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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

Any ideas on how to get a 1 year old sleeping through the night?

28 replies

SophieB · 03/10/2007 21:41

My 1 year old is still waking up during the night, ive read an article by super nanny to not pick baby up just pat them on the bum and leave them, ive tried that but it didnt seem to work, ive been told to give him water instead of his bottle of milk during the night, i tried it the other night but when its 3/4 in the morning i find it so hard to give him water so i give him his bottle. plus it doesnt help with me feeling paranoid about the neighbors having a moan the next day! Im just after some ideas that have worked for other mums, i will start any tonight! thanks.

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PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt · 03/10/2007 21:48

we went semi cold turkey with ours. hang on and I'll see if i can find my own thread.....!!

nell12 · 03/10/2007 21:49

Make sure he has a good meal and milk feed at bead time. Try giving him semi-skimmed milk in the night (will not fill him up as much so he may become less dependent on it) or, leave his drink to hand so he can reach it if he needs it.

When he wakes in the night give him as little attention as poss (No I am not saying to leave him ) so that he does not wake just to get attention.

The neighbours will not moan (I hope) I have newborns on both sides of my terraced house and only ever hear them if I am awake myself

nell12 · 03/10/2007 21:49

At bed time, not bead time

NineUnlikelyTales · 03/10/2007 21:51

I can't advise about 1 year olds sleeping through as mine doesn't, but I do know about watering down the milk. I reduced the milk by 1oz at a time, replacing with water so it became more and more dilute. Now it is just a few teaspoons of milk and the rest water, and he rarely bothers with it. Next week it will be just water. With my DS there is more to it than just waking for milk, but if milk is the problem then that might be one solution.

NineUnlikelyTales · 03/10/2007 21:52

BTW DS never seemed to notice the transition so it has been painless.

PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt · 03/10/2007 21:52

Here it is

SophieB · 03/10/2007 21:55

is that watering down his formula milk? thats what i give him during the night, he has about 5 oz of cows milk for his bed time bottle. i need to do something because i can see myself when his 3 or 4 still getting up!

OP posts:

gingerninja · 03/10/2007 21:55

Mine doesn't have milk anymore and still wakes. IMO some babies just do and you have to do what you can to get by. Sorry it's not the answer you're looking for but I don't believe there are miracle solutions. Trust me I've tried them all. I think the only thing that helps the situation is if you don't stress too much and just accept it. Sorry.

clutteredup · 03/10/2007 21:57

My 9mo, is a little erratic at the moment as she is teething but we got her going through the night a few weeks ago, did the controlled crying thing after replacing milk for water, realised she was only waking out of habit. Did the first time going in, picking up, giving her a cuddle, putting her down, next time going in, reassuring her, but not picking up etc.., it did take a few hard nights but I had already givien in before with the bottle and we were straight back to square one. Now although she's up, because I know its teething all she gets is cuddles and calpol and water in extremis, once you've got rid of the milk don't go back. Once you know they can get through the night without it don't give it any more, good luck it will take some bad nights, try to do it when you know you can get some extra help or support to catch up on your sleep if you can.

fihi · 03/10/2007 21:59

just to say something mad which is virtually the opposite of everyone else, mine had very warm horlicks or (weak) hot choc at bedtime, once they had stopped bf. i'm convinced that a full tummy makes mine sleep. DD had a midnight wake-up habit but stopped it once she got her baby-horlicks!!
sorry dentists and people who know lots about pc baby stuff... can only say what worked for my 3!

NineUnlikelyTales · 03/10/2007 22:05

SophieB in our case it is EBM but I don't suppose it makes any difference what kind of milk it is.

I agree that not having milk will not necessarily solve the problem but at least it does remove one possible cause.

clutteredup · 03/10/2007 22:05

Yes feeding a lot before bed is the trick, I meant to say we wake DD2 at 10 ish (erm now actually ,oops) and give her a bottle, that seems to get her through, also I know for certain she can't be hungry if she wakes in a few hours.

