My understanding of a dream feed is Mum gives her baby a feed (breast or bottle) while still sleeping, before mum retires for the night, with the assumption that the baby will then be full and will not need another feed until morning.  I see it advocated by sleep websites and stores that sell sleep wraps etc.  It is promoted as a "method" of training a baby to sleep through the night.  I believe this is for babies past the initial newborn phase.  I think it may have stemmed from bottle feeding advice and transported to breastfeeding.

Google it - and see what comes up!  I think it is becoming so popular it will be spelt with capitals soon!

My concern about this is the message that a baby should not need another feed before morning and if they should wake, then they should not be given another feed.  My other concern is that the word "dream" conjures up something lovely and gentle whereas withholding feeding and comfort at night is not gentle.

My comments about dream feeds (or whatever the heck you would want to call them) are the promotion of yet another "method" to train babies to sleep through the night, while ignoring the natural responses of infant and mother which help sustain a long term lactation (amongst other things). Hence my question about prolactin levels during the 24 hour period.

This is not to be confused with a mother giving a sleeping baby a breastfeed because she thinks this will be needed soon, and she is on her way to bed. I probably did this with my babies too. That is a response to an anticipated need, on a particular day - not a routine.  I hope I am making sense.

Karen Palmer
IBCLC, NZ


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