To stop giving milk at night

[hoomae]

M (nearly) 2 year old has always been awful at sleeping - waking up 3/4 times a night and asking for milk every time. We used to give it her but I was getting way too exhausted. I work full time, have another Daughter & have epilepsy which is brought on by stress and lack of sleep.

About 3 weeks ago, she just randomly started sleeping through the night. Then Grandparent had a sleepover and gave her a milk in the night, and ever since she has started waking up once a night again asking for a milk.

I've tried saying the milk is all gone and have given water instead but we are 3 nights in and she is crying in bed asking for her milk 😩. I can't go back to the lack of sleep so don't want to give in, but what else can I do??

Water the milk down gradually, tonight try half Water half milk.

I would just go and lie with her until she falls asleep again. Usually things like this need 3-5 days to break the cycle. In your shoes, I dont think I would give in and give her milk but I would go and lie with her.

Thanks both.

I gave in last night but will get back on track tonight and will just lie next to her and keep telling her milk is all gone!

She will get the hint eventually bless her!

Does she have something to eat shortly before bed? My DD had a babybel and a big glad of milk in the bath (before teeth cleaning) until she was over 3, otherwise she'd wake up starving between 3&4am. Worth giving her something with a bit of protein in as a late snack to fill her up?

My daughter has gone through phases like this. She does have hungry days and less hungry days and I think some nights is genuinely hungry. Some nights I’ve fobbed her off with water, then an hour later she’s awake again asking for milk. Then she sleeps fine. In those cases I’ll do it for a few nights then try to break the habit again and go back to water.

I watered the milk down

Me and my husband called it 'night time gruel' 😂

Agree she might be hungry if you eat early?

DS can be a bit particular with food but I always offer a banana and a wheatabix before bed. Sometimes he accepts and other times not but he sleeps better if he eats it.