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16 month old, co-sleeping....

princessctoprincesscto member
in Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
Hey guys, I haven't been a part of the boards for a while, but I have a question. My DD is 16 months old and we co-sleep, which is fine with us, but she is still waking up to have a bottle. I"m not getting much sleep because she keeps waking for it. I am trying to wean her but it's very hard, I was looking for any suggestions, or anyone who has gone through or is going through the same thing. All I want is for her to sleep through the night so I can get a good sleep too. HELP
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Re: 16 month old, co-sleeping....

  • stemms8810stemms8810 member
    I don't co-sleep but my LO wakes a couple nights a week for a bottle too.  He is 15 months old.  My pedi recommended gradually reducing the amount of milk in the bottle until it's down to nothing or just a couple ounces of water.  My LO went from 6 ounces and is now down to 2 ounces.  I am going to start a little milk and a little water to water it down and then move to just water very soon.  Every couple nights I reduced the milk by an ounce.  He didn't like it at first but didn't scream.  I just stuck his paci in his mouth and he soothed himself back to sleep.  It wasn't as hard as I thought.  Hope that helps!
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  • misslindso84misslindso84
    Two days after my son's one year check up, he had one last bottle, and hasn't had one since. I think having a toddler on a bottle after that is ridiuclous. You're just going to have to take it away. It will be rough but you'll thank yourself later when you have a two year old still wanting a bottle. I'm not trying to be harsh but you have to do what you have to do. I'm in the same boat with the pacifier. He goes all day with it but as soon as he gets ready for bed, he asks for it using sign language...I wish I would have done both at a year and at almost 20 months, I'm kicking myself in the arse for it. Just go with your LO and pick out awesome new sippy cups (there is a brand that has a rim for 360 degrees and my son LOVES them because he's learning how to drink out of a cup without spilling it all over himself)...but seriously, get that bottle away. Plus, during the night, unless afterward you're brushing their teeth, you're asking for all of that sugar (if it's not breast milk) to start it's damage on your babes teeth. Just suck it up and take em away!

    Good luck love!!
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  • DiveFrogDiveFrog member
    misslindso84 said:

    Two days after my son's one year check up, he had one last bottle, and hasn't had one since. I think having a toddler on a bottle after that is ridiuclous. You're just going to have to take it away. It will be rough but you'll thank yourself later when you have a two year old still wanting a bottle. I'm not trying to be harsh but you have to do what you have to do. I'm in the same boat with the pacifier. He goes all day with it but as soon as he gets ready for bed, he asks for it using sign language...I wish I would have done both at a year and at almost 20 months, I'm kicking myself in the arse for it. Just go with your LO and pick out awesome new sippy cups (there is a brand that has a rim for 360 degrees and my son LOVES them because he's learning how to drink out of a cup without spilling it all over himself)...but seriously, get that bottle away. Plus, during the night, unless afterward you're brushing their teeth, you're asking for all of that sugar (if it's not breast milk) to start it's damage on your babes teeth. Just suck it up and take em away!

    Good luck love!!

    To each his own....but if the WHO recommends breastfeeding for 2years...My personal opinion is that children have a biological need to suck until at least then. So it is not 'ridiculous' that some parents allow children over one year to use a bottle or have pacifier. Personally, DD is 15months...still takes her milk in a bottle 2-3 times a day and uses a pacifier in her crib. I just stopped nursing her due to travel for my job.

    To the OP...I would try and wean the amount you give her and/or switch it up with water. It is possible she is thirsty so make sure she is getting enough fluids throughout the day and won't need to hydrate at night.

    You may have a few rough nights but if you are consistent she will learn the new routine.

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  • Rhonda6754Rhonda6754 member

    My pediatrician recommended taking the bottle away at 12 months and we haven't looked back since.   Our girls get a sippy with milk before bed instead.  We haven't had night wakings since 2 and 4 months but I've heard you just have to bite the bullet and endure a few bad nights or a week of bad nights to get it to stop.  My pediatrician said the longer you prolong it, the more they will cling to the habit.

     

    Sorry I am not much help but good luck with whatever approach you take.  16 months without solid sleep has got to be rough!

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  • princessctoprincesscto member
    Thanks guys! so far I"ve been weaning and she's been doing great! and sleeping better!! yay!! Everytime she does have the bottle in bed though I give her waster after to rinse her mouth. 

    Thanks for all the tips! :)
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  • skibunny59skibunny59 member
    stemms8810 said:
    I don't co-sleep but my LO wakes a couple nights a week for a bottle too.  He is 15 months old.  My pedi recommended gradually reducing the amount of milk in the bottle until it's down to nothing or just a couple ounces of water.  My LO went from 6 ounces and is now down to 2 ounces.  I am going to start a little milk and a little water to water it down and then move to just water very soon.  Every couple nights I reduced the milk by an ounce.  He didn't like it at first but didn't scream.  I just stuck his paci in his mouth and he soothed himself back to sleep.  It wasn't as hard as I thought.  Hope that helps!
    This is a good idea.  DD (16 months) doesn't do bottles at night but she is still breastfeeding A LOT at night.  She is in bed with us too but sometimes she is looking around for my boob every hour.  We are trying a gentle night weaning so that we can all get some rest.  We are on night 4.  Not sure if it's going well or not.  She does not like it but we are sticking to the plan.

    I think you have to do things gradually with babies.  I don't think it would be fair to take the bottle away cold turkey.
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  • TiffanyBerryTiffanyBerry member
    I'm not a huge help here - not all kids, even 16mo olds, sleep through the night.  My daughter (at age 3) still wakes in the night - at least once every night.  Often it's from a dream, though more often it used to be from wet diapers.  (They didn't leak through, she wakes up when she pees in her diaper.)  Completely night weaning her didn't change her sleep patterns at all.

    If you're not already, go to bed earlier - closer to when she goes to sleep.  And be prepared for a few nights (or a few weeks) of LESS sleep when you do try to take the bottle away.  (I didn't have to do it, since we nursed, and I did my night weaning at a later age.  But I'd probably reduce quantity very slowly over the course of a few weeks before going to no bottle at all.)  And, though I don't know how much it will help at 16mo, talk to your LO about it for a while before you do it.  It certainly helped for my daughter (who, again, was older) and I don't think it can hurt, even if all it does is mentally prepare YOU! :)
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