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What is a dream feed for babies


What is a dream feed—and how do I do it?

For some breastfeeding babies, a “dream feed” may be the answer to getting them to sleep through the night. Here’s how it works.

If it’s your dream to have your baby sleep through the night, a “dream feed” may be one way to make that happen. A dream feed involves feeding your baby when they’re still sleeping. Typically, dream feeds are done around 10 or 11 p.m., before you’ve gone to bed for the night. The idea is that a baby will sleep longer through the night and, ideally, until morning on a full stomach.

How do dream feeds work?

If you want to give your baby a dream feed, put them down for bed at the time you normally would. Then, around 10 or 11 p.m., gently get your baby out of their crib and put them at your breast or give them a bottle, all without waking them up. “The great thing about babies is that they have a natural instinct to suck if they’re at a nipple,” says Jason Freedman, co-author of the book The Dream Feed Method.

When you pick up your sleeping baby for the feed, the key is to minimize stimulation—don’t turn on the lights, sing or change their diaper unless there’s poop in it. When the feed is done, gently place your baby back in bed and slip out of the room.

“It can work beautifully for some kids,” says Alanna McGinn, a sleep consultant and founder of Good Night Sleep Site, “but for some babies, it won’t work.” While some babies will take that full tummy and sleep until morning, others will wake up fully at a dream feed and have difficulty getting back to sleep. For others, the feed might go well, but they will still wake up throughout the night, so it doesn’t accomplish its purpose. Your baby may also start waking up frequently at 3 or 4 a.m.—another sign that dream feeds aren’t working, says McGinn. “Because we’ve disturbed the sleep pattern, they might have trouble getting back into a regular rhythm,” she explains.

Dream feeds also won’t work for all parents—you may prefer to go to bed at 8 or 9 p. m. and sleep through until your baby’s first natural wake-up. That’s OK, too, says McGinn. But if you want to try a dream feed, you could have dad (or a non-breastfeeding parent) give the dream feed with a bottle of pumped breastmilk or formula and allow mom to continue to sleep through until the next waking. “It’s a great way to split up the feeds between parents,” says McGinn.

When can you start dream feeds?

Dream feeds can start at any age and go on for as long as you’re willing and as long they’re working. But when McGinn is working with clients to improve their baby’s sleep, she typically suggests weaning them off dream feeds by about eight months, as most babies should be able to sleep through the night without feeding at that age. Their bellies will typically be large enough that they can drink enough milk before bed and it will carry them through the night. Still, check with your baby’s doctor to make sure that they are otherwise healthy and don’t need a night-time feed for nutritional reasons. If your baby is less than eight months old and you’re embarking on a sleep training plan, a dream feed can be a helpful tool, particularly if you’re worried about your baby getting enough calories in the night.

How do dream feeds work on newborns?

Although dream feeding most often refers to one late-night feed to get your baby through until morning, in The Dream Feed Method, co-authors Freedman and Stacy Karol say that incorporating dream feeds all night long can be an effective way to encourage very young babies—less than four months old—to sleep through the night. By pre-emptively getting up and feeding your newborn at, say, 1 and 4 a.m., Freedman says you can reduce the amount your baby cries. If you follow a schedule, as outlined in the book, where you gradually move up the timing of the feeds, you can have your baby sleeping through the night by four months. While Freedman says that this method won’t work for all babies, he and his wife used the dream feed method for their three children with great success. With Freedman taking on the night-time feeds, his wife was able to sleep from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Now that’s dreamy.

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What Is Dream Feeding? And How Do I Dream Feed? – Happiest Baby

By Dr. Harvey Karp, MD, FAAP

On This Page

  • Dream Feeding: What It Is
  • How to Dream Feed
  • How to Get Your Baby Back to Sleep
  • Dream Feeding Tips
  • Dream Feeding Benefits
  • Adding a Second Dream Feed
  • When to Stop Dream Feeds
  • Final Thoughts on Dream Feeds

Newborn babies eat a lot. Breastfed infants eat about every two to three hours and formula-fed babies hit the bottle every three to four hours…and that doesn’t stop when bedtime calls. In fact, bottle-fed babies often continue night feedings until they’re around 6 months old, whereas breastfed babies may continue up to a year. But that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing you can do to tame night-waking. If your little one wakes up hungry each night, it’s smart to increase daytime milk (research shows that infants who received more milk or solid feeds during the day are less likely to feed at night) and boost their evening calories by way of a dream feed. Think of a dream feed as topping off your car’s gas tank...so there's no need to refuel during the journey ahead. Offering your baby a dream feed will eliminate—or at least delay—one of the top reasons babies wake through the night: a rumbling tummy. 

What is dream feeding?

Dream feeding is when you rouse your baby—without fully waking them up—to feed them one more time before you turn in for the night. Babies who go to sleep between 6pm and 8pm often wake out of hunger in the middle of the night. But research has shown that sneaking in an extra feed between 10pm and midnight can reduce night wakings, helping babies stay asleep until a more “reasonable” time of the morning. This can become part of your little one’s regular sleep schedule.

How do I dream feed?

The goal of a dream feed is to offer your little one more meal before you hit the hay, so that you and your baby’s schedule sync better…and you both sleep better. Ready to try it? Follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Gently take your baby out of the bassinet or crib between 10pm and 12am, or whenever when you go to bed. Keep the room dim and quiet, except for white noise. Doing this during Baby’s more active REM sleep is ideal. During REM sleep your baby may flutter their eyelids, make little squeaks and squawks, or move around more than usual.

