My 1 year old daughter is still waking up 2-4 times at night, any suggustions?

Question

When she wakes up we try giving her a bottle, she usually falls back to sleep right after. We have tried just comforting her, but as soon as we walk out of the room she start screaming again. Last night she cried for 30 mins before I gave up and got a bottle for her. HELP

Answer 1

Just because at 1 year old most babies *can* go 8-12 hours without food, doesn't mean that they should. In fact, statistically 50% OR MORE of toddlers are still waking during the night and requiring parental intervention to fall back asleep.

Regarding the need to eat at night you need to look at how much she eats during the day. It is perfectly normal for 1 year olds to be too busy to eat well during the day and to make up for it at night. You can try to get her to eat more during the day. When it is time for her bottle during the day if she tends not to finish them take her into a quiet room and snuggle and feed. Many breastfeeding moms have to do this. Try feeding her frequent smaller meals just before bed and check out:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/t042400.asp for some suggestion of evening snacks to help sleep.

But ultimately you need to do what works for you and your baby. If it doesn't bother you to get up and give her a bottle and trying to get her to eat more during the day is a struggle, why do it? Self-soothing, not eating at night, etc are developmental milestones that all kids will reach in their own time. And forcing the issue can sometimes delay them, although gentle encouragment can always help (like helping babies learn to sit up). However no matter what you do they will get there.

You will often find that most parent's who say that their kids self soothe, actually don't. Dependance on pacifiers, music, lights, special blankets, etc is not self-soothing it is non-parent soothing. And personally I would rather my child be comforted by me, rather than an object. Eventually all children have the desire to be independant from their parents, but I have often seen adults with obsessions with bears/blankies etc.

Do what you think is right though, after researching some, and you will always do what is right for you and your child.

Answer 2

I have a similar story, although with a somewhat younger child.

First, figure out if she needs the bottle. If not, then don't confuse things by using it. If she really does need to eat, consider her eating schedule. Feel her just before bed, if you aren't already. Check her diaper when she normally wakes. If it's always wet or (more key) poopy, then maybe she's not keeping enough of the food. Or, she may just need different food. Something heartier, like cereal, if often suggested. At 1, she's likely eating some solid foods. Make the pre-bed meal one more hearty, need be.

You can try the old "Ferber" method, where you don't give into the crying. Some kids will get tired out after 30 minutes. Others, no. However, don't let YOUR inability to deal with the crying be the reason you give in. It's hard for any parent to hear the crying, and you need to understand your own comfort.

You can also try music (turn on when she starts crying), a few minutes of rocking, or the like.

One radical approach is to wake the child. This is odd, but if you daughter is crying in her sleep, she may need to be "readjusted" to things by being awaken enough to see you, her room, etc. This is especially helpful if you have a child that falls asleep, initially, without problems. She may feel better, even if left alone, than being trapped in a bad sleep-state.

Pacifier?

Of course, despite what I said about reliance on the bottle, if it's working, then it's OK to keep with it a bit longer. 1 is still young enough that a middle-of-the-night bottle (while annoying) isn't unacceptable. At 2, it'd be a different story.

Answer 3

She is going through separation anxiety. She probably isn't hungry if you are giving her a bedtime bottle. She wakes up and you aren't there. You need to teach her to self-soothe. Here's how.

First, check to make sure she doesn't need a diaper change, or something else is bothering her.
Then, if everything is o.k., lay her down and tell her night-night, time for sleeping.
Then - here comes the hard part - let her cry for 5 minutes before you go in an soothe her. Tell her night-night. Don't pick her up though.
Then quietly leave. Even if she starts crying again, stay gone for at least 5 minutes.
Then, if she is still crying for you, soothe her again, telling her night-night. DONT pick her up.
Then leave.. Wait 10 minutes this time. Then 15 for the next.

Just keep this up and within about 5-6 nights she will be sleeping most of the night.

I just did this with my 10 month old - she now only gets up 1 time a night for a little 4 oz. bottle as opposed to 3-4 times. The 4oz keeps her tied over until she gets up at 7:00 - but we are going to work on cutting this one out soon, too.

Answer 4

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through the same thing I went through. My son is now 16 months. Unfortunately, unless it is a hunger issue, you'll really have to wait it out. My 3 older children slept through the night by 6 months, so I was not prepared for this either. I started letting him snack a little in the evening and then not feeding him a whole meal (heavy foods) until 7:30pm. Once he had a full belly, I would top him off with a bottle around 8:45-9:00pm. He started sleeping through the night MOST nights. He still on occassion will get up, but for the most part I actually get to sleep until 6:30am-7:00am. I wish you luck!

Answer 5

even as my 5 year previous son change into about 2, our pediatrician gave us some tremendous suggestion to wean him from the bottle. He reported to commence diluting the milk interior the bottle. For a pair nights, quite of 6 oz of milk, do 4 oz of milk and 2 of water. Then replace it to at least one/2 and 1/2, then 2 of milk and four of water. in some unspecified time sooner or later, she'll understand this isn't any longer well worth waking up and prepared so that you'll get the bottle waiting even as this is regularly water-no longer very gratifying for her. have you ever tried giving her milk in a cup and not using a lid? My 2 year previous daughter can cope with a cup without lid if there's somewhat liquid in it. She thinks it really is so cool, because she's like the large human beings. Or %. out a particular cup with a straw or with a television personality she loves like Dora or a Princess. it is going to take some discipline on your area to stay sturdy and not in any respect revert again to finish potential milk even as she cries for it. yet imagine how a lot more straightforward it will be to potty practice her if she's no longer having countless bottles at evening!

Answer 6

I'm having the same problem. I get up about 3 times to give him a bottle and then he goes back to sleep. But occasionally, he'll sleep for at least 6-7 hours straight. I don't understand either. If you get any good advice, let me know. Maybe I could be doing something different too!! My email address is [e-mail]
I also feed him enough throughout the day, so it isn't that he's starving.

Answer 7

I dont know what to tell you......sorry I'm in the same situation as well, my son is 11 mths and he wakes up 2-4 as well..........mine all started back when he was around 5-6 mths when he decided he didnt like his pacey anymore, so now he wakes up all the time, and uses the bottle in sorts like a pacey but wants formula in it, sometime he drinks it, others it just rolls out......I even tried giving him a pacey something!

and If I hold him he will play, or fall asleep during his bottle...they say you shouldnt put the bottle with the baby, but at times I have sence he can hold it, so I cant help you I need help as well, just thought I would share my ordeal, and let you know I go through it at night as well....I even tried feeding him babyfood closer to bed time like a snack, to make him feel less hungry at night, so I dont know.............good luck if I find any good ideas or if something works, i will let you know.

Answer 8

Is it possible she is still hungry?

I have heard of people adding a bit of baby cereal into the last bottle of the day to fill baby's tummy and help him/her sleep longer. (I breastfeed, and my baby typically wakes 2-3 times during the night and wants to nurse, so it sounds "normal" to me.)

There is a lot of good information on the subject at the Doctor Sears website:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070300.asp

Good luck to you!

Answer 9

Is this recent or sudden? That can indicate illness or even teething.

It can also be developmental leaps. Babies and toddlers tend to have increased nightwaking when making a developmental leap (learning to walk, etc).

It could also be stress or some upheaval in her life. Even something that seems minor to you might be major to her.

Sometimes it takes a lot of invesigation to get to the root of nightwakin. Hang in there!

Answer 10

you could try playing a tiring game before you put her down and make her a bottle and give it her just before she goes to sleep. Try her on some mushy cereal, do you have weetabix in the U.S. my kids loved them at that age and it really fills up hungry babies- give it a try, good look.