jews thanked God for every little thing, such as a delicious breakfast or a sunny day. Thus, they noticed 100 good things around them a day, and psychologists noticed a long time ago: if you try to notice only good things around you, you will gradually stop complaining about life and become a happy person. Such an interesting psychology lies in religion.

Usage example :

You have such a good wife. You should count your blessings !

You have such a wonderful wife. You should value your happiness !

Talk turkey – speak seriously, speak to the point, speak frankly.

Literally – “talk turkey”.

Meaning of the idiom :

This expression is used to get a person to speak directly, seriously. Quite often, an idiom is used if a person is trying to slip away from a conversation or trying to reduce everything to a joke when it is inappropriate.

History of the idiom :

The origin of this idiom is directly related to Thanksgiving. As you have probably heard, the Indians helped the settlers from England escape from starvation, and as a result, this holiday was born. Pilgrims and Indians were quite close friends in those days, and some of them even hunted together. The story goes that once an Indian and a settler agreed that they would hunt together all day, and then they would equally share their prey. As a result, by the end of the day they had 4 turkeys and 4 crows. The settler decided to divide the meat like this: four birds for himself, four for the Indian. Moreover, he took delicious turkeys for himself, while he gave the ravens to the Indian, explaining this by the fact that he divided all the birds in half. Then the Indian was indignant: “Stop talking birds, let’s talk turkey” (Stop talking “birds”, let’s say “turkeys”). The meaning of this expression is “stop deceiving me, let’s talk seriously.”

Usage example :

Stop joking! It’s a serious problem, let’s talk turkey .

Stop joking ! This is a serious problem, let’s get to the point.

Turkey shoot (turkey-shoot) – a business in which you can easily succeed; easy task.

Literally – “shooting a turkey”.

Meaning of the idiom :

This is about some easy task and a chance to do something that will bring success. Often used by the military to refer to a situation where one side of a conflict is clearly stronger than the other side and will easily win.

History of the idiom :

There are two versions of the origin of this interesting English turkey idiom. One of them says that this expression appeared when a special way of hunting this bird was popular. So the hunter found a flock of turkeys and deliberately frightened them. The birds at first flew away in different directions, but then instinct again forced them to return to the flock. The hunter at that time was waiting for the birds: they flew one by one to the place where they had flown from, and it was quite easy to shoot them.

Another version is connected with special competitions, which, according to some sources, are still sometimes held in America. A live turkey was placed in a box with blank walls. There was a slot in the lid of the box where the turkey could only put its head. Competitors had to shoot a turkey directly in the head from a distance of 25-30 yards. As a gift, they received the carcass of a slaughtered turkey. Such a “hunt” was considered a simple matter, because the turkey had already been caught and all that remained was to kill it.

Usage example :

Learning new English words is a turkey shoot . Just use our article “How to increase your vocabulary”.

Learning new words is an easy task. Just use our article “How to increase your vocabulary”.

Blessing in disguise there would be no happiness, but misfortune helped.

Literally – “blessing in a mask”, “disguised blessing”.

Meaning of idiom :

So they say in the case when some unpleasant incident, from which only negative consequences were expected, suddenly brought something good. This idiom is similar in meaning to every cloud has a silver lining (each situation has its advantages).

History of the idiom :

This expression is based on religious beliefs. Thus, believers knew that God always rewards people for their good deeds and punishes for their bad ones. However, sometimes, at first glance, terrible things happened to good people. In this case, wise people said that a person is not always able to understand in what form happiness will be granted to him. That is, even in a difficult situation there is some kind of positive side. At the same time, a well-known Chinese parable was often mentioned. The man lost his horse, everyone around him felt sorry for the poor farmer, but in the end the horse returned with the mare, and the man had two horses. Then his son rode a new mare, fell and broke his leg. Again, those around him sympathized with him, but as a result, all the men in the village were taken to a bloody war, and the farmer’s son remained at home due to a broken leg. So two misfortunes turned into happy events.

Usage example :

That motorcycle accident was a blessing in disguise , I got enough insurance to pay my credit back.

It would not have been good luck, but misfortune helped: thanks to a motorcycle accident, I received enough money from the insurance company to pay my loan.

Cold turkey – abruptly quit a bad habit, “quit” abruptly and completely.

Literally – “cold turkey”.

Meaning of the idiom :

This is what they say about a person who quit a habit without any preparation or thought. At the same time, the expression sometimes emphasizes that this person behaves strangely because he has so suddenly quit smoking, drinking, etc.

History of the idiom :

This expression has a not very beautiful and quite obvious origin story. The idiom appeared as a result of comparing a turkey carcass with people with addictions. It has been observed that people who abruptly “quit” their addiction usually look like a chilled turkey: they are pale, with an absent look and covered with “goosebumps”. Previously, this expression was used only in relation to drug addicts, but now it is used when they want to say that a person has given up any habit abruptly and completely.

Usage example :

Jim stopped drinking cold turkey .

Jim abruptly and completely stopped drinking.

We have looked at 5 Thanksgiving-related English idioms. Learn them, use them in practice, and let these expressions make your speech bright and lively.

What does the idiom “to go cold turkey” mean?

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