Bedtime Bottle Bust

Starfish+77

DD is 14 months so I'd like to stop the bedtime bottle as this is her only bottle left. So tonight was a bust. As usual, she melted down upon getting her PJs on and diaper change. This is usually relieved by a bottle that immediately follows and then she goes directly into the crib. She never falls asleep with the bottle, but she puts herself to sleep once in the crib. So tonight after the PJ change meltdown I attempted to give her a milk sippy. She launched the cup and freaked. After trying to calm her down, I put her in the crib and left the room. She cried for about 10 mins and fell asleep while I cried downstairs (8 mos pregnant and hormonal). Any ideas? Will this just take some time since we broke her usual routine? Any words of encouragement are welcome :-)

twinkletoes3126

I'm sorry, I know it's rough. We finally had success with switching up his whole bedtime routine. We did everything in a different order and I was surprised as to how well he adapted.

Starfish+77

Thanks...can you share your routine? We only do baths every other night and although she normally loves books, when she's tired she wants nothing to do with them.

twinkletoes3126

Starfish+77 said:

Thanks...can you share your routine? We only do baths every other night and although she normally loves books, when she's tired she wants nothing to do with them.

We go straight from bed to a bath, which we do every night. Then we do pjs, lotion, sleep sack, 3 stories while rocking and then he goes in the crib.

Litgirl77

We just lost the nighttime bottle - switched up our whole routine. He now gets a sippy cup of milk (half of what the bottle was) downstairs, and I've backed up the time. Right now it's about 30 min before bed. Then we go upstairs and do his bedtime routine (bath every other day, pj's, and brush teeth). It used to involve rocking and singing after the bottle, but if we even go near the rocking chair, he freaks, expecting the bottle. He's usually really mad for a few minutes after he goes in his crib, but settles down easily once we leave the room. 

Starfish+77

Thanks everyone. I ditched the milk sippy tonight and gave her some milk downstairs before heading to bed. I also changed into PJs immediately after dinner about an hour prior to bedtime. Since that usually sets her off. A couple books downstairs to wind down, up to brush teeth and sang in her room for a few mins before putting down. She still cried on and off for about 30 mins. Oh well. I have to remember its only night 2 and this is different than what she has known her entire long 14 month life :-) thanks for all the words of encouragement!

aimeepigott

Hi there! Taking away that last bottle is the pits! We started a bedtime routine of a sippy of milk after dinner, bathtime ( every other night is scrub night, we do bubble baths on the non scrub nights),pjs and teeth brushed, story with rocking and then he lays down. I think it helps to establish a routine especially when getting rid of the last bottle! Hope you find what works for you! Good luck!!