Dropping the Dream Feed

I dream feed the girls at 11pm. They're 5 months now. When would be the best time to stop the dream feed and how?

I didn't really investigate the whole dream feed thing. I read a bit about it, started it, worked so well on both girls that I just kept going but now I don't know how to stop it with minimal fuss. I'm thinking that I still have a bit more time left. I've begun a little bit of weaning. I'm taking that slowly and I know they still need that dream feed but I'd like to at least have an end in sight. I find it hard to go to sleep only to wake up to feed them, so I stay up until the feed and that's killing me too. I want sleep!

Ashley-  just like anything with parenting I don't think there is any right/wrong way to do something.  People kept telling me that kids are adaptable and if you just change it and stick with it for a few days they will adjust so you could just do it and they will move along.   

I always felt that it was a bit harsh, but that did make more work for us.  For that last feed - we started to move it back like 10 -15 minutes each day until it was earlier.  Now at some point she started getting up too early for us and that was where we stopped until she bigger and could go longer.

Good luck - it is always changing

Are they sleeping through the night after that feed? If so, what time are they waking?

Like noreneh says, there's no easy answer... with my first, he slept through from about 6 weeks old. But I did have to feed him around 10 or so. Then he'd wake around 6 or 7 (I think... it all becomes a blur now!).

With my second child, however, feeding was a nightmare and I posted about it all. the. time. on here. With him, I made no progress until he could find either his pacifier or a bottle on his own in his bed. That was around 9 months. It sucked and I was reduced to being like the living dead.

So, at worst case scenario, I'd say you've got another 4 months to go.

Thanks guys.

The girls are sleeping until about 6 or so but they remain in their bed until 7. I put the babysoothe on and they tend to doze until I come get them. They used to wake around 5 but this has pushed back since we started putting baby rice in their dream feed.

I'll leave it for awhile longer but I'm hoping to drop the feed before I go back to work in January.

Thanks guys.

My daughter is 5 mo. today.  We do bath/bedtime at 630pm and put her down for 7pm.  We do a dream feed at 10pm and keep her awake for 30 minutes.  She sleeps until 8am.  I have read in several magazines and books (LOVE gina ford) that you do not drop that dream feed until your baby is well established on solids and is sleeping through regularly until 7am (or when you start your day). 

Once you're established on solids your baby should start to drink less at the 10pm feed.  You should gradually (over a week) cut back on the 10pm feed until baby is nearly refusing it and THEN you should stop the night feed:)

I hope this works for you.....it's what I'm currently doing!

We had a visit from our health visitor on Monday. She advised us to drop the dream feed altogether. It seems that Abby is taking waaaay too much feed during the day. We were worried that Izzie wasn't taking enough but it appears that we were feeding Abby too much. So she advised us to drop the dream feed and that should help cut down.

I have read about how to drop the feed and some people suggested easing off it but the HV had put the fear of god into us so yesterday we made sure they got plenty during the day and didn't do the dream feed last night and they slept through. They haven't seemed bothered by it all. We'll see if it continues.