Cruel to go cold turkey when sick?

[Tiredf]

I have a little boy 18 months who still wakes up throughout the night every three hours like a newborn. I’m a single mum who works full time so getting a good nights sleep is crucial to keep me from feeling like I’m dying.
He wakes up for milk and past attempts at not giving it him I’ve failed after him crying for two hours etc.
He sleeps with me so it’s hard. Recently he’s been ill and refusing his milk in the night, he’s waking up and crying but not drinking.

His formula box is now done and I really don’t want to buy anymore. Is it cruel to take that comfort away from him, I feel like we’re already one night no milk down.

My DS's appetite goes right down when he is ill, but he drinks so much more toddler milk (formula) as a result.

I suppose if your DS doesn't want the milk then he isn't actually missing it and being comforted by the milk, is he? It'd be different of course if he was poorly and wanting more milk so I don't quite understand - I don't think not offering it to him is cruel, given you know he won't have it. Have you tried giving / offering him an actual glass of whole milk when he does wake at night?

I’m scared I won’t buy the milk, then he feels slightly better and wants it again. He absolutely refuses whole milk, any milk apart from perfect temperature milk. It’s crazy I let this get this far

You might regret not having some in the house during the middle of the night!

Have you tried giving him water in his bottle when he wakes at night? I had a similar situation with my son and I discovered it was the bottle he was getting comfort from rather than the milk itself. After a few weeks of having water instead of milk, he stopped waking for it altogether. Now, if ever he's poorly or needs soothing I give him water in his milk bottle and it works a treat.

Hmmm. I may try the water. Funny thing is when he’s with his dad he will sleep straight through. So it must just be a milk/ mum combo. Thank you

Just cold turkey it As he’s not getting comfort from it anyway when ill ... your actually being kind doing it because he needs unbroken sleep and so do you. You’ll have a few shit nights and then he’ll just forget about it. You don’t t want to risk rotten teeth either x