  • Step 2: Keep your baby swaddled. There’s no need to unswaddle—or change your baby’s diaper—if they’ll take the feed that way and their diaper isn’t soiled. (If your baby is super sleepy, you may need to rouse them a bit by gently tickling their toes.)

  • Step 3: Touch Baby’s cheek with your breast or bottle. Placing your breast or bottle on your baby's cheek or lower lip will wake up their rooting reflex and get your baby to start eating.

  • Step 4: Offer a brief feed. Encourage nursing for 5 to 10 minutes on each side. For bottle-fed babies, try for about 3 ounces.

  • Step 5: Burp your baby. Many parents ask: Do you burp a baby after a dream feed? and the answer is always yes. You want to burp a baby after a dream feed—or any feed—before putting them back down on their back. 

How to get a baby back to sleep after a dream feed:

Oftentimes, a baby who has just enjoyed a dream feed can be returned to their bassinet with nary a wakeup. But if your little one has woken up during or after a dream feed, you can get them back down with the help of the 5 S’s: Swaddling, Side/Stomach, Shushing, Swinging, Sucking.

First, if you haven’t already, swaddle your baby and put on some rumbly white noise. I recommend playing white noise all night, but you can turn up the volume as you’re putting your baby back down. The most effective white noise for sleep is continuous, monotonous, and at a low-pitch, like my SNOO sounds download or SNOObear, Happiest Baby’s white noise lovey.

At the same time, gentle rhythmic motion can help lull babies to sleep. In fact, a 2019 study in the journal PLOS ONE found that the magical mix of swaddling, white noise, and rocking “evokes an immediate calming response” when caregivers soothe their infants and when they use SNOO, my responsive bassinet. SNOO uses womb-like white noise and motion (and a built-in swaddle!) to quickly settle babies back to sleep after a feed…usually adding sleep for the whole family.

Other time-tested tricks to help a baby sleep after a dream feed include rocking in a rocking chair, walking with your baby in your arms, bouncing on an exercise ball, and offering a pacifier, which fulfills the Sucking portion of the 5 S’s. As an added bonus, research suggests a bedtime paci helps lower the risk of sudden infant sleep death, or SIDS.

As you put your little one back into their bassinet, do my quick wake-and-sleep trick, which teaches your baby to fall asleep on their own. Here’s the gist: Right after you put your baby down, gently rouse them with a gentle tickle on their feet until they barely open their eyes. After a few seconds, they’ll close their eyes again and slide back to sleep. If your little one fusses, pick them up for a feed or a cuddle, then repeat the gentle-tickle-to-wake routine.

Set your baby up for dream feed success:

As I mentioned earlier, the one-two punch of adding daytime calories and dream feeds can really work wonders to help babies sleep longer. Try offering cluster feeds from about 4pm till bedtime. Cluster feeds are a series of quick milky meals given to Baby every one to two hours. They’re meant to load your little one’s system with calories to keep them well stocked with nutrition through the night. At the same time, put your little one down for night-night safely swaddled with your trusted white noise on. Consider this another “dream team” to help Baby sleep better! 

Why dream feeds are great for your infant:

A wonderful thing about dream feeding is that doesn’t interfere with your little one’s need to feed at night. Instead, dream feeding simply shifts your baby’s feeding schedule just a bit so that it’s more conducive to your sleep schedule, too. Plus, dream feeding means that…

  • Your baby will get the extra calories they need to sleep better.
  • Your baby is eating a meal at a convenient time, so you can sleep longer, too.
  • You’re not responding to your baby’s crying with food, which is important because reacting to cries with a feed can inadvertently encourage your baby to eat more at night.
  • Your baby will eat less during the night and therefore be hungrier in the morning, which will boost daytime eating.

Should I wake my baby for a second dream feed?

If your baby frequently wakes around 3:30am despite having an earlier dream feed and using strong, rumbly white noise, consider setting your alarm and giving one more dream feed at 3am. Again, it’s best to keep the lights dim and to not talk or cuddle too much at this hour. You want to be loving when you feed your baby, but you don’t want your little one to think that it’s time to play! The idea is to pick up and feed your little one before they wake you, so you’re giving your baby the nourishment they need, but not rewarding them for waking and crying.

If you must do this early-morning dream feed, every three days, reduce the 3am feed a bit more by giving a little less milk than usual. If you’re nursing, just feed on one side for the second dream feed. If you’re bottle-feeding, you can try doubling the amount of water the formula directions suggest—for just ONE feeding and ONLY for a couple days. This is very important: It’s dangerous to dilute baby formula for meals. It can cause serious health problems. Diluting for this ONE wee-hour feed for a brief period of time is different. The purpose of the extra water is to fill your baby’s stomach with enough ounces, but fewer calories. This can help babies sleep through to morning…when they will be hungry and ready to eat their full bottle again. Again, this is a temporary fix only to be used for the 3am dream feed—and only for a couple of nights.

When should I stop dream feeding?

All babies are different, so there is no specific age recommendation for stopping a dream feed. My general rule is that you can bid adieu to the dream feed 2 to 4 weeks after your baby is sleeping well from the time of your dream feed on through to the morning. (Learn when your baby might start sleeping through the night.) Of course, if the dream feed isn’t working for you, there’s no need to continue!

