How can I get her to sleep all night?

[Jennisaurus]

My DD has had this sleeping pattern almost from day 1, I always told myself she would grow out of it but as she approaches 1 nothing is changing.

She goes to bed at about 8. Always wakes up at 1/2am, goes back to sleep and has another few hours and wakes at around 5 and then she is up for the day.

She has a bottle when she wakes up in the middle of the night, but I am pretty sure it is a comfort thing. She seems scared when I go into her room, I am pretty sure that she is waking up and gets scared and started to cry and the bottle comforts her (as well as mummy!) I don't know what to do. I would really like her to sleep from 8-5. I find waking when she wakes up at 2 I just don't get back to bed until 3, and then it takes me a while to get back to sleep etc, so really I only get a decent sleep for a few hours.

We tried putting her to bed later, but she is very tired (usually) by 8, and she woke at the same time anyway. I really don't like the idea of controlled crying, but I have a feeling I will end up doing this soon. I have tried just standing in her room with her so she knows I am there, but she screams until I pick her up.

Any ideas? I feel a bit of a failure tbh, everyone thinks its ridiculous that my 11mth old still wakes for a bottle in the night.

Well, I did controlled crying with both my older DSs, it only took two nights with each of them..

But if you really can't stomach the idea, how about cutting down the amount of milk she has by an ounce every couple of nights, and then switch to trying just cool boiled water in a bottle - if there's not much to wake up for, maybe she just won't bother after a while?

What kind of sleep is she getting during the day?
If it's any consolation our DS woke in the night for a feed until he was one and then suddenly stopped it and now for the last 7 months has been going from 7pm until 7.30 pm. I only let him have a sleep between 1-3pm for however long he wants - but I need him to be awake by 3 at the latest so we can pick DD up from school. Naps after 3 are a no no imo - they are just not tired enough to go to sleep.....

I actually know quite a few children over 1 who still have a drink of milk in the night. But having said that it's not on that she's awake in the night AND awake so early in the morning. What happens when she gets up at that time? Is she wide awake or does she seem still tired, and when does she next sleep again after that? And how does she go to sleep day and night? Does she / can she get herself to sleep on her own? If she can do this then cc will be harder to achieve in a way as it's not purely about learning a skill but applying it to specific moments.

Although it might sound strange, I've found that the earlier my dd goes to bed the later she wakes rather than vice versa. I think it's meant to work that if they go to bed very tired they sleep very heavily early on and tend to wake earlier.

Hi Jennisaurus
You are not alone. My dd2 is almost 11 months and is up once or usually twice a night. She wakes for milk at 1.00ish and then 5ish and goes back to sleep till 6.30. Like you I feel like it is my fault. I am also pretty sure it is a comfort thing. I have half heartedly tried to cut milk back, but I think i'm just too soft. I can imagine how tired you feel, I can't even sleep myself i'm so fed up with it all. My DD2 suffers from ezcema so is sometimes up due to being itchy etc.

On a more positive note. My dd1 was 14 months and still up for milk and I gradually reduced the amount by and ounce every couple of nights and got to 5 ounce and she never bothered getting up after that. She now sleeps 12 hours every night.

I would try to reduce the amount of milk your DD takes during the night and you might by lucky.

Good Luck