Night feedings for 12 month old

Jessica - posted on 02/09/2010

julia is now sleeping through the night (finally) shes been sick so when she wakes at 6 a.m ive been giving her a bottle and shes been taking maybe half and going back to sleep. the only reason ive recessed a bit and have given into waking up right now is that shes had diarrhea for 8 or 9 days now and shes vommiting once or twice a day. shes not outwardly sick in anyother way . i just want to be sure shes getting enough fluids

Michelle - posted on 01/23/2010

Wow I have a neverly 3 year old and 13mths old and both wake up for milk. My 3yr old will wake at 3 in the more and will ask for over an hour for milk or until I give in. My 13mths wakes for milk and as soon as she has it but to sleep. The milk has been reduced to 1/2 Milk n 1/2 water. Then I have my 5yr who never woke for nite feed's for 4weeks old n still will sleep all nite if her sister's don't wake her up.

Jessica - posted on 01/23/2010

thanks to everyone who responded, ive been reducing the amount in the bottle, except now she'll stay awake for close to an hour just babbling to herself. and is a complete crab all day long. i think im just going to have to keep getting up with her. i totally agree with the person who said, when babies cry its for a reason, ive tried letting her cio up to 3 hours, and i cant do that to her, she acts traumatized and will be so clingy the following day.

Melissa - posted on 01/22/2010

Sounds like a hunger issue: I would make sure they have a big supper, all my kids slept thru the night once they were started on cereal. Sorry I cant help more.

Jessica - posted on 01/22/2010

i would definatly say that slowly reducing the amount of formula during the night is the best & easiest way to go...my daughter will be 1 next month, and over the last few weeks we have gone from 2 full (240ml) bottles during the night to 1 or 2 half bottles :) and also a big solid meal for dinner seems to help too....
and i think there must be some point where ya gotta put ya foot down and elimate night feeds, i know they can do it, at 13months my son refused a bottle all together, day & night...

Jeannie - posted on 01/22/2010

hi thanks for the advise but my daughter will throwup and take her diaper off and just keep crying she VERY stuborn!! and i tried the crying ,but dont work im just tired she wins AGAIN !!!I had 2 kids before who are teens now and they never were this STUBBORN!! she bad!! I dont know what to do anymore...pulling my hair out!!

Megan - posted on 01/22/2010

My son woke until he was 1 for a bottle in the middle of the night, and trying to tune him out never worked. We amended his diet and gave him more 'family' meals and that filled him up more. At the same time, we reduced the amount of milk we gave him each night.

Jenny - posted on 01/22/2010

Hi. My daughter is also 1 on 28th January next week! :-) I breastfeed her and she still wakes up a couple of times during the night for a feed. The only time she sleeps better is when she's had a high carb dinner, like pasta or potato based. Like you, I'm yearning for a full nights sleep! Good luck with it.

Evelyn - posted on 01/21/2010

I have 2 children, by 7 weeks my 1st was sleeping strait through with my 2nd he's 7 months n still waking for a feed but its teething related I think. You go to expect them to wake through the night a week every month or so when they have a growth spurt as their body want more and more all the time!
I found a scoop of baby rice disolved into the last bottle of the night filled up my little one and if she did wake up and want a bottle say she was on 7oz, I'd do 7oz water n instead of 7 scoops 6 then 7oz n 5 scoops n so on...my daughter hated water too until I did this but belive me you want to get her used to water now as I've seen the damage fruit juices can do to their teeth...one of the kids at the toddler group I go to has some black rotten and even snapped in half teeth and she's only 2...all because it was easier for her mum to give into her n give her fruit juice instead of water! if your child is on cows milk then 7oz formula 1oz water then 7oz furmula 2oz water n so on. Hope this helps XXevXX

Cindy - posted on 01/21/2010

I didn't realize CIO is cry it out. NEVER!!!!!! My baby is 2yrs now and we have never ever considered CIO. We have been told all along that when a baby cries it is for a reason even if for comfort and knowing someone is there. He is calm and well mannered now and I am convinced it is because his needs have always been met no matter what.

Becca - posted on 01/21/2010

I was going to tell you to use water to. I put my 18 month old to bed with a sip cup of water so if he wakes up thirsty or hungry he has his water. I think the crying it out method is going to be your best bet. I know it is hard to listen to her but it might take up to a week of her crying everynight. She will finally figure out that she isn't going to get a bottle and just sleep. I would talk to her doctor about it at your next visit.

Julie - posted on 01/20/2010

Are you willing to let baby cry in the night - trust me, it will be WELL WOTH IT! It often only takes a night or two... sometimes three. When she wakes up let her cry it out. Make sure she doesn't merely have a burp that needs to come out, so burp her well at her last feeding.