Final Thoughts on the Dream Feed and Other Sleep Tips

Offering a dream feed to your snoozing baby before you declare “lights out” may give you a chance to catch more precious ZZZs, which, of course, is fantastic! Giving a dream feed can also help train your sweet pea to stay asleep for longer stretches…and that skill can carry over to better night sleeps down the road, too. Beyond dream feeding, if your newborn baby is having difficulty sleeping, you may need a little extra help lulling them to dreamland. This is where I hope SNOO can help exhausted families by automatically soothing fussing with gentle rocking and white noise. You can learn more about SNOO and find other great sleep resources below:

  • SNOO Success Stories
  • All About Your Baby’s Wake Windows
  • What to Do When Your Baby Won't Sleep in a Bassinet
  • How to Turn On Baby’s “On Switch” for Sleep
  • Sleep Regression 101

About Dr. Harvey Karp

Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block. His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp’s landmark methods, including the 5 S’s for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums.

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Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Connect with us at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

Dream Interpretation interpretation of breastfeeding a baby. Why dream of breastfeeding a child

Dreams about happy motherhood come to the fair sex very often. "If I dreamed that I was breastfeeding, what could this mean?" - women ask those who know how to decipher such dreams quite accurately.

What if I dream of breastfeeding?

"If I breastfeed in a dream, does this portend the birth of a child in reality?" - a similar question girls are asked regularly. According to statistics, such visions come to the fair sex is not so rare. In each case, they can be interpreted differently.

If a dreamer watches how she breastfeeds her baby, but at the same time she is lonely in real life, there is reason for joy. Such visions, as a rule, portend fateful acquaintances, marriage. Perhaps very soon the girl will find her soul mate and want to marry this person, give birth to a child for him.

For a married woman, such a dream can indeed portend a new addition to the family. If the baby is not yet included in the plans of the spouses, such a vision should make them think that children are happiness and you should not hesitate with such an important issue.

Sometimes such dreams come to women who want a child very much and think about it all the time. In this case, the vision should not be considered as a prophetic one. Most likely, it is simply a reflection of the thoughts that visit the sleeping waking. Perhaps you just need to let go of the situation for a while and switch to something else. This will only benefit the woman, and the news about the upcoming motherhood will definitely come.

If a pregnant woman dreams that she is breastfeeding, this may portend the birth of a strong and healthy baby. The mom-to-be has nothing to worry about. Her pregnancy will proceed easily and without any complications, and childbirth will not be painful.

If a woman dreams that she is breastfeeding someone else's child, this means that in real life she will face difficult trials. They may be related to the fact that the dreamer will have to solve someone's problems. Perhaps one of the relatives will want to shift their worries onto her shoulders.

In a dream, breastfeeding a baby with a different skin color - in reality, commit some unexpected, but very noble act. This will not go unnoticed by others.

If a business woman dreams about her breastfeeding a baby, her business will soon go uphill. Most likely, many new projects await her. But some interpreters consider such a dream a warning that you should not forget about your personal life and give preference to work, forgetting about the joys of motherhood.

If a sick woman breastfeeds a child in a dream, this means that she will soon recover and everything will gradually improve. Watching in a dream how someone is breastfeeding a baby is a good sign. This portends joy, prosperity, the fulfillment of all desires. For a childless couple to see such a dream is a great success. Vision means that in the near future they will find out the news that will turn their whole life upside down.

What portends?

To see your breasts dirty in a dream - in reality you will run into trouble. For a married lady, such a dream portends betrayal by her husband. The news of the infidelity of a lover will destroy the relationship.

If an adult woman sees how she is breastfeeding her children, this means that there is a very close spiritual connection between them. Despite the fact that the son or daughter has grown up a long time ago, they still need their mother.

If in a dream a woman observes that she has run out of milk while feeding a baby, this portends obstacles that may arise on the path of life. Most likely, the dreamer will be able to successfully overcome them.

Some interpreters of night visions believe that dreams with babies predict enrichment, improvement in financial situation. Feeding a baby with a breast full of milk means that in reality you will not experience problems with a lack of money.

If the dreamer watches how she feeds her baby, but he does not eat enough, she cries, she should pay attention to communication with the baby. Such a dream may indicate that the spiritual connection is not established as closely as we would like. The child may lack maternal warmth and care. Sometimes this is the cause of whims. If a young man dreams about how his girlfriend is breastfeeding a child, she will be a good wife for him and a wonderful mother for a common baby.

Dreams in which breastfeeding appears are most often very auspicious. They portend only all the best and brightest. Visions predict an early marriage, the birth of children, an improvement in the financial situation and the establishment of relationships with loved ones.

Feeding a child in a dream portends joy, fun, successful accomplishments, also denotes a favorable time for the implementation of plans. In order to figure out why feeding a child is dreaming, you should recall your dream in the smallest detail, associate it with moments that occur in real life and look at their interpretation in the dream book.

Some dream books ambiguously interpret what the dream of feeding a child means. Miller's dream book portends a successful love relationship and successful business relationships. Opportunity to turn your plans into reality and implement new projects. In addition to the positive aspects, such a dream can express the subconscious need of a sleeping person for care and protection.

