If you’re trying to help your baby (and yourself!) get longer stretches of nighttime sleep, you’ve probably heard about the dream feed. In theory, it’s a brilliant hack — give your baby a late-night feeding before you go to bed so everyone sleeps longer. But does it really work past the newborn stage?

In this episode of How Long ’Til Bedtime?, pediatric sleep and wellness coach Allison Egidi breaks down why dream feeds can actually backfire after 12 weeks and how they can disrupt both your baby’s and your own restorative sleep.

Allison explains what’s happening biologically as your baby’s sleep matures around the 3–4 month mark and why the dream feed can interfere with that critical first stretch of deep sleep. She also offers practical guidance for when and how to phase out the dream feed and what to do instead to support healthy, consolidated nighttime sleep.

You’ll learn:
— What a dream feed is and how it works in early infancy
— Why dream feeds may cause more night wakings after 12 weeks
— How the 4-month sleep regression changes your baby’s sleep cycles
— Signs that it’s time to drop the dream feed
— What to do if your baby still wakes frequently at night

Whether you’re bottle feeding or breastfeeding, this episode helps you understand why timing matters when it comes to dream feeds—and how to set your baby up for longer, more restorative stretches of sleep as they grow.

Interested in learning more about newborn sleep? Watch Allison’s free class on the 5 Common Mistakes That Can Undermine Your Newborn’s Sleep.

From baby sleep to toddler sleep, daycare naps to sleep training—How Long ’Til Bedtime? is the podcast for parents who want practical, guilt-free sleep tips they can actually use.

Hosted by pediatric sleep coach Allison Egidi, each episode delivers real solutions for every stage—from navigating newborn sleep struggles and weaning night feedings to helping your 3-year-old fall asleep independently (and stay asleep!). Whether you’re trying to make sense of daycare sleep patterns, craving your evenings back, or simply need a working mom podcast to keep you grounded, you’re in the right place.

Want more from Allison? Sign up here to get her weekly email with podcast updates and other helpful parenting topics.

Looking for expert guidance on your child’s sleep? Allison offers two free age-specific guides to help you discover how much sleep kids need to thrive—at any age. Get your free copy now: 0-2 Years Old or 3 to 10 years old

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Scroll down for a full transcript of this episode. Click on any part of the text to be taken to that part of the episode to listen in or use the time markers to find that section with the player below.