2 year old still having milk throughout the night

[coco111]

My daughter turnt 2 beginning of November. She has always been breastfed, around 6 months ago we got down to one/two bottles of cows milk at night and breastfeeding still throughout the night. I’ve had enough! I’m shattered beyond belief. I don’t know where to start really. Do I just go cold turkey and cut all milk out? Last night she woke up for milk and I refused, she cried on and off for 3 hours before falling back to sleep. I have 2 other children so normally I give in as I don’t want her walking them but I know this can’t carry on. How will she fall asleep at night without milk? Do you think it will take long?

I would go cold turkey. Two bottles of cows milk, plus breastfeeding, is a lot! Does she eat enough in the day?

I would just offer her a cup of water when she wakes and stick it out for a few days. It won't take long until she forgets.

We offered a reward (a small cup of milk in the morning with a flavoured straw) for going through the night without any milk.

That worked thank heavens.

It's definitely doable to night wean. Have a look at Emma Pickett on Instagram, she has his resources for weaning toddlers.

What do I do about bedtime? Do I take her up to bed with no milk? Do I let her have a sippy cup of milk before she goes? She isn’t a big eater, probably because she’s so full from milk. Offer her 3 meals a day and she will eat some lunch and dinner but hardly ever breakfast.

I went through the same with my DD when she was that age. I let her have a small cup of milk before bed, then when she woke in the night I only offered water. She was distraught for a few nights, but after a week she was sleeping through ok. I put it off for so long out of fear of waking everyone else, but they were all absolutely fine during that week.

Definitely cold turkey. You will have some difficult nights but it will pass and worth it in the long run. Goodluck

This 100%

I night-weaned my youngest at 2.5 years (and lots of toddlers are still breastfeeding at this age, btw, so don’t let anybody make you feel it’s unusual), but kept up the bedtime feed; he dropped that himself gradually over the next couple of months. For the night weaning, I would just get up every time he woke and walk around the bedroom with him until he fell back to sleep - it meant a few almost sleepless nights for me, but he very quickly stopped waking once he wasn’t getting fed.

As long as she's having her teeth brushed before she sleeps, then I think either is fine.

I would think that she'll definitely start eating more, when you cut out the overnight milk.

Is she fed to sleep at the beginning of the night? I would work on breaking that link because for us it immediately resulted in a longer stretch at the beginning of the night. We did mum: bath and last breastfeed, teeth. Dad - pyjamas story and cuddle, sleep. I would still cuddle to sleep if she wants it - she will be upset but the sleep pressure should be highest at bedtime. Make sure you (or your DH if you do it that way) are fed, watered, have been to the loo and maybe have something relaxing music in your ears before you start.

At 2 she is old enough for it to be worth explaining to her what is going to happen. You can emphasise that she can still have cuddles.

Agree Emma Pickett on (night) weaning. I would also read Jay Gordon on this topic.

I think you need to drop the bottles, and no cow's milk after teeth are brushed because of risk of decay (and bottles because of impact on teeth development?) However if you do that first then you I guess the risk is more pressure on breastfeeding in the short term.

Following with interest we are in the same boat! For us it’s a combination of not enough day food and giving in too quickly so he doesn’t wake the older 2. On days he eats more he sleeps but there are days he refusing everything even foods he’s devoured the day before. Last night he was up at 2.30 and 4.50, at 4.50 I went to make milk and by the time it was ready he was back asleep. I know if my husband has done this wake up he would have either given the milk anyway or just straight away allowed him to be up for the day.

I want to let him cry a bit even if it wakes the other 2 for a few nights but DH really won’t which doesn’t help (I will say DH does more than his fair share of night wakes probably about 80% because of this).

Last night was the first night so keep going!
Small amount of milk before bed then just offer water.
It won't take long!

That’s a lot of milk at night. Also at that age bottles shouldn’t be used. You need to start offering water at night

You really shouldn't allow a toddler to be drinking out of a baby bottle, so bad for their oral health and development. They're not advised after 12mths and for a good reason. Also after teeth brushing I'd only give water at that age.

My DS was like this until he was 3. He had milk in a bottle/cup to go to bed with and the second it ran out he cried for more. He always ate well on top of the milk so it wasn't hunger although he had to eat the minute he was awake.

I tried getting rid of the bottle/cup with limited success. The key for him seemed to be or it was a coincidence, coming out of nappies. I was like you, completely exhausted.

Do you think your little one would eat a Weetabix with milk before bed, might that help? And only having water through the night?

Today was actually the first time she finished her breakfast in so long, it’s the probably the first time she’s actually woken up hungry and not full on milk. Going to ditch all the bottles and give her a sippy cup with some milk before her teeth are bushed and go from there. I know it’s going to be hard for a while but I can’t do it any more I’m shattered honestly. I actually asked my older sons today if they heard her last night because she was crying for around three hours but surprisingly they didn’t hear her. Hoping she breaks the habit soon.

Yes it’s absolutely time to stop the bottles and the through the night cows milk and go cold Turkey. It’ll be horrible for a few nights, maybe a week but she’ll soon forget.

I know this sounds horrible please don’t think I’m being nasty as I’ve done the same but as parents we are the ones that reinforce the habit and prolong the reason why DD is waking up in the night. My DS was also nearly 2 when we stopped baby bottles so I’ve been just the same.

DS now eats more and I’m sure your DD will too. It’s good parenting to stop the bottles, stop letting them fill up on milk and especially for their teeth too it’s not good after teeth brushing. Just remember when it’s 2am and she’s screaming for milk that you’re not a bad parent, you’re doing this for her.

I went cold turkey with 15-16 mo old and it took 3 nights of resettling until he slept through and still does now at almost 2.