The dream feed can be somewhat of a controversial topic when it comes to newborn and infant sleep, but here’s a few facts to help see if it might be worth trying out with your little one!

What is a dream feed?

Dream feeds are all about trying to optimize the amount of sleep you as a caregiver get at night (because that’s very important too!). The basic idea is that you give your baby an extra feed without fully waking them up to “top-off” their tummies so that they can then sleep for a longer stretch. This way you and your baby end up going to sleep at the same time, and they will not need another feed for (hopefully) another few hours.

Does it work?

Here’s where the controversy comes in – it doesn’t work with every baby. Like most things, it really depends on your baby and you can’t really know it will work unless you try it for a few nights and notice a difference. Some babies have very strong circadian rhythms where they will wake up at the same times each night whether they are hungry or not. A dream feed might not be as effective for these babies, as their sleep window does not get pushed back.

Is it bad if I try it and it doesn’t work?

Research has shown there is no harm in doing dream feeds with your infant. If after a few days to a week of trying you are not noticing any effects, it’s totally fine to just drop it. Babies are extremely adaptable and there would be no harm done!

Final thoughts:

Some mamas find that the dream feed has changed their lives with that extra hour or two of sleep, and for others it’s done nothing but completely throw off their little one’s nighttime schedule. In my experience, it more often works than doesn’t and I believe is worth giving a try if you’re looking for a little extra sleep at night