Dream feeds. It’s a topic that’s sure to get any Mother’s Group talking. And with sleep such a hot commodity in the early years of parenting, it’s no wonder. Something that purports to help your baby sleep for longer? Sign me up! Let’s take a look at what a dream feed actually is, how it works and some of the benefits, pro’s and con’s, so you can make an educated decision as to whether it is something you might want to try with your little one.

Kicking off with the most important question; what exactly is a dream feed? A dream feed is when you offer your baby the breast or bottle while they are still dozing, hence the ‘dream’ part of the name. Ideally, it’s when you’re able to pick your bub up, feed them and return them to bed without them fully waking. A dream feed is usually done late-ish in the evening, often before you go to bed yourself.

Why offer a dream feed? The primary reason is to see if it will help your bub to sleep a little longer into the night. The theory being, if you fill their tummy up just before you go to bed, it may encourage a longer stretch of uninterrupted snooze time for you all. Note we said that this is the theory. Does it work in real life? The success rate is mixed. There is no definitive research to say whether a dream feed ensures a longer stretch of sleep. Some parents will find it works well, others may have little to no success. It is largely dependent on your baby, their age, feeding behaviour and a whole bunch of other stuff that is largely unidentifiable but which contributes to your child’s unique sleep personality.

If you decide to give a dream feed a go, there are a few things to consider:

• Age of your baby - A newborn or very young baby is very unlikely to respond to a dream feed. At this stage in their development, it is very normal to feed every couple of hours, day and night. It’s unlikely that a dream feed will contribute to deeper or longer sleep. Waiting till your little one is slightly older and in a more regular sleeping pattern gives more chance of success.

• The time: Ideally, a dream feed is offered just before you go to bed. Many parents aim for around 10-11pm.

• Breast or bottle: This will depend on how your baby is fed. Some parents like to offer a bottle during a dream feed so that their partner can participate in the feed. Others will continue to breastfeed as normal. If you are offering a bottle, make sure that baby is positioned slightly upright so that they are able to digest the EBM/formula being offered. If your baby hasn’t taken a bottle before, it can be worth only offering a small amount to see whether they will take it before using all your precious expressed milk/using a whole bottle of formula.

The dream feed process

Each parent will have their own variation on how to dream feed but in a nutshell:

• Make your your baby is deeply asleep.

• Pick them up gently from their sleeping space. If they are swaddled, there is no need to unwrap them.

• Gently attach them to the breast or offer the bottle. It may take a little bit of time for them to respond but once they realise that they are being offered a feed, they’ll likely start sucking.

• Allow them to feed at their own pace until their sucking and swallowing begins to slow.

• Keep them somewhat upright for a short time after they have finished drinking. Some parents burp their babies after a dream feed while others prefer to return them straight to bed.

• Gently return bub to their bed noting all safe sleep guidelines.

• Cross your fingers and head to bed!

The pros (and cons) of a dream feed

Should you dream feed? Deciding to add a dream feed to your bedtime routine is a completely personal choice. Some families may find it works really well for them while others may find it has absolutely zero impact on sleep duration. It is often a case of ‘try and see’ to find out if it will work for your bub.

If a dream feed is something you are keen to try, some of the pros include:

• A longer stretch of sleep from when you dream feed to the next wake up. This can result in more overall snooze time.

• The chance for your partner to be involved in feeding/the bedtime routine if you opt to use a bottle to dream feed

• A fuller tummy which can be of benefit for sleep and also in weight gain for your bubba.

Some of the cons a dream feed include:

• An interruption to your bubs natural sleeping pattern and routine. Feeding your little one before they are ready can sometimes result in them waking fully and struggling to return to sleep.

• A very full belly which may lead to discomfort, wind or a dirty nappy which requires changing.

• A change to parents' sleep patterns which may or may not result in more sleep. If a parent is staying up to dream feed, they will naturally go to bed later. If the dream feed doesn’t achieve the desired outcome and bub wakes again soon after, a decent chunk of sleep can be missed.

• No change to sleep stretch duration. Some parents may find that they dream feed but then bub naturally wakes 2 hours later and needs a feed.

Dream feeds are one of those things that can only really be declared a success once you’ve tried them! What works for one will not always work for another and whether you choose to add a dream feed or avoid entirely, is completely up to you and your partner.

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