Baby only goes to bed at night immediately after a massive bottle.. how to break the cycle?

[Fudgedtwister]

We would ideally go bottle, bath, massage or book then sleep. Our little one prefers to have either bottle at the end or want it interspersed between all of the activities above. Is there a way to break the cycle and get her not to rely on drinking herself to sleep? Baby is 3mo, I appreciate a fully formed routine is unlikely at this point but less reliance on milk would be great!

Following but essentially for a nearly toddler. She doesn’t go to bed immediately after a bottle but does want it to be the last meaningful thing that happens and only wants to be held quietly after that til she falls asleep. Doesn’t like being put in bed til asleep

Have I read that right? Is your baby three months? If so, then at that age it's perfectly normal behaviour and I wouldn't worry.

If your baby is only 3 months, I really wouldn’t worry so early!

Why not just go with the flow? You might just as well fret that your baby only goes down after a bath / massage / book. Why does it matter? 🤷‍♀️

3 months old?! Why on earth would your baby be less reliant on milk?

Honestly, just feed them. And readjust your expectations of a 12 week old.

A 3 month old still has a little stomach so don't worry about them needing milk before going to sleep.

Mine use to cluster feed between 5pm -10pm before she went to sleep. It only stopped cluster feeding when she started weaning but even then she needed milk before bed.

Once they are fully weaned get into the habit of only giving them milk before noon. At other times give them water to drink. That way they will eat their food when hungry, not fill themselves up with milk instead, and also not expect milk at bed time Also remember once they are weaned they can eat other dairy products like natural yoghurt so they won't be nutritionally short.

Mine did that at that age. I was delighted as it usually meant she would sleep for a long period afterwards! To be honest, even when older they’d have milk with a story after a bath.

This is so normal, your baby is very small still. Any routine you have will get buggered by so many things over the coming months (four month sleep regression next) that I would just go with the flow for now.

She is supposed to have milk before bed, it's what helps her grow. Not having enough milk before bed will lead your child to wake up hungry sooner. At 3 months she doesn't need a book at bedtime, just her bottle.

Mine always had a bottle last thing before sleep. It meant I never had a problem with him going to sleep - no fussing at all. And he slept through the night without waking. Consider yourself lucky.

It's completely normal and age appropriate, she'll grow out of it. Throw the bonkers sleep books away, your baby has not read them :o then you can just enjoy her instead of worrying you're getting things wrong.

Thanks for the helpful comments, not so much the sarcy ones haha. I'm obviously not intending to starve my child of milk in the evening and as I said I appreciate the child I'd only three months old. Just looking for advice as a family. Thanks again

When do they grow out of it?

You'll gradually get more towards a routine of bath, bottle, book, bed or whatever you want, as baby gets older. She'll be more wakeful, and will stay awake after get bottle giving you an opportunity to read a book.

For such a tiny baby, just delight in the sleep she (and you) get with a nice full tummy.

A book at 3 months old? Mine was a good sleeper but you have the 4 month regression yet to come! Just feed her and put her to bed.

What's the issue with following the baby cues rather than what you would prefer?

I BF and fed last thing. They get all sleepy and it's a nice way to end the day.

Just change the routine so bottle is last.

Book last is very engaging so not sleep inducing iyswim. Look at the sheep etc.

Honestly at that age my priority was getting as much milk as possible in to her to fill her up and make her sleep as long as possible!! Feeding to sleep is entirely normal. Mine is now 2 and still has a bottle before bed (with teeth cleaned afterwards). I let her choose book or bottle first each night. Honestly, relax and go with the flow!

Agree book at 3 months is too young as well.

Bath, singing, feed, night night sounds nice.

(I'd quite like that!).

Why would you want to give the baby a bottle THEN do all the other stuff? Why do you have that on your head as being the set way to do things?

Bath, bottle, bed works for your child who then goes straight to sleep, why on earth would you want to change that?

I’ve always had something to eat before I go to bed otherwise I can’t sleep. These days it’s a protein shake. What difference does it make as long as baby is settled?

The sucking is soothing and sends them off to sleep. Completely natural for a small baby. Why do you want to change it? Not having a go just curious!

All 3 of my dc had their bottle before sleep. I read with them all from day 1 but did that during the daytime.

Wouldn’t baby be sleepy with bottle, wake up, be sick with bath. Not being funny why do you want this?

My baby loves being read to in the day where we make it very interactive, and in the evening she just likes listening to our voices as we read without looking so much at the pictures, it makes them sleepy. There's no need to judge another person's routine and it's never to early to start looking st books. Not that it matters but I also BF throughout the day, baby just gets a bottle last thing so my partner can put them to bed.

If not looking at the pictures and it is important to you to read at bedtime then you could read while feeding or sing some lullabies. Mine used to like listening to me sing gentle songs at bedtime.