stopped bottle at bedtime, 18mth - now 5am wake up!

[milkyman]

Ds used to wake at 6.30. We are now giving him a beaker of milk before he goes up for bath. He wouldn't let us brush his teeth when we gave him a bottle before bed. He now wakes 5am! Is it a concidence or light mornings? We have black out blinds. He has also started taking a teddy to bed. Any suggestions? He's 18mths.

when he wakes up is he desperate for milk/breakfast? if so, I'd try reintroducing the milk before bed.

but more likely you may need to drop a day time nap.

k

Personally I think 18 months is way too early to be dropping naps.

There is a huge sleep regression at around 18 months and combined with the light mornings I think this may the cause of your troubles.

How long is it since you stopped the bedtime bottle?

I second the sleep regression theory - it's hit us these past couple of weeks with 18mo DD just when 3mo DS started sleeping through, aargh. Naps have gone out the window, she sometimes takes up to an hour to fall asleep for them, although I'm determined not to allow them to be dropped yet, she is a disaster by bedtime without them. She has been waking in the night, sometimes needing a cuddle and sometimes just banging about for an hour or so quite happily. I have noticed that she sleeps better at night if she has managed to get a nap during the day and if we've been outside lots. Good luck!

Agree with the sleep breeds sleep. Mine always slept much better at night if they'd had a nap.

There is evidence that daylight helps sleep too so agree with getting her outside.

How was last night?