Bedtime bottle and settling to sleep HELP

[pringlebells]

Hi,

I have a 14 month old DS. He is a great sleeper, 9 times out of 10 he will sleep from 7pm to 8am. Occasionally we have the odd wake up but generally he's great. (Wasn't always great, routine has been everything for us)

I've just found out I'm pregnant, should everything go well DS will be 22 months old when the baby arrives

At present, we give him a 9oz bottle of warm milk and he devours it before bed in our arms and has a cuddle to sleep.

He can feed himself, but we've always done this. I didn't realise the implications of this until recently. We then put him in his cot and he sleeps soundly, mostly.

I worry about how this would happen with a newborn and DS, ideally he will be able to be put in his cot and soothe himself to sleep.

I've never done the cry it out method, I tried and couldn't bare it. He's used to our cuddles and now I'm worrying it will have big implications for his sleep.

Any suggestions? Please don't tell me where I've gone wrong, we all do things different. I love giving DS a bottle and a cuddle but he is getting older and I've come to realise I should've made this transition a while ago, he's my first born and I've had no experience with babies prior to him.

Thank you in advance xx

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. He sleeps 13 hours in his cot! I honestly wouldn’t worry too much about a bottle and a cuddle! There is just 26 months between my two. DS (eldest) has a story and a cuddle in our bed before going to his room every night, we manage this fine with a newborn so I wouldn’t worry too much about that aspect. If you’re keen to move away from the bottle and a cuddle, it will probably take a few nights of putting him into his cot and sitting next to him reassuring him. He may well get upset but you can keep talking/stroking etc. And then gradually decrease the amount of touch.

I mean if you don’t want to change, then don’t, there are no rules. It’s what works for you and your family.

Mine were weaned off bottles from around that age. Cup of milk as part of the bedtime routine, teeth brushed afterwards and then they get 2 books and put into bed and settle themselves to sleep. We just say goodnight and leave the room.

Maybe start giving the bottle not in his room, and then brush teeth after. Then take up to bed and sit by him as he falls asleep. Maybe stroke his arm or something. Then you can move on to being able to put him down and say goodnight and walk straight out. He might not be happy, he might be perfectly fine! Does he have a teddy or a blanket that’s special. I think that helped my dc.

Once that steps done then I’d move to make the bottle a sippy cup. Mine fussed for a couple of nights and then were fine about it

And you can still cuddle of course. My DD had her books read every night in her rocking chair and then I’d rock her for a few min. The only difference is it wasn’t to sleep. We only stopped that once she moved to a bed around 2.5 (she’s 3 now) and now we sit on her bed and read the books.

We recently stopped giving DD bottle before bed (20 months) moved to Sippie cup before bath - I was worried she would have none of it but put her down and out like a light.

Just give it a try and see how it goes - maybe be ready with a little bit more milk in case LO not happy!