Hasse's dream interpretation, the process of feeding in a dream, connects with someone's need for the dreamer's participation and support. Perhaps friends or loved ones will ask the sleeping person to provide moral or material assistance that should be provided.

I dreamed that I was breastfeeding my baby ...

It's useful to know why you dream of breastfeeding your baby. For a girl who has recently given birth or is breastfeeding, fears about the sufficient amount of her milk, its nutritional value and fears that her breast milk may disappear provoke such dreams. In fact, these groundless fears, which are projected into dreams, speak of a woman's completely natural excitement.

According to Vanga's dream book, for a woman, the meaning of sleep - to breastfeed a child, is associated with a natural life process, which has a positive meaning, since in reality this occupation is pleasant and joyful. Such a picture portends a calm, moderate and happy life in prosperity and harmony.

In Loff's dream book, the interpretation of sleep - to breastfeed a child, proceeds from the peculiarity that in reality this process is available only to women. Therefore, visions for the most part express the archetypal behavior of a person, inherent in their gender.

For a woman feeding a baby in a dream, the dream book reveals the dreamer's subconscious need to establish herself in the role of a mother. There are cases when, in a relationship with a man, a young lady takes on the role of a caring mother, prompting and protecting her chosen one. In this case, the young lady perceives her lover not as a partner, but as her own baby, and if the companion himself agrees with this, then the role and realization of female natural instincts in the lady will be violated.

In a dream, breastfeeding your child portends Vangoy, true, all-consuming joy and happiness. Getting an unexpected, but pleasant surprise, for a young lady who does not have children in reality. A modern dream book indicates the onset of a "finest hour" for the dreamer, which suggests the time to act and translate into reality one's own dreams and desires.

Why dream of breastfeeding someone else's child? If the sensations after the dream are painful and unpleasant, then, as the dream book says, perhaps someone will take advantage of the dreamer's kindness and gullibility for their own purposes, and will respond with ingratitude and rudeness in return. A calm and high spirits speaks of mutually beneficial cooperation with a certain person or group of persons, which will certainly result in prosperity and an increase in finances.

Feeding a newborn child in a dream, according to the dream book of the healer Akulina, portends the accomplishment of good deeds in reality, the fruits of which the dreamer will see only in the distant future. The kindness and participation shown by a person in real life will not go unanswered, and everything will be rewarded according to merit.

Other ways of feeding

To find out in more detail why you dream of feeding children, you should remember the gender of the baby, as well as his behavior. A girl in a dream portends a fun and carefree pastime, full of unexpected and amazing events. The boy, on the other hand, promises minor troubles and unpleasant situations that can affect the dreamer's mood, but will not affect the implementation of plans.

A quiet and calm baby symbolizes tranquility, peace, harmony and prosperity in the family of a sleeping person. A crying and anxious baby in a dream warns of a difficult period in the relationship between relatives and close people.

If you dream that you are feeding a child - for a young and nulliparous girl, Hasse's dream book predicts a sharp change in mood in the future: joy quickly turning into sadness, and vice versa. For married persons, such an image indicates happiness and the fulfillment of cherished desires. For men, such a vision speaks of the appearance of additional troubles associated with the whims of loved ones or friends.

An important role in the interpretation of a dream is the method of feeding a baby in a dream.

Young ladies will be interested to know why they dream of feeding a child from a spoon. In dream books, there are several interpretations of this image. A dream warns of adversity, which in the near future will become constant companions of a sleeping person, close and caring people will help to cope with the problems that have come.

The second interpretation indicates an upcoming event, where, it would seem, long-term plans and ideas will be in jeopardy. If in real life the dreamer is not sure about the people with whom he will cooperate, then it is worth postponing the project and not getting involved in adventures.

The opportunity to get a profitable offer and establish yourself at work, expand your business connections and horizons, that's what a man dreams about feeding a baby from a bottle. For a woman, the dream book advises to spend more time on the realization of her own interests, since the time has come to declare herself and show her talents.

For a young lady, such a dream reveals the ability to adequately get out of difficult situations and meet all troubles with a proudly raised head.

Milk in a dream is a symbol of prosperity, goodness and addition. A man who feeds a baby with milk from a bottle in a dream, according to the dream book, can count on a solid increase in wages, a promotion, or a one-time financial reward.

Feeding a seriously ill child in a dream is interpreted by the dream book as forced material assistance to one's near and dear ones. Such a perspective will allow the dreamer to take a closer look at the people who are in his environment, since the gratitude of people can be radically different from what is desired.

Seeing or watching how someone feeds a baby

Watching a man in a dream how his beloved woman feeds a child means prosperity and well-being in the house, as well as peace and harmony between spouses. For businessmen, such a picture speaks of the opportunities and prospects that will open up for him in the near future.

To find out why a baby is fed by a strange woman in a dream, you should pay attention to your own emotions and feelings experienced in a dream and after it. The confusion and confusion left after the dream suggests that in real life someone wants to take advantage of the kindness and ignorance of the dreamer for their own selfish purposes. It is worth being wary of any kind of proposals, especially if they are made by unfamiliar people.

A calm or elated mood after what he saw means that the sleeping person will properly manage his time and, with the help of the patronage of strangers, will achieve the desired results and big profits. Also, it may mean that it is time to reap the rewards and get long-standing debts.

