Help! My 19mth old is still waking 4 times in the night for milk.

[babybearsmummy]

And I'm EXHAUSTED!!

She goes to bed between 6.30-7.30pm depending on how long dinner and bath time takes. She'll have a 9oz bottle when she goes down to sleep, then another at 10pm ish when dp and I come to bed (as she usually wakes at that time)

The she tends to wake at 1, 3 and 6am for nappy changes and milk (all 9oz) before waking up at 8.30-9am to start the day. She doesn't have naps in the day unless we've been out in the morning as, unless she's tired enough, she'll get upset and refuse to nap.

She is a little sparrow when it comes to food in the day and I think this stems from having so much milk at night, but I'm worried about not giving her milk at night because she's not eaten a huge deal in the day and I don't want to say no to milk if she's hungry, so it's all a horrible catch 22.

Please can I have some advice about getting her off the milk and, hopefully, starting to sleep for longer periods at night because I'm at a total loss. She's a happy, healthy little girl and weighed 2 stone when we were playing with the scales on Saturday! DP and I just need help with how to tackle the milk binge at night, especially as DP has to get up at 6 for work every morning and we split the jobs between us when DD wakes (DP does the nappy change while I get DD some milk)

TIA x

[StarGazeyPond]

Replace one of the night-time bottles with water and see how it goes.

If she's 19 months then I think it could be YOU that is making her 'have' the bottles because you are projecting your worries about day-time feeds onto her.

[Mamabear12]

Stop giving her the milk!! And she will eat. My friends son did this. He had 6 bottles a day at 18 months and doctor said stop milk from bottle and give in sippy cup and he will eat more food. It was difficult at first, but sure enough he started eating more!

[minipie]

Honestly, even if she hasn't eaten much all day and then doesn't get milk at night - she will not starve. She's 19 months, 2 stone, she can cope with 24 hours without a lot of food. She might be a bit hungry for one night yes but really it won't do any harm and will encourage her to eat.

Too much milk and too little food can be bad for them in various ways (eg low iron) so it's important to get her switched over, it's not just about the sleep.

I agree with the other tips - try changing for water, one bottle at a time. Also try changing for sippy cups. Aim for milk 2-3x per day max.

[urmydarlings]

right honestly I was in the same position a few months ago with ds , not eating his meals properly and then at night if he woke up id think hes probably hungry so id trudge down like a zombie and warm a bottle. Then I came down wirh a flu so tapped him back to sleep cos I had no energy to get up and dh was away. And guess what after a four nights he started to sleep through from 9- 6:30.
You just need to keep at it and don't back down , ds would only get up for one bottle though so you might have it harder and you may have to switch to water before stopping completely but give it a go, she won't starve she might even surprise you by having a nice big breakfast after a long sleep.
Good luck

[Mishmashfamily]

Yep agree with the other poster.

My nine months dd was still having a bottle during the night after one at 6.30 (bedtime) and another at 11pm when we went to bed. You could set your clock by the 4.30 pm wake up .She refused her breakfast and didn't really start eating till 11am

I prepared for a hellish night, vowed to dp that she would not be having anything.

When she woke, I just kept putting her dummy in or offering water, there where tears but it wasn't that bad.

She downed her bottle in morning then had a bit of porrage. The past few nights I've cut the 11pm feed out and it's gone ok. She eats much more during the day now .

[Mishmashfamily]

Also I wouldn't do all the nappy changes. The bottles will be making her wet and you changing will disturb her more.

Unless dd has had I pooh she dosnt get changed but her nappies are good and don't get sodden.

[McPheezingMyButtOff]

I can sympathise a bit with you. Dd is 19 months, and still wakes for milk at ten. We've tried to break the cycle once, but her whole sleep ended up in a mess. And so did I. If I don't give it, then our day starts at 3am. I'm not a fan

No great advice though I'm afraid.

[waterrat]

Sorry there is No other answer here than just stop it! You are the ones facilitating this - its hard when you get yourself into a cycle of exhaustion and do what is easiest and of course you are worried about diet Etc
A 19 month old needs to move from milk to solids - but more importantly they need to stop taking nutrients during night rather than day - most 9 months olds don't take 4 bottles of milk a night!

Just gradually cut down / set a plan that you feel ok with - drop a bottle every couple of nights - if it makes u feel better you could give less milk at each feed - watered down and less liquid altogether

Seriously - your child can get what it needs to survive in daylight hours you absolutely do not need to feed at night now.

[BarberryRicePud]

You know you need to stop, it's just the how perhaps? She most certainly doesn't need it, in fact it will be what's stopping her eating properly in the daytime.

I'd not bother with watering down at her age, she'll suss that. Personally I'd go cold turkey. Tell her before, no more milk at night, nighttime is for sleeping. Shush/pat or cuddle, and offer water in a cup only. This will be faster, and perhaps kinder in the long run.

Start on a Friday night so you have the weekend to work on it. By the fourth night it will be better.

Good luck!