NineUnlikelyTales · 03/10/2007 22:07

We gave DS porridge half an hour before bed for a while and it seemed to help, but then of course it stopped working, darn it.

donttouchthefruit · 03/10/2007 22:07

I agree with Clutteredup, that's what I did with my DD when she was 6mths. Cut out the milk first and then a bit of CC. But she still used to wake sometimes in the night and it wasn't until she learnt to go to sleep alone at bedtime (at 2yrs) that she could settle herself in the night. Before that I used to sit by her cot/bed until she was asleep! I would never have though it would make such a difference but it was a turning point for me. I read a lovely book called The No Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley.

SophieB · 03/10/2007 22:10

so should i try just giving him water during the night? shall i still give him some milk when i go to bed then water thereafter? are babys ok to have horlix/hot choc? if so i might get some tomorrow and try that! your all being really helpful, thank you, ive been stressing over this for weeks!!

OP posts:

tori32 · 03/10/2007 22:11

If you stick to it, go cold turkey as it will more than likely be habit rather than need.
Give cows milk if you must, instead of formula.
Reduce to skimmed and then water over a week.
Next week give cuddle only then back to bed, after a few nights do nothing at all for 15 mins when he wakes, give him chance to settle himself, go in and stroke forehead/ rub tummy or back depending on sleep position and leave again.
Reduce contact each night when he wakes. Don't get him out of the cot as this will stimulate him and make it more difficult to get back to sleep.

Good luck!

tori32 · 03/10/2007 22:14

A question to everyone, does your stomach rumble just before meals when you haven't snacked?

gingerninja · 03/10/2007 22:19

Personally I'd just stick to milk and not bother with the horlicks etc. Sounds like a lovely idea but what't the real benefit? It's more complicated, sugary and less nutricious. If you want to cut out milk then do as others have suggested and start by watering it down over the next week or so. Or cut it out all together and just offer water but prepare for a fight.

I'm not sure about the links to hunger. My DD can eat nothing and sleep well or eat like a horse and wake every hour. It makes no sense. All I know is that I wake frequently in the night but as an adult don't have any trouble either laying there awake or getting myself back to sleep. I think until they're a bit older it's a lot to ask for them to do this on their own.

SophieB · 03/10/2007 22:22

im really sorry im being a bit blonde here lol! should i water the cows milk down or his formula?

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tori32 · 03/10/2007 22:24

My point is that bodies naturally have a clock for eating, especially if its at regular times. When babies are used to being fed in the night they will be woken by their stomach saying its time to be fed. Until you reduce the solidity and quantity of fluid this will still happen. Until the feed is cut to an oz of water, there is no point using cc, because the stomach grumbling will prevent them from getting back to sleep.

Also, rubbing the stomach can temporarily fool the stomach into thinking it has had food until baby gets back to sleep.

gingerninja · 03/10/2007 22:25

Water his formula if he's never had cows milk he might not take it. Remember he does still need milk though so make sure he's getting the required amount. If you make the transition to cows milk you can dilute formula down with cows milk gradually until it's all whole milk.

SophieB · 03/10/2007 22:28

thank you ladies, i will try your ideas tonight and tomorrow, i will up date you at the weekend!

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tori32 · 03/10/2007 22:28

Sophie, I would cut out formula because it lies heavier on the stomach. Use cows milk for a couple of days, then semi-skimmed, then skimmed, then water, then reduce the amount by half each night until its only an oz and he is going back off. When this happens I would then do the just stroking and saying 'its ok, go back to sleep', then reduce the time you stroke, then just say 'its ok' go back to sleep with no contact. Then ignore for a little while over a few nights.

tori32 · 03/10/2007 22:29

gingerninja, the op has already said he drinks cows milk during the day.

gingerninja · 03/10/2007 22:36

I stand corrected

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