Hiring a nurse for your child in a dream is deciphered by the dream book as troubles and insults that strangers will inflict on a sleeping person. You should not be upset because of trifles, but you need to let go of negative emotions as soon as possible and live in peace.

To see a nursing mother in a dream portends an early marriage, a large and strong family in an English dream book.

Dreams are guides of a person to another reality.

Various symbols and predictions may appear in dreams.

All of them help a person to correct the future.

A woman may appear as she was feeding a baby in a dream. Why such a dream?

Why dream of feeding a baby - the main interpretation

Psychologists say that if a woman appears at night as she was feeding a baby in a dream. Such a dream indicates psychological overstrain and the presence of fear that in fact a woman will simply have nothing to feed her child.

The fear of losing breast milk is common to many women who have children under one year old. Unfortunately, such dreams only exacerbate fears. They make a woman think that even her dreams tell her that a catastrophe is near. In fact, a dream may simply indicate excessive anxiety and concern.

In the classical interpretation, what dreams about feeding a baby means the appearance of a new person who will radically change life. If in a dream you saw from the outside how a mother feeds her child, such a dream promises a change in life only in a favorable direction. He also points out that there is an opportunity to implement plans.

Also, a young girl should regard such a dream as a sign that she will soon have a happy marriage. If a girl is expecting a child, then pregnancy and childbirth will be successful.

There are also several other interpretations of the dream when a girl was feeding a baby in a dream:

To a happy and lasting marriage;

To healthy offspring;

It is also worth taking a closer look at your needs - perhaps you yourself need care.

    A dream in which a girl dreams that some man eats her milk promises financial troubles. Possible problems with real estate and property. Also, such a dream may indicate the immorality of human behavior.

    If a woman is seriously ill and she has a dream that she is breastfeeding her child, in reality all her illnesses will end. She will be able to overcome the disease and remain young and healthy for many years to come.

    Dreams in which a woman is breastfeeding indicate that she is endowed with pronounced maternal instincts. She tends to care about those around her. This is its direct purpose. A woman who sees this dream should seriously consider whether she is taking care of her chosen one too much. The purpose must be fulfilled by her unconditionally, but it is also important to remember that everything should be in moderation and excessive guardianship is often harmful.

    If a woman dreams that she is breastfeeding another child, then in reality betrayal, hypocrisy, meanness await her. Negativity should be expected from close people who used to be in your circle of friends.

    If you have a dream in which the child is not fed by you, but by a nurse hired for this work, you should regard it as a harbinger of insults, insults, humiliations. If women dream that she is breastfeeding in a public place, she should keep her secrets from the eyes of others. Do not be frank with strangers.

Friends also should not be trusted with all secrets and devote to grandiose plans for the future. People are characterized by envy, which gives rise to misunderstanding and rumors, slander. It's worth being careful of them.

Why dream of feeding a baby according to Miller's dream book

Miller in his dream book indicates that a young girl to see how she fed a baby in a dream - to resolve controversial and problematic issues. It's time to think about what she would like to realize in her life. It is time to completely revise it, perhaps there is something to refuse from it. All new opportunities that come to life should be accepted with joy.

- For an unmarried girl, such a dream can promise an early marriage and replenishment in the family. But if during feeding the girl will be visited by sad thoughts or in general the dream will be overshadowed by negative events, he promises the transition of joyful accomplishments into sad ones.

— If you dream that you are feeding a child and you have a sharp shortage of milk, it disappears somewhere - you should not make important decisions. It is enough to postpone them for an indefinite time, until the passions subside.

- If a man has a dream in which his girlfriend is breastfeeding a baby, he will soon have a promotion. If a man dreams that she is feeding someone else's child, such a dream promises a break. If a lonely man dreams about how his ex-girlfriend is breastfeeding a child, such a dream speaks of possible gossip against him and intrigues.

Why dream of feeding a baby according to Freud's dream book

Freud in his dream book indicates that feeding a baby in a dream is a harbinger of hidden sexual and moral complexes. A person is simply afraid to trust another. He has many hidden and obvious complexes that hinder his progress in life. It is difficult for such a person to find his own path, his destiny. It is hard for him to make any decisions, he is not used to playing by the rules.

— If a young unmarried girl has such a dream, it means that she is still inexperienced in love and she needs to learn a lot. In order to find happiness in her personal life, a girl will have to reveal her feminine and not hide behind the imperfections of her nature.

- For married girls to see a dream in which a strange woman feeds their child - to a premonition of failures and disappointments in their personal lives. Soon everything will fall into place, but this moment is worth the wait. It is not so easy to remain completely calm all the time and not show that something is bothering you.

— If a man dreams of a strange woman feeding a baby, in reality he is pretty tired of the relationship and wants to break it off or renew it. He has accumulated claims to his soulmate and a desire to end this imperfect relationship.

Why dream of feeding a baby according to other dream books

In Loff's dream book breastfeeding is a manifestation of a person's deep feelings about his personal life, his sexuality. It is worth taking a closer look, does someone take care of a partner unnecessarily? It can be both the girl herself and the mother of her lover. If the influence of the mother is strong, it is worth reducing it by all means. Otherwise, the relationship will not be able to develop.

— If a pregnant girl has a dream about the joyful breastfeeding of a baby, then she has nothing to worry about - the birth will be wonderful. If the chest is dirty, empty - then you should expect a stab in the back. Your chosen one may have love on the side. Also, such a dream may mean that disappointment awaits you in your soulmate.

