[Le-a]

Ds is almost two.

Since finishing breast feeding at 18mo, he has a bottle at sleep times. In the past month, he has become gradually more and more "attached" to his "moot" as he calls it. Lately, to get to sleep at night he will have one or two 300ml bottles of half milk/water. He more often than not will wake in the night and start hollering, "MORE MOOT MAMA!!!" until I get him another bottle. Then he demands another in the morning when he comes into our bed for a cuddle.

I don't know how to stop this, It seems to me that his waking in the night is due to his reliance on the bottle to get back to sleep, so it's actually made his sleeping worse.

Also, because he's drinking so much, he's leaking though his nappy by the morning. His cot is soaked and our bed often sports a wet spot as well (ewwww). I'm washing bed sheets like there's no tomorrow. Not that I would bother washing bed sheets if the world was ending tomorrow, but you know what I mean...

We double nappied him last night and he still burst through the barrier. Maybe I'm not doing it right...

Anywho, any advice on how to cut back the bottles would be greatly appreciated. I can only guess that cold turkey is the best option, but im dreading that.

Thanks!

[*Spikey*]

First, you need to find out if there is another cause for the excessive drinking.

Can I suggest that you visit your GP and rule out any underlying causes? I don't want to alarm you, but drinking that much (and of course the resulting 'flow through') is often a sign of diabetes.

Second, brolly sheets are your new best friend. I'd also put a towel or two on top to catch additional flow.

[Le-a]

Thanks spikey, I'll check out brolly sheets.

Perhaps I'm being a bit naive, but I wasn't really worried about the drinking because he's not demanding bottles outside of sleep times, IYKWIM? he doesn't drink much during the day, just sips of water. I will mention it next time we are at the Dr, thanks for the heads up.

[It'sallgood]

My oldest DD loved her bottle in teh middle of the night till about 3 yrs of age!

She was a bit similar to yours by the sounds, didn't drink much during teh day, so what I did was get a LOT more milk into her during the day and then she started sleeping completely through.

I also watered the milk at night down. 1/2 strength, 1/4 strenght over a few months and then went from 1/2 bottle full, to only a 1/4 bottle full etc - so it was mostly just water and not "filling" her tummy up as much or for so long.

Just put an extra layer with protector or plastic in between, so when the wet happens, you just strip off a layer and fresh one underneath. Then you aren't making a whole new bed / cot up at 3am!

Tamm

[ubermum]

I don't do the weaning thing. I just cut out night bottles and gave a cup. They drink less from a cup. Yes, their was initial protest, but I shrugged, showed the empty cupboard where the bottles went and said "Oh no, bottles all gone".

[Le-a]

Thanks übermum I hadn't even considered offering a cup.

[NotRocketScience]

DS was addicted to his bottle. I started giving milk in a sippy cup. He soon gave it up. He seemed to get comfort from the bottle but didn't get it from the sippy cup.

[tamietamara]

We did the transition to the sippy cup and then normal cup with both of ours too. Worked a treat. Still got their milk but the sucking bit no longer was there an it lost its novelty very quickly. My two went from bottles to sippy or cups to no milk at all in a few months.

[MrsW87]

DS1 is 2 and still has a bottle at night for bed. If he asks for another one, I usually say "Lay down and rest your eyes and mummy will go and make it for you".

Nine out of ten, he goes back to sleep and sleeps through. LOL

[It'sallgood]

MIne would quite happily drink from a cup druing the day, but nighttime? not a chance! It was bottle until teh bottle completely gone Dear little thing, I didn't mind...I'm such a sucker of a mum...I have let mine hold onto the baby and childhood things as long as possible.

I figured they wouldn't be drinking out of a bottle when they were 18 - so who cares?!!

Tamm