Give me good advice!?

Question

My daughter is 1 1/2 and my first child (most likely last!) she's always been used to falling asleep with a bottle of milk in her crib and it's always been easy for me to just put her in the crib with the milk and i don't hear from her for another two hours. Now, i've weaned her off the bottle and she will not fall asleep without it unless i rock her back and fourth and sing to her to fall asleep. i'm exsaughsted and i don't want to go back to the bottle. what should i do?

Answer 1

First of all, putting a child to sleep with a bottle of anything but water can promote tooth decay; however some people do not know this or become desparate, so you shouldn't be condemned for this...it happens. As for rocking your daughter...I don't think this is the BEST method because she will become used to this. My friend did this with her son and woul dhave to rock him back and forth to sleep for 3 hours MINIMUM EVERY NIGHT and he had to be COMPLETELY out or else he'd wake up when she laid him down and it'd start over. Now, if you are comfortable with having to deal with the consequences later and this method works for you, do what you can. My best advice came from Baby Talk magazine (or it may have been American Baby...I get them confused). Anyhow, this lady had a 10 month old and she got a sleep therapist for her daughter to sleep through the night. The first 2-3 nights, you lay your daughter in bed and pat her goodnight. DO NOT talk to her or sing to her b/c that will become another habit that you will have to break. If she screams and tries to stand up, just lay her back down and pat (or rub) her until she falls asleep. The doctor also made a note that this should not be torture. If it is trully breaking your heart after a few minutes, don't suffer...pick her up if needed. But just to give her a reassuring hug then lay her back down. This took me about an hour and a half of standing the first night to get her to stay quiet. That's a long time for a crying baby and may not seem worth it, but keep reading....

After 2-3 nights, they get used to it, but not enough for you to leave. For the next 2-3 nights you should sit RIGHT next to her bed, but you shouldn't stand. If she cries, put your hand through her crib to touch her and let her know you're there for her. If she's OK with that, move your chair about 1/2 to the door. Each night, move it farther, depending on her level of comfort, but make sure she can see you. After about 2 weeks, you should be able to sit outside her door with her staying quiet. And after about 2 more days of that, you should be able to lay her down and leave with no tears! Of course, you will have days after you do this where she will cry b/c she's not feeling well, but do what you did on the first day. Stay there with her to comfort her, but don't pick her up and don't talk b/c that's habit. It's kinda hard the first 2 days, but it gets easier and MUCH quicker. And it's well worth it. The trick is trying your best not to pick her up...and I think it works so well because your daughter feels your touch and can see you so it's not the same as letting her cry it out without you in the room.

One other thing I do when she's REALLY not feeling well is not rushing her ASAP. I understand she's not feeling well, but if I run into her room at every peep, I'll do it forever. Each time, I wake about 2 minutes longer...that way she knows I'll come but it doesn't have to be at the drop of a dime.

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

ok, so, you OBVIOUSLY know that propping a bottle up is bad, but she is old enough to hold it on her own, so she is fine with having milk at night. I do the same with my daughter and did so with her big sister, they both have strong healthy teeth. my daughter throws hers out of the crib when she is done.

try to get soft mouthed sippy cups like the ones made by nuby, this worked on my oldest daughter, and she was off the bottle soon after she turned 1. my youngest will be 2 and I have tried this with her, but it doesn't work well, so I just give her milk to her before I put her to bed.

some babies are harder to wean than others, I hope you don't have too hard of a time!!

Answer 3

Try a pacifier. If that won't work, you can do one of two things. You can give her a soft cup (like a nuby those are great) or you can just let her cry it out until she gets used to it.

While it isn't good, in theory, to give your child a bottle of milk at bedtime, I understand. I have a close friend who had this problem with her son and it was really rough. She faced a lot of people who were all out horrible to her about it, but it's just tough when your kid won't sleep and sometimes you do things you swore you'd never do. She spoke to two doctors who both told her that as long as it wasn't juice or soda (yikes!) then she was ok to take her time weaning him onto a bottle of water, then to a cup, then to nothing.

Good luck.

Answer 4

My son was hard to brake from the bottle to!! My Pediatric Dentist suggested to start with 3/4 milk in a bottle (or cup in your case) with 1/4 water for a couple days then taking it to half and half then to 1/4 milk and 3/4 water til its just water!! It worked well for the bottle i would guess it would work for a cup too!! Hope I was helpful!!!

Answer 5

Boy, I hope she doesnt get bad teeth one day. Give her as a alternative a bottle of water. It might be the sucking she is missing. Water is always good, cant harm her teeth. You could also try fennel tee or any herbal tee luke warm.
Whatever you do no milk at bed time think of the teeth. Your going to have to go through it. You have to talk during the day how much better it is for her to drink water at night. Put a bottle of water next to your bed and show it to her. She will feel like she is doing the same as you. Little children are not dumm, they understand but the have no vocabulary to express themselves.
Good Luck and I hope you get a good night sleep - one day.

Answer 6

first of all, giving the child the bottle to bed is wrong, the child could have gotten tooth decay. once the child turned 12 months, you should of weaned her, and she should have a sippy cup also. To help her with the transition. Don't rock her back and forth, just tell her straight up that you needs to lay down and go to sleep. My son never did this, and neither does my daughter they have learned from my actions, do so with your daughter.

Answer 7

Do not go back to the bottle I know it is hard but you have to get her on a good routine. If you play alot with her right before it is time for bed and give her a sippy cup before she lies down she should be tired enough to go to bed. My son is the same way he is 3 now and can not sleep though the night in his own bed unless my hubby or I are in there with him I spoiled him and now I am paying the price if you are consistent it will all work out I wasn't and now I am paying for it!

Answer 8

Try giving her something to hold, like a teddy bear, and something to suck on like a nipple. It's feel the same as the bottle, and if she falls asleep sucking on it, she won't choke like she would with milk. That's all I can say.

Answer 9

first off your not suppose to give your baby milk or juice to bed b/c that causes tooth decay. You can give your baby water but dont put it in a bottle put it in a sippy cup that dont leak or just give her a pacifier that's what there for.

Answer 10

Try reading the book "The No Cry Sleep Solution".