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Bottles in night/in morning

6 replies

tumtitum · 10/02/2018 07:11

DD is 2 and hasn't routinely had milk at night for many months (and was mainly breastfed). However, after a recent period of illness when she was shouting for milk because of her cough and sore throat she has begun to wake multiple times in the night and early morning and the only way to settle her is a bottle of milk.
I've read about the choices and it seems either going cold turkey or watering down milk gradually. Last night we gave her milk and water which she refused but eventually had some water and went back to sleep, great! However, then woke at 6 and wanted milk. Previously she would sleep through the night then in the morning we'd bring her into our bed for a sleepy bottle and she might snooze a bit longer. Now I'm thinking how will she tell the difference between that and a night time bottle? Do we need to give up the morning bottle entirely and treat any wake ups before we want to get up as night wakings?
Any tips/advice/experience appreciated as me and DH cannot agree and it is driving me to distraction having disagreements at 6am Sad

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
tumtitum · 10/02/2018 21:21

Bump

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Caterina99 · 11/02/2018 02:44

I think as she’s 2 you should get rid of the bottle completely. Give her milk in a cup on a morning, either with breakfast, or if you’re happy with it in your bed then do that.

We just leave a sippy cup of water next to my DS bed (he’s 2.5). Then he just has a drink if he wakes up thirsty and he doesn’t need us.

tumtitum · 11/02/2018 09:10

Thanks for responding! You've reminded me actually, we had planned on getting rid of bottles after Christmas but then she got this killer virus so we postponed!
On a few occasions we have given her a sippy cup she's thrown it back at us but I guess we will just have to get tough!!!
If she refuses the sippy cup and it's still early would you put her back into bed and deal with the crying etc or just get up for the day?! I don't want to encourage any early morning waking...

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Caterina99 · 11/02/2018 14:23

I’m not sure really. I think at 2, if her sleep is usually good then a few days early waking will just make her tired and she’ll go back to her normal time soon enough. But all kids are so different! I just give my DS milk with breakfast. It’s water only before then. Mostly cos I don’t want the mess of milk in his room. Sippy cups aren’t completely leak proof.

Marcine · 11/02/2018 14:27

I would cut out bottles, non spill cup of water at night if she wakes, and in the morning take her downstairs for breakfast.

tumtitum · 16/02/2018 18:04

An update... relatively painlessly she has got the message that she can't have milk at night, she is still waking and whinging a bit and sometimes needs settling, sometimes settles herself...
but she is now waking earlier and earlier, this morning was 5 :( that was after a reasonable late night (wouldn't settle until half 8).
She's obviously still tired but is so hard to settle (and frustratingly I know she would go back to sleep for an hour or so with milk!! Angry), today I probably managed to get her to have around another hours sleep, but had to have her on me and she woke every time I tried to lie down for some sleep!
Will it get better?! She used to be a very early riser so I'm feeling very despondent, I'd got used to the 6/7 starts instead!!
Opinions on CC in the morning don't seem to be very positive so not sure what to try! :(

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