My 15m old drinks four 6oz bottles of milk a night - roughly at 7pm (bedtime), 11pm, 3am and 4am. He is drinking nutramigen formula. He now refuses to drink milk in the daytime, does not eat particularly well, and I'm worried about his teeth with all the milk at night.
I think we need to cut the nighttime milk right down so that he starts eating in the day. We are also all exhausted with the wakes.
My problem is that he is really, really loud and unhappy if he doesn't get his milk. He wakes roaring and screaming immediately, and doesn't stop until someone feeds him. I've tried holding and soothing him, offering water and dummy for up to two hours before giving in and feeding him. The screaming keeps the entire house, including my other child, awake and it is horrible seeing him so distressed.
I am worried that he will need this nighttime milk until we break the habit so think it's best to stop soon. I need help though! What do I do? Has anyone else successfully night weaned such a furious 1yo?
Go gradually. Now he is 1 you can probably safely dilute feeds. Do 1 feed at a time - probably the 3am one first. When he is down to mainly water cut it out. How much milk is he having? At this age I think it isnsupposed to be 500ml max I believe.
Thank you. I should have said. I tried doing this too, over three weeks. When we got down to three scoops in a six oz feed he basically refused to settle and screamed til he had a top up. It's like he can detect it 😫
We all get hungry at the times that we're used to eating. Unfortunately he's become used to eating in the middle of the night. He's also taking all his calories in milk which will not be meeting his nutritional needs at this point. He will be genuinely hungry but you need to ride it out. I'd start with the 4am feed. Even if he will not go back to sleep do not give him anything until breakfast time say 7am when he can have proper food, not milk. Water down the other bottles as much as you can without him noticing to reduce the calorie intake during the night and allow him to feel hunger in the daytime.
I think you will just have to accept you won't have a lot of sleep for a few nights and ride it out. Make sure everyone is on the same page and if possible send your other child to grandparents or friends for the night (if not poss then maybe earplugs!)
Last bottle at bedtime and then only water until the morning.
Ime once babies/children realise you're not going to crack they accept it and move on to something else annoying
So he is able to go to sleep during daytime nap without the milk but wants/needs several bottles during the night.
Sorry but I agree with PP. You need to go cold turkey. If after 3 days, still drama, I would be theatrical and during the day, make a big show of throwing away the bottles (minus one well hidden in the cupboard) and the can of formula. Finish bottles. He needs to start feeding during the day, not at night. Disclosure , I am French, and we are quite drastic , and stop-this-right-now when it comes to tantrum.
Yes please update! I'm trying to stop doing 11pm bottle for 10 month old. when I've tried removing it previously I just get woken at 3 or 4am. I'm trying again cold turkey this weekend- at least I won't have to face work after a bad night's sleep!
