Help! 18mo is having milk during the night again!

[olivo]

She is not, I hasten to add, helping herself, but is waking any time between 2 and 4 and necking 7oz of formula. She then goes back to sleep till a very reasonable 7ish. Shall I just sit it out and assume she'll go back to sleeping through soon? it's been pretty hit and miss since she was ill about a month ago,we gave her extra milk as she wouldnt eat for a couple of weeks.

Should I be trying to wean her off this extra milk? I'm exhausted so do it because I know she'll settle back down and I can get some more sleep before DD1 wakes.

I personally would ween her off it. Maybe offer her water instead. She will soon realise it's not worth waking up for or you could leave her to self soothe.

I think I agree FW, but I feel awful if she is genuinely hungry! I cant leave her shouting, as she'll wake DD1 who is an awful sleeper but I could try watering it dwon and then offering water.

at 18 months, milk is a drink, not food. i'd replace with water. she may well be genuinely thirsty.

also - you can explain to her in the day time that it is only water in the night time. she will understand at 18 months. she might not like it but she'll understand.

yes, you're right, I must try. I think she si too young to understand but I'll try anyway. what with her waking plus DD1's several times a night waking, we are knackered!!

you might be surprised - it wasn't until DC2 arrived whenn DC1 was 18 months old that I realised how much DC1 was able to understand in terms of instructions and concepts etc. I'd never needed to 'test' her out before and so would never have thought it.