Has anyone stopped toddler bedtime milk to improve bedtime?

[movingalot]

DD 23 months has been going through an bad bedtime patch recently, although she has never been great at settling without crying. We have gradually slipped into giving a beaker of milk before bath, them more milk sometimes in cot, and at any wakings. She now has a soaked nappy in the morning, sometimes through her pjs, although it doesn't seem to wake her up.

She asks for milk constantly at bedtime and on any night wakings, but I think it's a delaying tactic along with books, rearranging teddies etc as sometimes she doesn't even drink it. Tonight was especially bad, she has only just gone to sleep so will be shattered tomorrow. Otherwise her routine is ok, she's in nursery full time do tends to catch up on good naps at weekends. I'm planning to potty train in February when she's 2, but think we need to sort out the bedtime milk issue first! I don't see her tolerating stopping bedtime milk suddenly at all, so does anyone have any tips? Eg replace with water and a biscuit? Or something else? Thanks in advance

[madwomanbackintheattic]

I think the issue is continuing to offer milk in the cot and on every waking, rather than a beaker as part of a nigh time routine, tbh.

So no, I've never tried to stop bedtime milk.

I have cut out milk at other times though (like multiple cups before bed and during the night).

One cup as part of the routine is really not the problem.

[madwomanbackintheattic]

(And at 23 mos, you replace it by saying 'no more milk, night night' not offering water or a biscuit.)

I have a friend who offered her child a drink every time he woke. Neither of them ever got any sleep. He woke becasue he was soaked to the skin becasue he was overflowing, and she would complain that everything was wet, would change him, give him another drink to settle him, and it would start all over again.

I get that sometimes you are too close to a situation, but toddlers don't need a drink on night time waking. And they wake up when they are soaked.you might have a few nights of grumbling, but you have to break the cycle.