Getting 16th old to SLEEP THROUGH!!

[finalcountdown!]

Getting 16th old to SLEEP THROUGH!!
Hi all...
Heres my story in a nut shell...I have a 6 year old, and a 16month old,and am 3 months pregnant.

At present and for sometime my 16month old has not been the best sleeper.....and i have always allowed him to have a bottle during the night. I have in the past done controlled crying when he was little which would kinda work until of course i felt he was teething or sick or we were away where id let him have 1 or 2 bottles during the night.

I now want to get him sleeping through before number 3 comes along!!! So tonite for the first night he just just woken up, its 12.30am, (he goes down at 7.30pm) and i have just offered him water in his bottle. HE IS NOT IMPRESSED!! ..hes had a little drink and is crying and asking for his "bott bott". (i feel soo mean). Ive put some bonjela on his gums and given some panadol as i do feel he is getting his eye teeth, patted and re assured him and walked out.
Im now doing the controlled crying making sure I do not stay in there longer than 2 mins.

What do you think? SHould i maybe have just slowly cut down the volume of milk?? I can hear his poor little tummy rumbling...and he scoffs his bottles at night as though hes starving...could he actually NEED them at his age?? Or just bad habit?????
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[Zada]

If hes tummy is rumbling id give them. Or at least water the milk down

[PinkBinkie]

My dd is the same age and if she wakes during the night I do give her a bottle so she'll go back to sleep. However, my 2 girls share a room and I have to get her off to sleep so she doesn't wake her sister :) But if your son is continuosly waking during the night I'd do what you're doing, and just offer water. Maybe he's just waking for a comfort bottle? If he's eating enough during the day it's unlikely that he's hungry. It's amazing how attached they come to their bottle :D

[coogeemum]

Oh I feel for you! My guess is that it's completely a habit, providing he is eating OK during the day. I went through this, but earlier at 12 months, with my DS. Cutting out that nightime bottle with CC was the best thing I ever did. I did it cold turkey and found it worked very quickly (2-3) nights. I think watering it down or offering water only is prolonging the agony. Cold turkey gets the message through loud and clear. Just wanted to say, you are not being cruel and wish you all the best. You will both have better quality sleep overnight once resolved.

[PreetyInPink]

hi there,
My dd, who is 16mths also, is a terrible sleeper and wants to feed through the night too, so i feel your pain. :hair:

A few things thats ive tried and have helped

- To increase food during the day

- To give a dinner a little bit later (i give dd dinner now 40 mins before bath and bed) and something that has a low GI so it keeps them fuller for longer ...like breads, brown rice etc.

- When they cry for a feed get your partner/husband to go in so to settle him so they don't associate going back to sleep with a feed.

- To give a bottle of water and soothe them in other ways.
The only way i can get dd to settle without a feed is to sit next to the cot, so she knows im still there, and pat her or rub her back. She still crys and continues to stand up asking me to hold her but i just lay her down and perservere with the soothing and she eventually gets back to sleep.

Ive tried control crying but i found it didnt work for either of us...so theres some alternatives, hope they help :)

[tomnabbysmum]

at that age bubs shouldnt really be having bottles through the nite but u say u can here his tummy rumbling thats weird. i went through simmilar when my boy was 18 mth he wanted water ( his sippycup is his comforter) but this started happening 3 -4 times a nite we just went cold turkey we went in patted his head when he was really worked up and said nighnighs now it took 4 nights of no sleep but now he doesnt wake maby you should go c ur child health nurse she might have some advice 4 u

[finalcountdown!]

Hi and thanks for your replies and ideas... well it did only take about 4 nights for him to realise that he was only going to get water!!!

He has started sleeping much better...even sleeping right through some nights which is a big change!!

Its one A M at the moment though and im doing the controlled crying, he still has nights where he wakes crying and i have no idea why or what is wrong...i usually do the pat thing for a while..then try bonjela......a nappy change...a drink of water...and maybe some panadol..... so far we have done all of the above and still crying...:hair:
Right now i just want to go and put him in bed with me so i can sleep!!!!

But with bubby no. 3 on the way i am trying to be tough!