- If you dream about how you are breastfeeding a baby and a man is staring at you at that moment - such a dream promises attention from the second half. If a man dreams that he sucks his breast, he should change a lot in his life. Such a dream may speak of his failure as a husband, lover, man. Also, such a dream may indicate that he simply does not have enough energy to resolve all issues.

In the dream book of Nostradamus such a dream means that a person will have to worry too much about his future and his children. It promises confidence in yourself and in the future. Hope for a happy future will come true. The work will be appreciated.

In Tsvetkov's dream book such a dream means that a person does not see his shortcomings from the outside, he attributes them to other people. He is too categorical towards others. Also, such a dream may mean that a person will suffer from his own short-sightedness. Also, laziness and indecision can bring harm to his life. Also, such dreams can indicate an unstable psychological state of a person, his constant desire to change his sexual partner.

In the dream book of Yu. Longo a dream in which a woman is breastfeeding a child indicates that harmony can come in the house and peace and comfort will reign. It is also worth waiting for good news and long-awaited guests. It is worth giving them a chic reception. Such meetings are not accidental and can decide the fate of a person for many years.

Believe predictions and dreams? Each person is free to decide these issues independently. But how nice it is to see predictions of a bright and joyful future in a dream. This gives strength and gives a charge of vivacity for a long time to come. You have to trust yourself and your feelings. Even the sensations during sleep can be twofold. On the one hand, anxiety can arise - it's just anxiety for tomorrow - it will soon pass and everything will get better in life again.

But before proceeding with the explanation of this night image, it should be pointed out that it will have a certain meaning only if the nursing mother does not act as a dreamer, for whom this task is not one of the most relevant in recent times.

What if you dream of feeding your baby with a spoon?

Things will be completely different when the night story, in which the dreamer or the dreamer appeared to feed the child from a spoon, came to attention completely unexpectedly, because in this case it is more likely to assert that the stars in such an intricate way are trying to indicate to the sleeping person about the coming changes . As for the interpretation, in order to unravel what dreams of feeding a child from a spoon, you need to try to remember the full storyline of night vision, as well as your own feelings from everything that happens in a dream.

If we start from the interpretation given in most dream books, then feeding someone in a dream, unless we are talking about the process of lactation, indicates that the person who sees this image will become the main reason for someone's vain hopes. "Feed with empty promises" - it is this short, but at the same time quite capacious phrase that can characterize this vision.

However, one should not rush to certain conclusions, because a dream of this kind can be interpreted in a completely different way, especially if it was accompanied by some symbolic symbols that can radically change the final interpretation.

So, for example, trying in vain to feed a child porridge and watching him spit it out with disgust can only mean that in reality a person will have to experience a lot of disappointment due to the fact that the business in which he invested all his efforts will not bring the desired dividends. A dream in which a well-fed toddler appeared, eating porridge on both cheeks, on the contrary, may indicate that all undertakings will sooner or later justify themselves, while taking a lot of strength and energy from the dreamer.

The interpretation can become much more positive if the sleeper's attention is brought to the attention of a rich fragrant porridge with various gourmet additives. Usually, such plots become harbingers of a significant increase in well-being, however, it will not be possible to predict exactly what efforts will achieve it. But be that as it may, this story is equally good for everyone - from married housewives to businessmen, both successful and not so successful.

What portends?

A rare porridge on the water of an incomprehensible gray color, on the contrary, indicates that serious trials await a person in the boundless future, as a result, he will have to learn firsthand what need and deprivation are. Trying to feed such a, to put it mildly, not very attractive, cooking of your own child in a dream in a dream - future events will not spare even the dreamer's closest and dearest, thereby causing him unbearable suffering.

A dream in which a mother feeds her child with delicious porridge, giving a spoon to him, a spoon to herself, speaks of the common fate ("eat from one plate") of these people, moreover, a happy fate and full of ordinary earthly joys. Feeding a baby from a bowl and noticing with horror that animals ate from the same dishes most often portends some negative events from which the dreamer will never be able to protect people dear to his heart, and it is not at all necessary that we are talking about him own children.

At the same time, one should not get too hung up on any interpretation given above, because this is not the ultimate truth, and one should not forget that not every night dream tends to come true in real life, although It certainly won't hurt to become more circumspect in the near future.

Most newborn babies are breastfed and long intervals between feedings are not acceptable. The lack of night feedings can lead to dehydration, the baby will not gain weight well, and ailments are possible. For a mother, this is no less stressful, doctors immediately warn what this leads to: first, lactostasis, which flows into mastitis, and, consequently, the transition to artificial feeding. The less milk remains in the breast, the faster the new one appears. If you do not feed the baby at night, then lactation slows down, and it will be very difficult to return it.

"Accumulate" milk will not work. In case of too much inflow, it is better to express it with a breast pump into a bottle and put it in the refrigerator.

Sleep-feeding

Children who are accustomed to sleeping next to their mother do not wake up completely during the night meal. The child begins to turn his head in search and smack his lips, the mother wakes up and puts it to her chest.

Sleeping in the same bed allows you to quickly react and feed the child, preventing him from waking up and saving himself from the need to get up and rock the baby. In addition, co-sleeping in itself calms the newborn: he smells and breathes his mother, which makes him feel safe.