You may end up crying with her, but the change once she realises her cries are not going to get you to budge will be SO worth it!

blessings ♥

Jeannie - posted on 01/20/2010

hello im in the same boat as you but to make it difficult my daughter is 24 mths and she will not go to sleep unless i give her a MILK BOTTLE than she will wake up at nite at least 4 times and want refils,she will throw the bottle at you and say MILK!!! and cry until you give her a bottle ,she dont drink a bottle during the day butat nite she wont sleep with out one I need advice please HELP!!!

April - posted on 01/20/2010

I watered the nighttime bottle down until it was just water. he still wakes up and takes the water and goes back to sleep. sometimes he just wants a cuddle.
If water is making her vomit, that is a problem, I'd call the doctor about that one. she should be drinking water.

Pam - posted on 01/20/2010

My son will be 1 year old on Jan 27 and, just like your child, has been getting up to feed in the night only ours gets up 3 TIMES to eat!!! And, he consumes a full 8 ounces each time. I was going back to work so we needed to teach him how to self-soothe. He is a strapping boy so eating through the night is a habit, not hunger.
We did what Mara suggested and that is the Ferber method. It worked for us! The crying/screaming was horrible to hear the first night and although it was intense, it was intermittent for about 45 minutes. Second night was about 5 minutes, 3rd night...nothing. First time we haven't gotten up with him in 1 whole year. Yes, I struggled with the idea of my baby crying but it had to be done. Our entire family has been sleep deprived for a whole year. Not to mention that waking through the night disrupts their sleep making them irritable and cranky. We are soooo glad we bit the bullet and now our son is sleeping soundly.

Bunny - posted on 01/20/2010

Just a FYI, the 5, 10, 15, 15 minute method is a Cry It Out method! Jessica I really glad that you figured out a way to sleep though the night without using the CIO method. Good for you mommy! ; )

Charmaine - posted on 01/20/2010

you could try giving her a bottle before bed but add a bit of baby cereal to it. It will thicken up and be more filling for the rest of the night

Mylene - posted on 01/20/2010

Try giving her bananas as a snack before she goes to bed, they are filling and maybe it will help her sleep through the night.

Katie - posted on 01/19/2010

Maybe someone else mentioned this (I didn't bother to read the other responses) but have you tried decreasing the amount in the bottle little by little each night? Maybe try doing a half ounce less every other night until there's nothing left in the bottle.
On another note, have you spoken to the doctor about water making your daughter puke? I'm no expert, but I'd say that's unusual.

Jessica - posted on 01/19/2010

mine will scream for over 3 hours if i let her... CIO or refusing her is not an option.

Chavonne - posted on 01/18/2010

I breest fed my daughter until she was 19 months and she would always wake once in the night for a feed, once she had her feed she went straight to sleep. I spoke to my health visitor about it because I was feeling very tierd and she told me to refuse to feed her when she wakes, if she cries just let her which I did and within a week she stopped waking. I was worried at first because I live in a flat and my daughter has a high pitch scream , but it didn't take long.

Jessica - posted on 01/16/2010

thanks jamie... i tried a variation of what you suggested. i got up to warm her bottle and give it to her in her crib, and i have her 2 oz less than i usually would. it worked. she ate and went right back to sleep

Mara - posted on 01/13/2010

I've heard of something you could try. If she can put herself to sleep at night then it's not a self comforting issue, it's just a habit of feeling hungry at that time of night. Try offering less and less milk in the bottle at night to help her stomach get used to not wanting to eat; or instead of giving her the bottle when she wakes up, offer to hold and cuddle her until she goes back to sleep, using a pacifier if she likes them can help in the consoling process.

If she can't put herself to sleep you may have to teach her how. Instead of the Cry It Out method, try the 5, 10, 15, 15, 15 minute method. Do the routine, lay her down and tell her it's time for bed and give her five. Come back in and console her verbally; don't pick her up. Leave, come back in ten, console again, then fifteen, then fifteen then fifteen until she sleeps. My boys generally wouldn't allow me to console them verbally; they just got ticked off each time I came back, but I felt that I was communicating that I understood he wasn't happy and was there for him while he learned to put himself to sleep. It was communicating that learning to sleep was something he had to accomplish on his own and by coming back in he knew I was there to support him. After about an hour they fell asleep and after two and most three nights they started falling asleep the minute their head hit the pillow. Oh, it also helps that when you start this she isn't hungry or wet and the routine before being put down makes her slightly drowsy and tired.

Just remember; as mom, you know your daughter the best; take advice with a grain of salt then follow your instinct.

Good Luck, I hope you find something that helps!

Jamie - posted on 01/13/2010

i usually leave a bottle in her crib with her (i got her the bottles that do not dispense milk unless they are sucking on the nipple, Nuby to be exact) and make sure its within reach and in the same spot every night...she'll find it during the night and drink it on her own..hope it helps!