Getting Toddler to Sleep Through the Night?

Question

My doctor told me that my 15m onth old baby should NOT be fed anymore at night and should sleep through the night. Also, I JUST weaned him off nursing (today was his first full day not nursing). Is there anything I should do at night when he wakes up, wanting to eat? He doesn't go back to sleep, just starts crying louder and louder until I feed him. I need some ideas to get through tonight!! Help!

My son doesn't eat solid food well at all, that is why I had to wean him per the doctor. I'm worried that he IS waking up hungry during the night.

Answer 1

I think midnight snacks aren't a bad idea if he wakes up hungry. What happens if you wake up in the middle of the night hungry? You get up and go get something to eat, right? Every baby is different. My daughter reverse cycled a lot at that age (where she would nurse a lot more at night because she was just too busy during the day to stop to eat.) I imagine that a bottlefed baby could go through the same thing. A child's natural tendency to explore gets in the way of eating right now, and you should allow them to eat when hungry.

Answer 2

Just know that as long as he's eating well during the day, he doesn't wake up wanting to "eat" so don't feel like you're depriving him, maybe he's just gotten used to using the breast as a sleep aid. So, every time he wakes up he wants to suckle for comfort to fall back asleep. He has also learned that if he cries loud and long enough you will give in.

I went through the same thing (nursed for over a year, weaned, she woke up throughout the night and only fell asleep after nursing). So I did some research on sleep training, teaching them to self soothe etc (without leaving the room and just letting them scream).

What worked for us: I did the usual bedtime routine: bath, story, cuddle and laid her in the crib. I sat right beside the crib so she knew I was there, but didn't look at her or talk to her. She screamed for almost an hour. After that, I got earplugs and her dad and I tag teamed (20 minutes is all we could stand, I was crying at that point). But, each night it was less and less time crying and by the week's end she slept through the night. For the next year she slept 7pm to 7 am uninterrupted. It was amazing! Then we moved, she got sick, cut 4 teeth and we are back to square one. but whatever method you choose, be consistent. If you withhold the breast one night and then give in the next night it will be confusing. Good Luck!!

edited to add: he should be getting around 12 hours sleep at night and 2-4 hours of napping during the day, possibly 2 naps still at this point. If you make him stay awake during the day he will only become sleep deprived and actually have a harder time settling.

Answer 3

Keep him awake in the daytime, and out in the fresh air--do not let him nap. Feed him 3 times a day a (food), and give him milk inbetween meals in the daytime.

It's too late for tonight, he's probably going to wake up, and you're probably going to feed him. But the above does work--if he has enough food, exercise, air, and milk in the daytime, he will sleep through the night. I'm surprised you didn't start him doing this long ago.

Well...I hope that you and your child get some sleep tonight--good luck :)