However, many mothers are of the opinion that sleeping together is dangerous. Some are so tired that they simply do not control their actions in a dream and can crush the baby. Therefore, the child is taught from birth to sleep in a separate bed. These babies get used to sleeping through the night earlier without waking up to feed. But doctors recommend breastfeeding at least two to three times a night for normal development and growth, as well as getting the required amount of fluid. In this case, you have to wake the baby, feed and put it back in the crib. At the same time, the newborn does not have time to wake up, and as soon as the chest reaches its goal, it calms down and falls into a dream.

Compulsory night feedings for babies born prematurely or physically handicapped. These kids need regular meals, regardless of the time of day.

Night feeding frequency

There are two types of mothers:

  1. Breastfeed on demand.
  2. Apply to the chest according to the schedule.

Of course, the first type of mothers feed their children with breast milk at the first peep. The child only began to cry, and was immediately fed. As for the second type, such mothers feed regardless of the requirements of the baby. This usually happens two to three times a night.

But there are also experimental mothers who want to wean at night, which is preceded by several nights of screaming and crying, after which the baby gets used to not eating at night. This could have repercussions for everyone. Therefore, such methods are considered irrational and are practically not used by parents.

As the child grows older, he wakes up less frequently at night and asks for food closer to the morning. He becomes comfortable sleeping through the night without waking up. With the introduction of complementary foods, feeding in a dream is practically reduced to zero. The baby eats tightly in the evening, at 6-7 o'clock, and, perhaps, before going to bed, the mother feeds him with breast milk. After such a hearty dinner, the baby sleeps all night.

Weaning

Parents often complain about poor sleep during weaning. In this case, it is enough to give him a pacifier or a bottle of water or a mixture in a dream. Motion sickness will also help. The main thing is that the room should not be dark, a dim nightlight or a table lamp is enough.

Weaning involves a longer motion sickness of the child during waking. The sucking reflex will last up to about two years, and you should not torment the baby with restrictions, otherwise he will suck his finger, a blanket and everything that comes to hand in his sleep.

Dream about breastfeeding

It happens that girls and women who already have children or who only dream of having children have dreams about how they feed their child with breast milk. Is it good, and why is it dreaming - everyone asks such questions.

New mothers often have such a dream, which is preceded by the fear of the disappearance of lactation. For young girls, feeding in a dream promises the appearance of a person who will turn her whole life upside down. For a sick woman, such a dream becomes a hope for a speedy recovery. Unmarried people who dream of another woman feeding a baby will soon find a large family. In any case, such dreams suggest success, life changes for the better.

For pregnant women, such a dream promises an easy and quick delivery.

Vanga's dream book says that similar dreams are similar to those women who will soon have a happy marriage and the appearance of healthy children. But it can also just be a woman's unspoken need.

Miller's dream book says that is a dream about feeding baby characterizes fast career growth and good luck in work.

Dream Interpretation Hasse says it's dreams to the long-term happiness of the married, and to a little joy - to the unmarried.

According to the gypsy dream book, feed babies in dreams is a warning, do not trust strangers.

For women who are not superstitious, it does not matter what dreams or not dreams anything, they just don't make sense of it. Others, on the contrary, read into the dream book every time a dream comes to them. And everyone chooses, what believe - a book or your own feelings.

Video: until what age to feed a child at night

Sleep and nutrition. Does complementary foods before bed affect its quality?

  • ALL
  • Daily regime
  • Sleep training
  • daytime sleep
  • Sleep regression
  • Good to know about sleep
  • Special situations
  • Newborn sleep

November 6, 2018

Contents:

  • Why does my child not sleep well at night?
  • Where to start complementary foods?
  • How can I help my child develop healthy eating habits?

Has your little one grown up and is it time to introduce complementary foods and solid foods into his diet? How many worries, questions and delusions are connected with this event! At what age and with what product should I start? How much to give? How to combine complementary foods with breastfeeding? How to convince the baby that zucchini and cottage cheese are tasty and healthy, but you should not get carried away with sweets and cookies? And the main question for us: will the picture of sleep change along with the diet of the child, is it possible to positively influence the sleep of the crumbs by offering him certain foods?

Let's figure it out together:

WHO recommendation to feed exclusively breast milk up to 6 months . Further, complementary foods in the form of mashed potatoes are gradually introduced. Under the condition of artificial feeding, complementary foods begin to be introduced a little earlier than , the need for additional vitamins and macroelements occurs in children already from 4 months .

It is believed that early (before 5 months) introduction of solid foods into the baby's diet improves his sleep. For the same reason, it is believed that the nighttime sleep of a formula-fed baby may be stronger than that of those who are breastfed: a denser mixture or complementary foods are digested longer, and the body, as it were, “turns off” the crumbs for this time.

Remember that the relationship between the quality of sleep and the type of food you eat may only be by adjusting the sleep conditions and setting the daily routine suitable for the child by age. Otherwise, sleep may be of poor quality, regardless of the type of feeding the baby has and the stage of introduction of complementary foods.

Why does my child not sleep well at night?

Mothers often see hunger as the reason for frequent nighttime awakenings. However, a baby who knows how to fall asleep and prolong his sleep on his own is already from 6-9 months. does not experience physiological the need for night feedings, and between hunger and the desire to sleep will choose the latter. Accordingly, at this age, we can contribute to the reduction of night feedings, unless otherwise recommended by the pediatrician.

