Does my 9month old need midnight bottle?

Question

My baby boy get three meals a day, snacks, three bottles btwn meals, but I still give him a bottle btwn 12-2am for him to fall asleep better. If I try to get him to go without it he usually keeps waking. I put him in his crib before he is actually asleep so he goes on his own. He also actually wakes about three times a night and I usually have to go help him settle.

~Exhausted, first-time mom

He doesn't drink much juice or water throughout day, probably less than four ounces. I offer he just doesn't want it. And he was breastfed til about a month ago. But I started bottles at night around four months old so I didn't fall asleep with him.

Answer 1

At 6 months, he should be able to go all night without a feeding. He won't starve. So, he's probably getting used to the feeding. This happens. You need to try to settle him without the bottle. It's a hard few nights---but if you don't...he will keep waking for this bottle. My son is 9 months too. He goes down 7.30-8pm and wakes about 5. He usually goes back down immediately after a bottle---and sleeps til about 8am. He rarely wakes up in the middle of the night--but if he does it normally requires a little TLC, comfort, a pacifier, his favorite stuffed animal...etc. Things that can be causing him to wake up: Separation anxiety, growth spurts, milestones, teething/illness,

They go thru separation anxiety, starts when they crawl---and can go on for awhile. So for the most part, they are just looking for mommy in the middle of the night. Growth spurts do make them more hungry at times. I am not perfect, there have been some nights when nothing works---I do give a bottle. Babies on the verge of a milestone (like walking) wake a lot to practice...etc. Also teething can cause them to wake. They can last days or weeks. Any longer---and it is a habit.

I don't know what time you are putting him to bed at night--but if it is somewhere around 7-8pm and he's still waking...try putting him back to bed without a bottle. I am not a believer in NOT PICKING UP YOUR BABY. Go to your baby, this is how you and he will develop trust. Comfort him, give him a pacifier...etc. If you don't see an improvement in 3-4 days, try waking him around 10pm for a bottle. This way you are still more awake...and it will give you a chance to sleep thru those horrible middle of the nights. Finally, if you still can't break him---give him water, not formula.

One more thing, he could be waking because he is not getting enough sleep. He should be taking two naps (mornings and mid afternoon) and getting about 10 hours at night. You might need to play around with his bedtime. Putting him to bed 30 mins earlier could make a big difference.

Don't get discouraged, you are doing a great job. Go with your instincts. You probably know why he's waking.

HOPE THIS HELPS!!

Answer 2

By nine months old, he should be sleeping through the whole night. Yes, he will keep waking for that bottle because that is what you have gotten him used to. Try making sure that when you go into his room you leave the light off, make as little noise as possible, and only give him a bottle of water instead of formula. There is a condition called "milk rot", where a late night bottle actually does more harm than good because the milk rots the teeth when not followed by brushing them, and at night our mouths do not produce as much saliva, which is the body's natural way of cleaning our teeth. You can also try just putting his pacifier back in his mouth, or just soothing him quietly for a while until he goes back to sleep. Most of the time a baby will learn to sleep the whole night through if they know that a bottle will not be given if they wake up. Invest in a white noise machine, or try one that has several different sounds on it-the ocean, a heartbeat, white noise, soft thunderstorm, something like that. They sell them at Wal-Mart, and I thought they were the best thing since sliced bread when my daughter was born.Good luck!!

Answer 3

Hi There, My baby still at 12 mos wakes up 3 times a night to be settled. He also did at that age too and I was breastfeeding him. I realized that he was comforting but not actually needing the nourishment. Babies this age don't typically NEED the food. Does he eat vigorously or 1/2 eat and comfort? If your baby is a bigger baby then sometimes they do need the extra but on the other hand if hes only 1/2 eating then he's probably comforting himself. Anytime I have changed the feeding, weather or not hes actually hungry he will wake just because its a different routine and he needs to adjust!

Some babies are not good sleepers, seems like we are both in the same boat here! I know its very tiring, see if you have a hubby/partner/etc that can take over one of the wakings!

Answer 4

No, he does not need a bottle in the night anymore. If he is eating plenty during the day then he will be fine. He should be sleeping through the night by now. The thing is he is used to the schedule that you have put him in of eating at this time of day so you are training his body to remember to wake up.

What you have to do is decide that he is not going to have a bottle and he is going to sleep through the night. Then comes the hard part. You will have to let him cry himself to sleep. Let him cry for 10 15 min. and if he hasn't fallen asleep then go lay him down......without a bottle or pacifier! This may take a couple days, and it will be hard for you, but he will learn to lull himself to sleep and you will get more rest after that!!

Answer 5

No, by that age he should be able to start to sleep thru the night if he isnt already. Not only that, is that he needs to be learning to soothe himself back to sleep or you will be forever waking up and putting him down. It will be hard the first nights but in the long run everyone involved will get more sleep. I am willing to bet he only wakes up for that midnight bottle because he woke up and doesnt know how to put himself back to sleep and hey who doesnt like a little midnight snack. If he is eating well enough thru the day then I really would suggest getting that feeding out of the routine.
Good Luck!

Answer 6

It sounds like you are feeding him constantly throughout the day, that might be why he wants that late night bottle. The bottles during the day should come with his meals and if he needs a snack during the day it should come in the afternoon when there is a long time between lunch and dinner. A bottle right before bed could also help.

Answer 7

It depends on the weight of your baby. Is your baby at a "normal" or at least average weight for his age? If he is, he doesn't NEED to eat at night. If he is under weight for his age, he may require that night feeding still. Ask your pediatrician. If he doesn't need the feeding (his weight is on track). Try soothing him back to sleep in other ways so he no longer depends on the bottle to fall back asleep. If you are comfortable with letting him cry, try that. This seems to work and it usually only takes a few nights of crying before your baby will realize that night time is for sleeping, not for eating. I have an eight month old little girl who use to be up at least 3 times a night to eat, but once I stopped feeding her at night (around 6.5 months), she learned very quickly that she was supposed to be sleeping at night. She has slept through the night beautifully ever since. Try a method that makes you comfortable. Go to your library or bookstore and get some books to read on baby sleep habits and patterns. Read several and take away from them ideas and methods to try with your son. He will eventually sleep through the night, you may just have to help him figure out how. Good Luck!!!

Answer 8

I used to do this for my little girl (now 16 months) She was waking up every 2-3 hours all throughout the night. I asked the doctor and he said to stop giving her the middle of the night bottle. She will cry at first but then she will get used to it. Right now its just a habit for your little boy. He probably isn't even hungry. That's just what he is used to. Try it for about 4 nights and see what happens.

Answer 9

I don't think that he needs that bottle, but I know that it is so hard to get sleep yourself that you'll do ANYTHING. My baby is 3 months old and she takes her last bottle around 9 pm. I would take the suggestion of not giving to him for a few nights. That's what I am going through to get my baby in her crib.

Answer 10

No he needs to be sleeping all night at that age. It's a matter of letting him cry a few nights. My son only got night feeding the first 2.5 months. At three months I let him cry for about 5 days then he got the point. he is 4 months old and sleeps from 9pm to 830am.