Putting toddler to bed with a bottle of milk

[Tertius]

just wondering if anyone has done this and it hasn't backfired!

My dd is 13 months and I have done sleep training - milk, awake into cot, crying etc.. .a few times. But something upsets the good routine - she was self settling and sleeping all the way through for a few weeks a month ago but generally now wakes early and will only settle in bed with me. This might be in part because she is getting v v drowsy on her milk on my lap at bedtime.

To be honest I just can't face doing the cc every few months til she can talk / understand a bit more. She is my second child so I have experience of this! At this point I really heartily wish I had given her a dummy. She needs help to relax - does not self settle silently (my son did from 7months). And frankly I am too tired by life to go through all that.

I am thinking of giving her the bottle - with a slowish teat - in her cot, rather than on my lap. That way she knows where she is falling asleep.

I know this can lead to waking at night for more milk. But also, perhaps she will just carry on sleeping through?

Has anyone got any experience of doing this with a toddler? I am keen to avoid the distress that putting her down awake causes.

I think I would rather try to wean her onto a dummy than leave her with milk in the cot.

Obviously thats not ideal but seems preferable to me.

Why? Is it just the teeth thing?

Oh my DS has milk at night. He gulps down one of cows milk (no matter how much he eats during the day) and probably one more of formula during the night. He sleeps well. I know I shouldn't have done this but I feel like such a meanie because he can't talk and I can't bear the crying if he doesn't get one.

No, more the possibility of choking. And as you say, once the milks gone would he wake up?

*she

I did this with ds and it made a rod for my own back, he wouldn't sleep without it, until very recently used his sippy cup as a teddy bear and it's bad for their teeth and it got to the point where it was becoming impossible to potty train at night because he was drinking too much. He is 6 now and only just accepting that its a small drink before bed and thats it.

I assume you're not talking about leaving her on her own in the cot with the bottle? If you're jsut giving her the milk when she's lying down in the cot, rather than lying in your arms there's no harm in it and it might help her get into a better sleep routine. She's just having her milk in a different place - don't see how it makes any difference tbh.

If you're worried about teeth you can brush before the last feed - it will still help. Dentist has told me that brushing straight after eating/drinking isn't good anyway.

Thanks - yes I'm talking about putting her down with her milk rather than hoping for the perfectly relaxed sleepy but slightly awake body that I can pop in the cot. You aree right - no difference.

I don't think she'll choke. Tbh. Not sure why but she can turn her head and cough etc....

I suppose I'm trying to project into the future. I don't want to take a dummy away. And feel I can move the milk earlier in the routine and sit with her / read stories etc like I have done with my son when she is two. Maybe she won't accept that as she is generally a less easy character.

Thanks for all your responses.

I just feel the screaming that i will have to face is too miserable. I did cc again last week and then things went wrong. I can't bear doing it again. Maybe if she starts waking all night I'll manage it!

We used to dreamfeed DS. Popped a bottle in his mouth while he slept. He'd drain the lot and never need burping, was great.

Agree with the dummy suggestions though :)

We did leave a bottle with a newborn teat for DS1 & he slept through the night finally from 21m when we moved & he got his own room & he never choked or anything! But bedtimes were easy well before that, the night wakings were a whole other issue. Then we told him the Easter bunny was taking the bottle when he was 28m & he was fine with it. Just were firm & told him he didn't need it & never had problems asking for drinks or anything.

FGS don't leave a baby with a bottle ever.