Babies who fall asleep on the breast or with a bottle wake up at night in order to continue sleep using the usual way of falling asleep, since are not familiar with other ways of calming and prolonging sleep. This leads to the so-called habitual hunger, the child asks for food at night more and more often. The need for such feedings is often does not fall off naturally , and the baby may require to eat at night until the practice of such feeding stops at the initiative of the parent. However, the absence of night feedings is not a guarantor of restful sleep, if the way the baby falls asleep has ceased to be effective.

Dr. Richard Ferber, one of the founders of the study of children's sleep, cites drinking too much nourishing liquids such as milk or juice before bed or during the night as one of the possible causes of sleep disturbance.

One of the obvious problems in this case is a wet diaper, bedding or the need to wake up at night to go to the potty.

In addition, the child's digestive system is normally in a passive state at night, and an excess of nutrients makes it excited. The process of digestion triggers the action of other body systems, is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, the pattern of production of various hormones changes and, as a result, violation of biorhythms responsible for timely falling asleep and the ability to sleep in general.

Where to start complementary foods?

Although there are recommendations in the public domain, be sure to consult with your pediatrician to determine the products and their right amount for your baby.

It is worth starting the introduction of each of the new products as complementary foods with small amounts (half a teaspoon). Gradually, during the week, the volume of complementary foods is brought to normal according to age. Suggest something new in the morning while the baby is alert and patient. Use a special baby spoon for feeding, plastic, with a long handle. Ordinary metal can injure the gums.

The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend adding fruit juices to children under one year of age to avoid the risk of diarrhea and tooth decay. The National Health Center recommends starting the first baby food with vegetable purees and cereals, followed by one-ingredient fruit purees and juices.

It is better to breastfeed the baby immediately after complementary foods. Breast milk promotes better digestion. Keep in mind that vegetable puree can provoke increased gas formation, so it is better to give it to your baby after waking up in the morning or 30 minutes - 1. 5 hours before bedtime , depending on the age of the baby. So you can have time to track the reaction of the baby to the product and eliminate physical discomfort before falling asleep at night.

These intervals between meals and sleep will also help the baby do not form a habit fall asleep during feeding or on a full stomach.

The pediatrician may prescribe porridge as the first food if the baby is not gaining weight well. Start with rice - it is hypoallergenic, has a delicate texture and a pleasant taste.

Any juice contains natural sugar, so it is better to give it between meals so as not to spoil the baby's appetite and not contribute to the growth of excitability. Up to a year, in order not to provoke an allergic reaction and gas formation, it is recommended to limit the range of juices to apple, blackcurrant, carrot, pumpkin, pear, plum or apricot.

If the baby does not have any negative reactions to the proposed type of food, you can give complementary foods before bedtime. Going to bed on an empty stomach is the prerogative of adults and their personal choice, this scheme is not suitable for babies.

So how are sleep and nutrition related, and what foods can positively impact our little ones' sleep quality?

  • the content of potassium and magnesium in foods helps to reduce muscle tension : dried apricots, buckwheat, oatmeal, millet, cashews, walnuts, dietary meat (turkey, rabbit, beef, chicken), oily fish, milk, plain yogurt, potatoes, bananas, avocados.
  • the content of Omega 3 fatty acids and tryptophan in foods promotes the production of melatonin and helps to relax: fish oil, eggs, olive and rapeseed oils, tuna, herring, trout, salmon, halibut, veal, beef, pasta. Tryptophan has a positive effect on the production of the “pleasure hormone” serotonin , and it in turn improves appetite and sleep?
  • I would like to single out cherries and juices from cherries as a separate recommendation for the purpose of increasing drowsiness: this is one of the few natural sources of melatonin.

How can I help my child develop healthy eating habits?

  • Make it a good tradition to get together for breakfast or dinner with the whole family, turn off gadgets and the TV running in the background. Focus on food , while talking, try to get only positive emotions.
  • Using your example , show with what pleasure you can eat this or that product, praise the baby for trying it. According to new research from Aston and Loughborough Universities (UK), this behavior of parents encourages children to eat more fruits and vegetables.
  • Do not eat foods that your baby should not. Forbidden fruit is always sweet, and babies are very observant creatures. And no matter how well you hide sweets and cookies, the desire to find and get sweetness can turn into a game. It's easier for everyone when there are just 9 similar products at home0332 is not stored , and fruits and vegetables prepared for direct consumption are available for snacking.
  • Let the baby refuse food , don't make sure to finish eating the portion.
  • Do not use food as a reward or punishment.
  • Observe how the baby likes to eat food. Maybe the baby will be willing to eat vegetables in the form of stews or mashed potatoes, refusing them as a whole. You can make a casserole from dairy products or fish, a healthy dessert from fruits or berries, or cook compote without sugar.
  • Make sure that the amount of sleep per day corresponds to the age of the baby. Stress from overwork leads to an additional release of the hormone ghrelin into the blood, which is responsible for the feeling of hunger . The appetite is growing, as is the need for fast energy. This can be one of the reasons for refusing healthy food: a tired baby does not obey, throws tantrums, desperately demanding something sweet. This behavior can lead to obesity.

Healthy nutrition and proper rest are the most important conditions for the proper functioning of the metabolism, physical and mental health of children from birth.

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