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Parenting

Drinking At Night

17 replies

OldDad · 20/08/2015 14:08

DD (23 months) and DS (almost 4) share a room and consume 2 or 3 large feeding bottles of milk (low sugar soymilk) every night. I'm feeling this should be a thing of the past, at least for DS, but attempts to get them to stop have met with much crying that wakes everyone else.

What's your experience? Should they be sleeping through without a feed (or a drink) by now?

OP posts:

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OldDad · 20/08/2015 14:12

Oops! I should have said 2 or 3 bottles each but don't see a way to edit the OP.

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DriverSurpriseMe · 20/08/2015 14:12

Yes for both, especially a four year old. It's just a habit they're into. They cry because they associate the milk with soothing back to sleep.

I'd go cold turkey personally. Hopefully they'll soon go without it

weeblueberry · 20/08/2015 14:38

Why do you want to stop them? Is it causing a problem or do you just feel you should?

BackforGood · 20/08/2015 14:46

I thought this was going to be about having a glass of vino after they'd gone to bed

I'm with Driver - I'd just go cold turkey if I were you. Couldn't be faffed with feeding a 4 yr old and 2 yr old in the middle of the night

Iamatotalandutteridiot · 20/08/2015 14:50

Would they drink the milk out of a regular cup?

My DS had a feeding bottle until 4 and I took it off him because I felt I should... he's never touched milk since :-(

(I will add, my DS is autistic and has a lot of sensory issues I didn't know about then... but I do wish I'd just let him drink the bloody milk because it was 'something' he would drink, especially out of the house...

So, knock it if it's a problem, but don't do it because you THINK you should.

(I also thought this was going to be about wine ;-)

weeblueberry · 20/08/2015 14:55

Ah wait. I read the OP as meaning they have it before bed. Not in the middle of the night. If it's the latter I can absolutely see why you'd want to stop it!

horseygeorgie · 20/08/2015 15:09

This isn't about wine then!?!

If it doesn't really bother you then let them carry on! You could try weaning onto water, then a cup. My DD (4) sometimes takes a mug of water up if she wants too.

ffffffedup · 20/08/2015 15:34

If your up several times a night to get them milk I can see why you'd want to stop it. I'd also opt for the cold turkey approach a few days pain for long term gain

OldDad · 21/08/2015 03:28

Thanks for the input. Can't believe anyone thought we'd let the little darlings drink wine at night - strict rule: no alcohol or Laudanum after 6:30. Ever :) .

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chumbler · 21/08/2015 08:35

is it good for them to be drinking milk from bottles at this age? does it not damage their teeth??

OldDad · 22/08/2015 04:03

Just to clarify, I'm talking about feeding bottles, not milk bottles (if such things exist any more) - in what way might they damage their teeth?

I'd really like to get them off feeding bottles but although they'll drink from normal cups (or plastic water bottles) during the day, they make such a mess at night that it's simply not worth the effort clearing it all up every morning. Someone above said it was a comfort thing and that's probably much of the reason.

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squigglehead · 22/08/2015 08:00

It can cause tooth decay as the milk from a feeding bottle pools in their mouths - if this happens at night time then obviously they've got the residue sitting on their teeth the entire rest of the night. For that reason alone I'd try to stop it. It will be a comfort thing and while I don't believe in taking children's comforts away without very good reason, at their age the risk of tooth decay is a very good reason! At their age maybe a book might help them understand that milk is for daytime? There must be one out there?

Georgethesecond · 22/08/2015 08:03

Yes absolutely. This is purely a comfort thing and it will wreck their teeth. Come up with a way to stop it all in one go, probably involving a bribe.

Peppasmate · 22/08/2015 23:53

My nieces now 12 &16 always drank milk at night from baby bottles.

Both girls til 4/5. They both have serious tooth decay. They brushed their teeth twice a day so my sister couldn't understand why their teeth were so bad.

SmallLegsOrSmallEggs · 23/08/2015 00:01

Yy to tooth decay.
Also no they don't need it.
Water if they are thirsty, in a sports bottle if needs be.

Might take a few weeks to crack the habit with a 4yr old though.

Can they get a present/reward for giving up?

1 week no bottles = something nice.

OldDad · 23/08/2015 08:30

From what's being said here it looks like our situation is worse than normal because they are drinking soy milk which is sweetened and even though ours is low sugar that can't be good. Today they switch to regular milk while we gear up to stop them doing it altogether. Sleepless nights ahead...

Thanks for all the advice.

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Georgethesecond · 23/08/2015 08:31

Shorter term I think!
No bottle tonight.
No crying about it.
Something nice at breakfast.

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