In the parenting journey, sleep becomes the most precious treasure for many parents. In this situation, the Ferber method comes in handy for so many parents to sleep train their children.
But can this method, which focuses solely on letting the children self-soothe and fall asleep independently, be combined with dream feeding? Join us to see what the concept of “Dream feeding” is and can the parents dream feed their child along with the Ferber method. In the end, there would be a list of pros and cons of dream feeding too, so that every parent can make informed decisions.
What is dream feeding:
Dream feeding is the concept of feeding a baby with a bottle or breast while he is still, mostly asleep, at night. The idea is to feed the child without waking him up fully so that he can sleep peacefully and sleep for a longer stretch.
It is supposed that when the parents dream feed their child just before they go to bed might get a long sleep stretch for about 4-5 hours straight.
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Can I dream feed my baby with the Ferber method:
Yes, you can dream feed the baby with the Ferber sleep training method to help your baby stretch the amount of time between waking up for nighttime feedings.
Dream feeding is ideal for babies from 2-9 months. The Ferber method is applicable from 6 months onwards so it might help the parent to have long hours of sleep and less intervention during the training.
Benefits of following “Dream Feeding” with the Ferber method of sleep training:
“Dream Feeding” along with following the ferber method of sleep training can be beneficial:
- Even though both ways have slightly different mechanisms, the goal is the same “helping the baby sleep for longer”.
- When babies wake up because they’re hungry at night, here’s when dream feeding helps. If babies eat well, they might sleep for a longer time. This helps the Ferber Method, which wants babies to learn to calm themselves.
- Dream feeding will reduce the night awakenings (because of hunger) so it will be easier to follow the ferber method.
- By following, both approaches together, you are more likely to differentiate between hunger awakening and other night wakings.
- Giving a dream feeding could make babies calm at the start of the night. This might make the Ferber Method progressive waiting intervals less upsetting for babies and parents.
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How to dream feed a child with the Ferber method:
Here’s how to do dream feeding with Ferber method:
STEP 1: Understand the Ferber method thoroughly.
It’s important that you completely understand the Ferber method concept and its implementation.
I highly recommend reading the Ferber method book to better understand the concept of Dr. Richard Ferber.
Since you are not just following the Ferber method but combining two concepts, you need to be more alert and dedicated in the process.
STEP 2: Choose the right time to feed the baby.
1- Feed the baby before bedtime and put him in bed drowsy not sleeping.
2- If you sleep at the same time or just an hour away as the baby, then there is no need to dream feed the baby.
STEP 3: Prepare the feeding and approach the child.
1- If you sleep 3-4 hours later than the baby, then go into your child’s room just before you are going to sleep and pick him up gently to dream feed. Remember not to turn the lights on and dont make sounds that can make the baby awake.
2- Try to feed him either with a bottle or breast whatever way he used to do it. You can pick the baby up in case of nursing. If you’re offering the bottle, be sure that your baby is in a semi-upright position, to prevent choking.
3- Avoid eye contact to hype up any stimulation.
4- Most babies respond to the nipple in deep sleep also, so feed the baby.
5- If the child does not respond to feed or take away his head then don’t force feed him.
STEP 4: Put the baby back to his bed/crib Gently.
1- Once you are done with the feeding, burp the baby to avoid any reflux.
2- Put him back in his bed/crib while the baby remains either sleeping or drowsy.
3- Pat or stroke on the back just to put him fully back to sleep and leave the room.
STEP 5: Estimate the feeding timings beforehand.
1- Dream feeding increases the odds you’ll get a solid five to six hours of sleep yourself before your baby wakes again out of hunger.
2- You can also note the timings of your baby’s feeding pattern and act accordingly.
STEP 6: Carefully determine the hunger cues and comfort cues.
1- Now that you are combining the Ferber method and the dream feed, you need to be very vigilant about the cries of your child.
2- Suppose you have already fed the child some time ago but again the child cries, it most probably tells us that he is crying for being alone and needs comfort. At this point, you need to wait outside the room until the gradual waiting interval is over.
3- Once the interval is over, go into the room and briefly comfort the child. Dont pick him up and gently pat on his back so that he goes back to sleep.
4- But if the child had his feed a long time ago and he starts crying then either wait for the interval to finish or you can just go without waiting because hunger cues should not be ignored at any cost.
Read more: During ferber method, what if the baby is hungry?
5- If you have noted down the baby’s feeding pattern before starting the training, it is better to make a marking chart for feeding and Ferber interval waiting so that it does not get mixed up.
Pro-tip:
If you wish to combine the dream feed and the Ferber method, start to dream feeding your baby 1 or 2 weeks prior to combining it with the Ferber method. Just to see how your child is responding to the dream feed. Combining both together would be overwhelming for both the baby and the parents.
Pros and Cons of Dream Feeding:
| PROS | CONS |
| May help in long sleep stretches (4-5 hours) | It might disturb the baby and he wakes up. |
| Dream feed would be great for kids who get up frequently for nighttime feeds. | You might overfeed the baby which could result in reflux. |
| It has a chance of having a well-rested and happy baby in the morning. | May not be suitable for babies struggling with weight. |
| Dream feeding somehow gives parents control over nighttime feedings. | It can be dangerous nad leads to choking if you dont hold the baby in a correct feeding posture. |
Summary:
Can you dream feed with the Ferber method? yes, of course. Both techniques can work together to train the baby to sleep for longer and soothe themselves if they wake up.
Want to know more about Ferber method? Click here
