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17 month old, nighttime bottles

1 reply

Listzilla · 19/11/2011 21:03

DD is just 17 months and is still having bottles at night. She'll occasionally go a few nights with just the bedtime one, but I'd say she's done this less than 15 times. Most nights she'll have one between 2am and 4am, some nights more than one - or she'll refuse to settle at bedtime till she's drained two.

I don't think she's hungry, though to be honest it's hard to tell as she's very fussy about food - it's possible that sometimes we think she's not hungry when in fact she's just refusing everything we give her! The creche seem to get a good amount of food into her, though, and she's just as likely to need extra milk afer being there. She drinks a reasonable amount of water during the day too, I think.

She's so very, very pigheaded stubborn as a mule determined that it's impossible to settle her without a bottle if she's decided she wants one. She'll just scream and scream till she gets it. And I'm 26 weeks pregnant with blood pressure problems so I can't steel myself to try and train her out of it; DH doesn't have as much patience as me and would get annoyed and give her milk just to get back to bed.

Also I'm reluctant to deny her when it might be a bad time. She's getting her canines at the moment and has been in foul form with it so I feel sorry for the poor little sausage.

But I don't want to end up with two babies needing night feeds.

Any words of wisdom?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
MosEisley · 19/11/2011 23:26

Hello,

I have a 16 month old (and two older children). He still has milk in a bottle before bed but doesn't wake in the night and hasn't since he was about 6 months old.

I think your DD is probably just wanting the milk for comfort and out of habit, and that it would be sensible and reasonable for both of you to train her out of the habit. They are getting clever at this age though, and know their minds, so it might be tough to do it. Also it sounds like you haven't really the energy / willpower to go through with it... unless you get some good support and advice.

could you try reducing the amount, or offering water instead?

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