6.5 month old – night wakings, bottles, and sleep deprivation

[Kkcce66]

Hi everyone,

I’m really struggling and could use some advice or just some words of encouragement.

My little boy is 6.5 months old. He used to be a great sleeper – from around 2 months until 5 months he slept through the night. Before that, he would only wake once. But since he hit 5 months, we’ve had a tough time. He now wakes 1–3 times a night and the hardest part is that it can take him 1–3 hours after a feed to get back to sleep.

I also have a toddler who is a very light sleeper. She still wakes 1–3 times herself during the night for a bottle of water. We all share a room, and I’m a single parent, so the sleep deprivation is hitting me hard.

A couple of nights ago, after some particularly rough nights, I tried something different with the baby – I gave him his bottle while he was lying in his cot, half asleep, without picking him up. He drank it, drifted back off, and I was able to remove the bottle once he was asleep. Now this is happening 2–3 times a night, and honestly, it’s much easier than staying awake with him for hours. He also now settles pretty quickly at bedtime (around 8:30pm) not long after his sister, which has been a big relief.

The thing is, I feel really torn. I’ve always worried that I messed up with my toddler by creating a bottle-to-sleep association, and I tried so hard not to do the same with my son. But at the same time, I just don’t know how else to survive the constant waking and broken nights.

Has anyone else been through something similar? Did your little ones grow out of these bottle-sleep associations, or did you have to actively wean them off? Any advice, reassurance, or tips would be so appreciated.

Thanks so much

My baby was terrible for bottle to sleep, i know it was partly my doing as she’d wake so often and the only way back to sleep was to pass her bottle. I tried smaller bottles/ water not milk and it wasn’t working eventually at 14 months old I was broken and I went cold turkey. I stopped her bedtime bottle in bed a few days previous, we’d have that cuddling on the sofa instead, and that was it. It wasn’t working eventually tough, really tough, and she got so upset that first night. But one night was all it took to break the cycle! She barely wakes now she knows she isn’t getting a bottle of milk in the night. If she does I wait a minute or two and most of the time she falls back asleep of her own accord.

I was telling myself she’d grow out of it/ would stop being hungry etc, but it wasn’t hunger and she wasn’t going to give up something comforting voluntarily. My only regret was not doing it a bit sooner.

Isn’t that called a dream feed? I’m not sure because I bf mine but both fell asleep feeding. One has really bad sleep issues but he never slept well as a baby and the other is a brilliant sleeper and always has been.

Have you started weaning? Is it possible that he’s getting hungry?

Mine we’re all bottle to sleep (although we didn’t know it was called that then) and they never had a problem giving it up.

I feel for you though, all in one room and sleep deprived doesn’t sound like fun, but I’m sure you’re doing an amazing job.

Thanks so much for your responses.

My toddler we have now realised is a little delayed in her speech and language and has a few sensory issues. She would cry herself to the point of vomiting if I didn't give her the bottle. It's been impossible to get rid of the bottle of water to sleep but she does sometimes sleep through thr night if me and baby sleep in the living room (him in his carry cot).

I have tried leaving him crying but he just doesn't stop. Once I rocked him and he eventually slept but it took maybe half an hour. Most of the time he just cries and cries even if I'm holding him. Or he'll become wide awake and wants to move around the floor and play.

I have started weaning him. I know for sure he isn't hungry for the milk though.

Thanks again for the support!