How to stop the middle of the night drinks!!

[momofha]

Hi all and Merry Christmas!

I am hoping for some advice on breaking a bad habit in my 2 years and 3 month old daughter. She started of drinking a bottle of milk on going to bed but over the months that has started being a bottle of milk at bed and then waking in the middle of the night wanting another and another, etc. Stupidly we have given, or should I say my hubby has, (although not passing blame here!!) and given her a bottle in the middle of the night. This has just got stupid though and she will finish off, from start of bedtime till morning, at least 3 bottles!!! I decided enough was enough and on Sunday night she got her bedtime bottle and then I withheld any futher bottles during the night which resulted in her screaming pretty much all night, Sunday night and Monday night. I knew this wouldnt be easy but was hoping maybe some of you have tips or tricks that might help me get her over this habit and also maybe some hope that this will end soon as two nights of screaming has left me exhausted! Will it end, I was thinking day 3, today, might be a magic number or am I way too optimistic here? Thanks for the advice.

Oh god, I had exactly the same problem with DS.

I tried a few things...

• substituting water for milk in the bottle

that didnt work I think because it was the comfort of sucking on the bottle that was the trigger

• withholding altogether

didnt work because DS just screamed

• doing "big boy" bribes - new duvet cover in exchange for not having bottles at night.

• tried giving milk/water in a sippy cup

didnt work because it spilt everywhere

In the end I went cold turkey on bottles altogether (at bedtime and also during day as DS was also have milk in bottle during the day), and got one of those cups (I can look the make out for you if you want) where you have to actually squeeze/suck the liquid out for night time. I put it by the side of the bed with a small amount of water in it and told DS that that was for the whole night.

First night he kept getting up asking for milk but as I was firm the first night after that he was fine. For me, the key was cutting out bottles altogether.

Maybe try some of the things I tried if you dont want to go hardcore (it was hard for me to do it but in the end the only way).

Good luck.

i had the same problem with my ds it got to a bottle an hour. then he was always wet through as well. i had to let him cry it out in the end it was just getting silly. it took about 5 nights of constant crying but he got the message eventually. we also have a timer for a lamp that comes on in the room at 6 so he has learnt when the light comes on he gets a bottle. hope you have some success and good luck

Hi there,
Thanks so much for your words of encouragement. I also like the idea of the timer on the lamp, think i will try that too. I think I am just going to have to stick to the hardcore and brave it out. I hope that it will only be 5 nights like your DS, or less of course. Perhaps I need to also exclude the daytime bottles too as she has loads during the day as well!!

Yes, it's probably time you got rid of bottles completely. When it's just about comfort it isn't necessary and it may be easier if she doesn't have them during the day too.

Would say that a 2 year old is too old for bottles and especially at night. I would go cold turkey but place a leak proof beaker of water in her bed so that she has that if she does wake up thirsty.

I would then go in when she cries and offer her the water then tuck her back up and repeat when she calls out.

She will soon learn.