bottle to sippy, baby waking at night.....

[Lewski709]

because he is hungry (almost 12mo's). He is getting his normal food, just not enough milk during the day. He has begun playing with the bottle. The only time he will drink all the bottle, is in the night or sometimes first thin in the am. Do I switch him totally off the bottle and let him cry it out? We are flying this weekend so this taking away the bottle is a terrible time, but he just doesn't seem interested in it as much as he used to.

 

[Kallison]

I would take him off it if he isn't interested. I always diliked seeing 4 year olds walking around with their bottles and pacifiers. I taught my kids to suck up a straw early by giving them a very thick milkshake. You can supplement with OJ w/calcium. Ask you ped how much calcium he needs.

 

[coliebird]

I forget who makes it, but there is a sippy cup that has a nipple. It is a cross between cup and bottle. That is what I used to transition my daughter. When she was about 13/14 months I switched to this and she got the feel of the cup, but still had the nipple. Then in about another month, I went completely to the cup and she had no problem with it. She still has milk first thing in the morning and at night before going to bed, but she has it in the cup. Hope that helps.

 

[llebrekniT]

This sounds exactly like me before our trip in December. Ella was down to one bottle at night, before bed. (She was turning one during our trip) I took a bottle on the plane anyway because I was hoping she would drink from it during takeoff and landing. Well all she's ever had out of a bottle was milk and she didn't want anything to do with it because I put water in it. It's a double-edge sword, so to speak. Can't take milk because it would be out too long. Can't keep the milk cold so that it's safe to drink because she doesn't like cold milk.

All of our kids were off the bottle at one year old. If he doesn't want it, be glad you don't have to battle him to get it away. My only concern is for his ears on the flight.

Ella adjusted pretty well to the sippy cup, but will only drink milk in it if it has strawberry Quik mixed in. Checked with my doctor and she said that's fine, at least she's getting her milk.

So you could try adding some flavor to his milk. Babies this age only need 16 oz. of dairy and you can count cheese and yogurt, if he likes those.

Crying at night could also be teething or bad dreams, or just separation anxiety. Ella usually sleeps all night, but from time to time she'll cry for no apparent reason. I've had to do the "cry it out" several times. I give her a kiss, tell her no-no, go night-night and leave the room. She still loves me.

But, what do I know? I'm just a bad mom who lets her kids go to the parks when they've been running temperatures. Be careful down there! There are germs everywhere!

Good luck!

 

[Minnie824]

I would definitely try to take the bottle away as soon as possible....something I'm going to do with the next one. DD was so attached to it....after her 2nd birthday, we had a weekend where we got rid of it, but she won't drink milk since. she has plenty of other things with calcium, so I'm not worried, but I would like her to drink some. She also started eating better after too. If you're just getting him on milk from formula, something I had to do was mix half and half of each, and gradually get DD used to milk. Otherwise though, if you can get ride of bottle go for it! I don't think waiting a little bit til after the trip would be bad though. Good luck..

 

[Kermit]

If he's waking at night because he's hungry, maybe you could give him something really filling before bed, like oatmeal made with milk or formula. My 12 month old is also waking at night a lot, and that's what I'm attempting to do. So far, I haven't really found anything that he likes that takes a while to digest, but I have several friends whose babies liked oatmeal, and they were able to feed their babies that to get them to sleep longer.

I would go ahead and give a bottle during the flight. Just because you take it away most of the time doesn't mean you can't give it for a special situation.

Good luck! I know what it's like to have to get up at night. My baby is still nursing, so it's not quite as much work to feed him at night, but I'd rather just be asleep.

 

[deadheadbelle]

Hi Lewski709!

My DS had no problem switching from Bottle to Sippy cup. He never cared where it came from, Breast, bottle, sippy cup. DD-Lainie is a totally different story. She didn't want anything to do with the sippy cup. Unless it had juice in it (I mix 1/2 juice & 1/2 water). It took a couple of weeks, but she finally gave in & now drinks her milk from the sippy cup. Just hang in there, he'll get used to the cup. I would guess that he isn't waking up hungry. Lainie is 13 months & she went through the waking up thing around 12 months. I think it was more separation anxiety. It just stinks he is going through it when you are traveling. Hopefully he'll be so worn out after visiting the parks that he'll sleep all night.

 

[Lewski709]

deadheadbelle
I heard he probably isn't hungry from a close friend too. It's just that time in life and to try giving him water and only a little and he will decide it isn't worth waking up for the water.

You are right, it just stinks it is happening NOW. I am taking a bottle and a few sippies. He can have the bottle in the am and the rest of the time sippy cup. He likes drinking from the sippy cup...so it's not a real big issue. I will also give him the bottle on the plane unless he wants a sippy. I will make both available with the same contents, milk.

BTW, I also mix 1/2 water and 1/2 juice up until about age 2. Some think I am excessive, I just don't think mine need all the sweets and prefer them drink milk.

I switched from formula to milk at 10mo's so at least that isn't an issue. He wouldn't drink formula cold, but has no problem drinking milk cold. I have never flavored it because he'll drink it without flavoring. The time for that will come.

 

[huey duey & luey]

My kids also started waking up again at around 13 months after having slept thru the night, it turns out they were getting their 1 year old molars. A little tylenol before bed seemed to help. I would also try a sippy of water, it could also be out of habit rather than hunger that he is waking. HOpe you have a great trip

Tara

 

[becka]

DS also starting waking up at night about that age. He was just starting to get his molars and the night waking was intermittent for about 3 months. We also used to give him a little Tylenol if it seemed like he was hurting before he went to bed.