Sleep panic - 1 yr old waking 3 x in night for bottle

[fredericsmum]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to mumsnet. I'm 27 and was told about the site by a friend. I don't have any fellow mums that I know where I live - I'm a bit shy for mother and toddler groups - so could really do with some advice.

I recently discovered that I'm expecting twins, which has made me panic about my one year old's sleeping habits. At the moment, he still wakes two or three times in the night for milk. I'm extrememly concerned that I won't be able to manage this when the twins arrive.

I've tried leaving him in the past but he gets absolutely hysterical, and I just can't do it. I try going in every five minutes or so to sooth him but he just drives it up a gear the moment he sees me and if I leave him again, he reaches a fever pitch. I'm also watering down his milk but this only seems to make him wake more, presumably because he's hungry.

Can anyone help? I would really, really appreciate some advice.

When you say he wakes at night, what sort of times is it? Out of a matter of interest.

My second child is 13 months and does sometimes still wake. I usually try teething gel first and see if he goes back to sleep, as he's always teething (feels like it anyway). If he is ill he always regresses and wants milk at 11pm and 5am as he feels rotten.

If your son is eating and drinking well in the day and, waking still at night 3 times, if it's not related to teeth or being ill, it may simply be that he doesn't know how to settle himself back to sleep if he has come into a lighter part of his sleep cycle. Does he have a dummy which falls out too and wakes him?

When are the twins due, how much time do you have to break him of this habit?

I think perhaps offering him only cool boiled water at night, may seem harsh but he should get the message fairly quickly, if you can handle the tantrums? And perhaps the sleep training method from the baby whisperer which isn't quite so harsh as CC. That should probably do it.

Perhaps if you still give him a bottle at 11pm or something for now but if he wakes at 2 or 3am it's water maybe the best way to start?

There is a good book written by a sleep expert that I've found helpful. Read the reviews and buy it if you like the sound of it here it's quite a big book as it covers all children's sleep problems. He's worked in the field for 30 years, so it's quite extensive but I've found that no matter what my children throw at me he has suggestions in there.

I really hope things get better soon hon, congratulations on your twins!

Take the milk away and replace it with water. Totally. He will be VERY hungry in the day after a day or too, this will mean he will eat more and can go through the night.

I found it useful with ds1 to leave a cup of water in his cot. This meant he didn't have to cry for me every time he wanted a drink. Anyway up cups work well as they don't spill.

He doesn't need cooled boiled water, he's a year old and tap water is fine unless you live in Africa.

My ds2 (12m) also wakes a bit during the night. I've been trying to settle him while he's still in the cot, but he gets really distressed, so I pick him up, he falls asleep, I put him down and he screams like I'm beating him! I always resort to a bottle of milk which I don't think he needs at all.
I never had this problem with ds1.
Fredericsmum Does he have a favourite teddy or something you could leave with him? I'm trying that now.
I'm also going to buy that book suggested by teaandcakes today!
Anything's worth a go isn't it?
Goodluck