I dont know what to do with my baby?

Question

My 14 month old has decided that she no longer sleeps through the night. she is now geting up for a bottle twice a night. I'm begining to wean her off the bottle durring the day but she still gets up at night and expects it. At first I thought she was just hungry but now I'm wondering if maby I'm being had? any advice from other Parents would be greatly appreaciated

Answer 1

If your changing something in here regular schedule, (like weaning her from a bottle) then its not surprising that she's doing something out of character. You probably are "being had", but it's because she needs a little extra attention and consoling right now because things are different. You can try just going to her at night and reassuring her that your there and things are fine, or you can just keep giving her the bottles at night. She'll eventually get passed it. (She won't be 5 years old and crying for a bottle twice a night.)

Answer 2

I think that there is no reason to give a 14 month old a bottle at night. If she wakes up, try getting her a drink of water in a cup and maybe sitting with her a while. Having a bottle at night will effect her teeth. She is more likely waking up so that she can see you, not because she is hungry. Use it for some bonding time, read her a little story and then tell her that it is time for her to go back to sleep. It will take a few nights to get use to the new plan, for you and her, but it will work.

Answer 3

You are right - you are being had! She is using you as a prop to get back to sleep and you are giving her what she wants, a nice warm bottle - and twice in a night! Sorry to say it but you have reinforced the behaviour and created a pattern of night waking. Toddlers don't need to be given anything in the night and should sleep right through, getting around 10-12 hours sleep.

It is not unusual for little ones to wake often during the night from their natural sleep cycles but ideally they will just go back to sleep. Sometimes they can get upset because they wonder where you are and just need a bit of reassurance. That is where the mistake is often made of offering drinks and other things to console the child, teaching them to wake up and seek you.

What you can do is teach her to resettle when she wakes by responding to her cries with a cuddle and reassuring words like "Shhh, go back to sleep". She will no doubt protest but be firm and do this as many times as you have to (never let her cry it out, that makes matters worse and she will get more upset and feel abandoned). Gradually increase the amount of time you are gone until she learns to settle again. It may take several days to correct this but controlled crying has been proven to work. If she doesn't have one already try a comfort item (pacifier, soft toy, cot attachment with music & lights) to help soothe her.

Best of luck!

(Mum of 2 toddlers and former early childhood teacher)

Answer 4

At 14 months she should be on the cup as you said and eating a fair amount of table foods. Do not give her anything but water in the bottle and decrease the amount every few nights make sure there is a soft blanket or stuffed toy for her to transfer her affection to. If she awakens during the night, go in the first time and say"it is time to go night, night" hand her the blanket or stuffed toy and leave the room. If she calls you back later, say nothing at all hand her the object and leave the room. She should figure out how to put herself back to sleep by herself in a few days.

Answer 5

After they are one year old, they know what they're doing. She won't go hungry. So giving into her needing a bottle at night is purely her way of wrapping you around her finger. I had the same thing with my son that was nursing. So at 15 months, I cut him off. It took a couple days of him crying, really one hard night. And then after that he understood mommy wasn't coming in, and he slept through the night. It's just a bad habit. You aren't scarring her for life. You're teaching her to sleep through the night, which is way more important for her health and her brain to develop. Try the Ferber method. He has a book on how to sleep train them. If you're a happy and not sleep-deprived mom, you'll be a better mom. Good luck.

Answer 6

I know how you feel because honestly (and I'm sure I'll get a thumbs down for this) but my firstborn son used me and the bottle as a pacifier. He refused to actually take a pacifier. So he went to sleep with a bottle of water (with only 2 to 3 oz of water in it), woke up through the night wanting it (and ONLY at night).... just like a pacifier.... and that's just the way it went for me till JUST after his brother was born he finally stopped having to take it.... plus when he was able to really start asking for it I thought that I had better get rid of it really soon. Also since the guideline for pacifiers is to get rid of them by the time they are 3 or else suffer serious dental damage I figured that he would be ok using the bottle the same way. And it worked, he was done with the bottle just shortly after he was 2yrs 4m old.

His brother thankfully took a pacifier and sleeps through the night but I plan on doing the same thing.... let him tell ME when he is done with it. He only gets it at night anyway so what can it really hurt?

Answer 7

She should NOT get milk at night unless you are willing to brush her teeth afterward. That is one of the worst things you can do, that and fruit juice. Give her a bottle with water in it to take to bed. It might be a security thing. She'll give it up when she's ready. My oldest son gave his bottle up sometime between 2 and 3. By that time it didn't even have water in it. Was the same thing to him as a blanket or a stuffed animal.

Answer 8

I'm going through the same thing!!! Let me know if you find an answer! lol.
Sometimes she goes to bed late, and STILL wants 2 bottles a night...and is up jumping around by 7:30 (as much jumping as a 14month old can do i mean lol )

Answer 9

Try an extra snack in the arvo so that u can give the evening meal a little later, a nice warm bath with lots of play, maybe a bottle then and then to bed. Hopefully you've go the time to try it out-heaps of luck!

Answer 10

She might be going through a growth spurt. Try putting water in the bottle. If she doesn't really need the nighttime calories then the water might help sooth her without getting her used to extra calories at night.