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clancybelle · Apr 26, 2009, 06:08 AM

I have 3 children and have never had this problem before.
My 10mth old daughter goes to sleep around 7.30pm with a bottle, some nights it takes 30min for her to go down as she will drink until she's had enough then will cry.
Her cry is not a painful cry she is just crying to get up, she is however tired and should be asleep.
She will sleep for an hour then she will wake, she does not want a bottle just for me to sit by her bed and pet her head or back, she will then go to sleep for a few hrs until she wakes for a bottle. She will (most nights) go to sleep and I am able to go back to bed.
Around 3ish she will wake for another bottle ( the bottles she has in the night are not full at most she has 150ml). She usually goes back to sleep until 7-7.30.
How do I teach her to go to sleep on her own without the use of a bottle? And how do I get her out of the habit of waking in the night?

DoulaLC · Apr 26, 2009, 06:36 AM

What are her naps like during the day? Could you maybe bump one back a bit, so that her bedtime is a little later? Maybe give her the last bottle an hour before bedtime. Rock or cuddle her a bit before you put her down... stay for a bit if need be to soothe her but keep it brief. Tell her it is time for sleeping and that you are going to sleep too. You can wean her off a bottle for going to sleep sometimes by just putting some water in it right before bed. Best not to put her down with anything other than water, as it is not good for her teeth, and then gradually get out of that habit as well.

Does she use a pacifier/dummy to be soothed? Does she have a blanket or something she finds comfort with? These might help if she uses them.
When she wakes in the night, try to just sooth her at the side of the bed without offering a bottle, if you do offer a bottle, use just a small amount of water. Wait before going in until you know she is truly awake and won't settle herself back down on her own. Sometimes they will wake, cry out, make noise, but go back to sleep.

Is this recent or on going? Could she be teething or learning any new skill? That will sometimes cause babies to wake more in the night.

If you can rule out any physical reason why she is waking up, it will take some time and consistency, but you should be able to get her to turns things around. Good luck!