18 months, morning bottle yes or no, 1 nap or two

[Kjaysmum]

my ds is 18 months he goes to sleep at 7.15 and is waking 5.15 bad day 5.45 good day. Is it ok to give a morning bottle to help him settle back to sleep or is this a bad habit?
At this age should I encourage him to one big afternoon nap or is two naps a day ok?

Hi, I've a ds also 18 months old - poor you having to wake up with him so early. Have you tried giving him a bit of supper an hour or so before bedtime - I do with my ds and he sleeps through to 8.15 am! He does go to sleep at 8pm, which is a bit later than your son.

I'd definately give him a bottle to settle him again, he'd benefit from the extra sleep and so would you - no harm in that and I've done it with all four of my children and no bad habits came of it!

My ds also has a nap from about 10.30 am to 12.30 pm, and usually no nap in the afternoon, which is fine, if he is tired earlier - I just put him to bed earlier. HTH

.

Hi Browny, this is a bit of an ongoing problem. Have been going through all the possible reasons for him being such an early waker i.e. cold, in pain or hungry and think I have done all I can to eliminate these causes, but he did love his morning bottle before I was advised to take it away as he was becoming very demanding about it, my instict is shouting "give it back" and give yourself a break!!! guess I just needed someone to advise me to "to make it ok" thanks, fingers crossed

Glad you're going to give him back his bottle - poor baby - h.v.'s are always advising us to take bottles away from babies, give cups etc. when I feel they are still babies. My children have all had their bottles till at leas they were 2 maybe even 2 and half and their teeth are fine and they aren't demanding at all!

Does you son have a sleeping bag - I swear by them - my ds brings his to me when he is tired and says, "bo bo's" - it's so cute

I'm going to get shouted at again, arn't I?

Yes he has a bag and a thermostat heater in his room. I think I shall try giving his bottle back with a sipper on it instead of a teat, hopefully he will be so glad to get it he won't mind the difference, is worth a try at a compromise

Good luck - hope it works for him/you!

my ds2 is 17 months old and he goes to bed about half six, wakes at around six and i give him a bottle. This will usually settle him back down till about 8:30am when his brother will wake up, he then has a nap from 12 till 2. hth btw im so glad im not the only one who still gives theirs a bottle

I would definitely be doing something to not start the day at that time although not having to get up and sort the bottle would also be preferable! How long does he go back to sleep for? Is there no way he could have a later bedtime in the hope he would sleep later?

DD is 18 months. She is currently going to bed at 7.30 and up sometime between 7 and 7.30. Until very recently it was more like between 6.30 and 7 so that extra half hour is lovely. Some days she has a cup of milk when she gets up (usually when its nursery and she has to wait for breakfast), some days she doesn't bother.

She sleeps for somewhere between 1 and 2 hours. On nursery days this will be from 12 but at home its generally nearer 1 because I give her lunch at 12. I would suggest one lunchtime nap in the hope that it encourages better nighttime sleeping. I know that those wakings between 5 and 6 are hell, especially at this time of year.

CarlyChristmas -

My dd2 is 19 months and I have ahd loads of sleep probs but on a good night she will sleep from 8pm til 6am but I always give her a cup of warm milk to go to bed with and she has a cup of warm milk when she wakes but she won't go back to sleep and only has a 1 hour nap in the day.

hi bozza, he used to go to sleep at 8 to 8.15 and wwas still waking up early and having terrible tantrums after his naps so we established ( with the help of mumsnet) that he was not getting enough sleep hence the 7.15 bedtime, his tantrums are far less now, but still the early mornings. Just really like to push that start abit later have tried taking him into bed doesn't work so thought back to bottle may

hi tegan, still having the same problems then, he went to 6 for a few days thought it was a phase and our problems were over, afraid not though,I'm getting nervous as we are coming over to uk for xmas and staying with friends and family, I know they'll be sympathetic but he'll be coming through 4.15am with the hour time difference, how sympathetic can I expect people to be. Have tried controlled crying, he get's hysterical when I go into him, I've tried leaving him till 6 it doesn't make any difference, I'm ready to try anything for when we're away!!!

I know you shouldn't but I always leave dd's cup of milk in her bed at night so if she wakes and there is some left the tiniest drop will sooth her.
I have started using a homeopathic remedy and she seems to be (touch wood) sleeping quite well, even better than when she has medised.

Iused to give my DTS a morning bottle of milk to get them back off to sleep (about 5.30)but discovered they would eat more breakfast if they did'nt have the milk, so swapped it to water.

tegan what is the remedy you are using?

My 19 month old ds, has a bottle of milk warm when he goes up to bed and if he wakes up really early then i give him (well i send dh to get, lol) another warm bottle of milk for him and he goes back off.

At nursery or if dh has him (hes only in nursery 2 days a week) he will have a nap after lunch but if hes with me then i dont normally put him down, it depends on his mood

He goes to bed at 6.30pm and gets up about 7am (or for some strange reason 9am if its just me home )

mazzystar I have been giving her Chamomilla every night for just over a week and weahter it is coincidence or what it seems to be working.

hello everyone, DS woke up dot on 5.15 again, he always wakes up crying loudly and at exactly the same time, I gave him a bottle with a sipper on it and he went balistic, so after a few attempts I gave in and switched it for a teat, which he took immediately. This reaction to the sipper is exactly the same as when I tried substituting the milk for water. I turned of his light and he settled back down until 5.45 when he started crying again I got up with him at 6, so I guess for an extra half hour is worth it, I suppose I'm being too soft but I just need a solution till after the xmas holiday, time difference proplem, then perhaps I can try more sleep training or just accept the earlies. I just really hope the teat isn't damaging his teeth

kjaysmum i'm not terribly experienced but i think this is absolutely fine. if anyone tells you to take it away from him tell them that they can darn well do all the early mornings. i often wake up hungry myself at this time and think 'time for a little something'.

my ds was a really early waker at this age and i must say that touch wood since turning about 22 months he is sleeping later in the mornings. i really hope the same happens naturally for you.

Thanks for all the advice, I don't seem to be hearing any huge opposition (thank goodness) so back to the bottle for a while it is, DS will be happy which is what counts in the end eh!

Really kjaysmum I would do whatever works to get you through until after Christmas and then worry about it then. You don't want to spend ages sorting out his routine for it all to get thrown out again by your trip.

yes thanks Bozza, I'd come to that conclusion too. He woke up a 4.55am this morning I went in and gave him a bottle and he slept till 7am, what a result! I feel so rested..

Hi Kjaysmum, glad you and your little one are getting a few extra house sleep - don't beat yourself up about the teat, he'll be fine!