Fuck. Another bloody rod...

[AmericasTorturedBrow]

DD is a shitty sleeper and has been since birth 16months ago. I don't know how it's happened but we've fallen into her having a bottle of milk when she wakes in the night and of course she wakes several times for one now (having night weaned around 10months)

How do I stop giving her a bottle when she wakes? She shares a room with her brother - is the only option to just keep sshhing, lying her down etc, refusing to give it to her? Should I attempt to lose the bottle completely? She has a dummy too. She WILL scream blue murder. And wake up her brother. Who is going through a shitty behavourial phase too because of lack of sleep because they both fuck around at bedtime so much, every night to the point of over tiredness.

Just generAlly at my wits end. And badly sleep deprived.

[MandragoraWurzelstock]

I usually go with the path of least resistance on this, remembering that they stop eventually.

All babies are poor sleepers from birth - it's normal. But you know that already I'm sure.

I wonder if there is anything you can do in terms of diet - is she eating quite a bit during the evening? Do you think it's hunger, or wanting some company, or teething?

[AmericasTorturedBrow]

She's not in pain, I'm pretty sure she's not hungry. It's my fault for falling into this. We've had guests and rather than wake them up I've been shoving a bottle of milk in her direction.

I've tried the path of least resistance (and to be fair several failed attempts as sleep training) for 16months. DS slept through by 8months but I know all babies are different. But just when we think we've come out the other side of another rough patch, somehow I end up relying more and more heavily in a new rod or crutch.

I'm in US so 8hours behind. It's 2am and everyone in this house just needs some fucking sleep

[MandragoraWurzelstock]

Oh sweetheart. It's horrible isn't it.

You are not at fault. We have all flown by the seat of our pants on this. It's not making a rod, it's being resourceful and dealing with things as you need to.

I don't have guests, ever, which is bloody lucky as I'd have done exactly the same as you (except I BF/co sleep so did anyway!)

I'm not very useful I think, having ended up BFing and co sleeping with ds2 till he was four and a half but he doesn't do it now...you've done nothing wrong, nix the guilt, stop having visitors, or make them sign a disclaimer saying they don't blame you if they get no sleep.

cup of cocoa pet and back to bed xxx

[butterandbread157]

I think if you want to get rid of the bottle with the least amount of fuss you could try giving it but just reduce the amount you give each night?

Does the dummy settle her? My daughter uses a dummy and she kept waking up and crying cos she couldn't find it!
I came on here and was recomended a sleepytot (got it on amazon), it's a little bunny with velcro paws that dummies attach to.
My daughter loves it and I put more than one dummy on so that she finds it herself.
She still wakes but if I leave her to it she finds the bunny with her dummies....hurray!
(I know just have to figure out how to get my 3.5yo to stop trying to come into my bed and I can sleep too!!)

Good Luck

[AmericasTorturedBrow]

thanks both - DH is away so long dark hours of the night are especially long and dark at the moment.

She does have a dummy but she wakes up, finds it, throws it out of her cot shouting NO!

Last night she ended up screaming quite a lot and DS didn't wake up so maybe I should just cold turkey her? Though thought about maybe watering down the milk too (she screams and hurls the bottle across the room if it's finished before she's ready)

[mrshoopdaddyg]

Maybe keep the volume of milk the same but less formula, 6 scoops in 210ml for a couple nights then 5 scoops etc until its so piss weak she thinks 'why am I bothering?'........I'd love to say I have tried this and it worked, but I'm a broken mother of 2 boys and they have me wrapped around their little fingers. I hope you have some success with one of the suggestions, x