EARLY Morning Bottle

[pat]

My son is 13 months now. He eats well (2 bottles and 3 meals) and sleeps well. The only problem we have is he gets up at around 4:30-5am for a bottle. Although he goes back to sleep straight after the bottle, we believe this is more a habbit than need. Therefore we want to use the control cry for this situation. But is it possible that he is hungry and needs this bottle? I was told he should not wake up for hunger until 7am. Help!!!!!!!!!

[jarrahsmumma]

What time does he go to bed at night? And what time does he have dinner? Does he have a bottle before bed? (Sorry, so many questions, lol)

[Lizzy_80]

I'm sorry I know I'm knew to this and a new mum but I have an 11wk old, he has been sleeping through the night since five weeks but what I wanted to say was that the times when he wakes up befor 4am (4am is the earlyest I will feed him because 95% of the time he sleeps till 5:30am) at first I would just offer him water this way he does not get dehydrated and then he wuld eventually go back to sleep. But after a while I would just put his dummy back in and he will go back to sleep like that now. Usually he doesn't wake up properly till 5:30am... I know I'm lucky But I did a modified controled crying with him from 1wk.. It is and was modifyed. I don't just leave him cry himself to sleep. and the breaks of when I left him at first never whent higher then 10mins apart. Now he puts himslf to sleep.
Anyway if he wakes up and you know it's not hunger try just giving him a drink of water, he might not like it at first but he will get used to it.

[Nan]

I would try just settling him back off to sleep. He'll soon let you know if he really needs the feed or not!! If he goes back to sleep - great. If he doesn't and continued to cry, you may have your answer.

Love,
Nan. xx

[zactyl]

I was told he should not wake up for hunger until 7am.
Everyone's different, but I reckon your son is the one who knows best whether he's hungry or not! My daughter would wake up for a feed at about that time well past 14 months, I'd give her a bottle and go back to sleep. (Do you really want to be woken up and lie awake in bed listening to the baby cry! :eek: ) She hasn't woken up for an early morning feed since she turned two. (still sometimes likes to sleep in and asks for a "Little tiny little baby bottle little *giggle*" :p )

[Twoterrorsmum]

Hi Pat, Your problem sounds exactly what I had with my daughter when she was the same age as your son, she was using the bottle of milk as a comfort thing and she definately ate enough food and had two bottles during the day as well, she definately wasn't starving!!. To fix this I rang a helpline at a place called Ngala (they are in Perth and help parents with any issues you have regarding kids). What they told me to do was the next time my daughter wakes for that early morning feed is to either try "cold turkey" and give her a bottle of water straight up or (the method I used) is make the bottle with half milk, half water and give it to her. The next night reduce the amount of milk in it, so the formula is more watered down. Continue this each night until the bottle is made up of just the water. When I did it this way on the second night my daughter actually slept right through with out a bottle and I thought this is too good to be true she's sleeping through already!! I was right, the third night was hell!! She woke up at the 4.30-5am time wanting that bottle and I just gave her the water which she didn't take, so she cried for about an hour or so then finally went back to sleep. Ever since that night she never woke up and cried for that bottle again. I was lucky I only had one bad night with her. The lady I spoke to did tell me it would be tiring doing this but if you be strong and stay with it the problem will be fixed. Maybe you could try this way and see how you go, it worked for me. It was great to be able to have a full nights sleep again. If you do try this method let me know how you go as I really hope it works for you too. Bye for now.

[Nan]

I really like that idea! :yelclap:
Love,
Nan. xx