https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 17 May 2026 23:29:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1565629 Sun, 13 Apr 2014 10:35:52 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 1565629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scotchbonnet: It doesn't reduce the number of wakeups for us (right now we're teething/learning to stand), but it does allow me to control when the first wakeup will be. If I feed her at 9:30, then I can go to bed around 10, instead of waiting for her to wake up on her own around 10:30/11:00. Then she usually sleeps until about 3. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1565390 Sun, 13 Apr 2014 01:29:56 +0000 scotchbonnet 1565390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@redsmarties: does the dream feed help your lo sttn or does lo still wake up at some point? Did it reduce the number of wakes? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1565166 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 20:04:49 +0000 scotchbonnet 1565166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jh524: @wonderstruck: she's been fighting her third nap of late so I really need to start stretching out her awake times. Currently, what happens is she refuses to go down for her third nap some days, and on those days she ends up being awake for like 5 hours before night sleep. So I am going to start stretching out awake times too. Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1565132 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 19:41:48 +0000 Applesandbananas 1565132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started bed sharing around 6-7 months once LO grew out of the rnp and right before we started bedsharing, he was up several times a night. </p> <p>Now, at 1, he wakes 2-3x on a bad night but generally does a decent job of STTN or waking once to nurse. But since he's right there, I barely wake up. It's been a lifesaver. </p> <p>Obviously we still have regressions and teething and developmental milestones that throw off his sleep but it's been positive for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1565026 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 17:42:05 +0000 jh524 1565026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scotchbonnet: I wouldn't add a dream feed. Does formula have any sugars in it ? Just curious... I would drop the third nap. My 9 month old naps twice a day for about 40 minutes each. He sleeps from 730 pm - 7 am. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1564980 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 16:58:33 +0000 wonderstruck 1564980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Doesn't sound like it could hurt to try, but honestly I doubt it's going to help since hunger is not what's waking her. Worth a shot though if you've already gone through everything else - sorry you guys are having sleep struggles!</p> <p>I would also try adjusting naps to get her back to her normal bedtime. My son went to two naps around that age and still doesn't go to bed until 8, 7:30 at the earliest. It sounds like she almost thinks she's waking up from a third nap rather than being asleep for the night! Oh, and I agree with doing 3 meals a day too, which I know you said you plan on starting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1564931 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 15:37:40 +0000 scotchbonnet 1564931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: we tried sleep training (cio with checks) for a week reduced the number of wakes to 3-4 times a night. Will def try sleep training again if mone of the other options make a difference. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1564888 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 14:52:32 +0000 lawbee11 1564888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scotchbonnet: This was our LO. She would go to bed around 7 and be up at 10 (and 12:30 and 3 and 5). So exhausting. I knew she wasn't hungry. I am ok with feeding her 1-2 times overnight as she usually sleeps 13 hours, but 4 times is just ridiculous (she wouldn't go down without nursing either). We re-sleep trained her last weekend and we're back to 1-2 wakeups/night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1564882 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 14:46:32 +0000 scotchbonnet 1564882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmm, if what she us going through is just a typical dev milestone then I better wait on introducing a new habit like a dream feed. @heartonastring: I think I will start 3 meals a day starting monday and see if it makes a difference. She is currently on 2 feeds. If that doesnt work then I will try the dream feed.</p> <p>@danda: I think people say it is bad to start so late because if she becomes dependent on it to sttn then it will be one more thing she will need to be weaned off of later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1564699 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 10:25:15 +0000 London Mama 1564699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you should try it. It doesn't sound like it can get much worse so give it a try, if it works for you that's fantastic.</p> <p>I've been exactly where you are. DS woke up every 2-3 hours starting at 8-9 months (same time as I went back to work) and I was a wreck. We also tried leaving him to cry, the longest I lasted was 3 hours before I gave up. CIO doesn't work for all kids.</p> <p>Out of desperation we put DS cot right next to our bed with one side removed so I could BF without getting up. Eventually we gave up night BF altogether which actually helped. And now at 21 months DS is back in his own room, which also helped but he still doesn't STTN... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1564685 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 09:58:07 +0000 danda 1564685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Why is it considered bad? I'll sporadically dream feed my 9 month old - usually if I feel like I am full and will be more comfortable in bed if she nurses. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1564627 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 09:04:05 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 1564627@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We tried this! LO will be eight months next week, and she has started waking up within 3 hours of going to bed. I know its just because she is teething, and nursing helps her pain, but I've started going in and feeding her before she wakes up. That way, I can go to bed when I'd like (rather than waiting for her to wake up), and it usually works. As soon as this tooth pops, though, I'll have to break the habit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1564519 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 07:21:24 +0000 heartonastring 1564519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Can you try it for one or two nights and just see how it goes?</p> <p>I would probably be hesitant to try it this late in the game, but if you're at your wit' send you could give it a shot.</p> <p>If it's any consolation, my dd went through a brutal regression right before she crawled, and then once she started crawling she went back to STTN. Also, are you feeding her three meals/day of solids? That was the other huge change-maker for us (literally the day I switched her over to a full three meals a day of solids she started STTN). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/introduce-a-dream-feed-at-8-months-am-i-crazy#post-1564457 Sat, 12 Apr 2014 06:08:02 +0000 scotchbonnet 1564457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hello bees, I need your opinions on this.<br /> Back story: Lo got into a really good sleep routine while we were staying with my mom in the US for a couple of months (Lo was 4.5 months - 6.5 months). However, when we returned to England, with the jetlag and time change and all, she has gone back to having really crap sleep and naps. Added to all the milestone development she has been going through of late (she wakes up to practice her crawling!) means hubby and I are getting precious little sleep.</p> <p>Lo currently falls asleep around 7:30pm but wakes up exactly 3 hours later. You could set a timer by it. when she goes down again, she will wake up between 1-2am. Then she might wake up around 5am or, if we are lucky, 6am-ish for the day. Last night, I pushed her sleep forward to 6pm as she has been dropping her 3rd nap of late.</p> <p>we have tried letting her cry it out but she just screams and screams. We have tried not feeding her during the first wake (as she is clearly not hungry), but she gets so angry and wound up that she ends up staying awake and crying for at least 2 hours.</p> <p>I am at my wit's end.</p> <p>That is why I was thinking of introducing a dream feed at 10pm. However I read somewhere that 8 months is way too late to introduce a dream feed. Is that true?? </p> <p>I am confident that she is getting plenty to eat during the day. I still breastfeed as much as she wants, she has porridge for breakfast, and always has dinner. Plus, of late, she has been having formula for bedtime because we were hoping that formula (being heavier) would help her stretch out her sleeps. It hasn't made one bit of difference.</p> <p>So. Has anyone ever introduced a dream feed late in the game? Is 8 months too late? Will I be creating a rod for my own back later when I have to wean her off it? </p> <p>Help... :bummed: </p>