Time to change bedtime routine

My two are 14 months, and we still give them a bottle to put them to bed. They used to fall asleep while drinking the bottle and we'd just put them down and that was it. Now, they don't fall asleep, so we just put them down and they may or may not cry for just a bit but then fall asleep. We need to change the routine to where they are not having that last bottle, but maybe just a snack at bedtime. How did that transition go for any of you - did you find that they wake from hunger because they didn't get that last bottle, or are they fine? Basically, we want to give them dinner, with their milk and then a small snack right before bedtime... Just looking for suggestions and/or advice for this transition...

Thanks!

 

We are just thinking about the same thing now although I do not want to get rid of the bedtime bottle as it is part of the routine and warm milk, apart from being nutritious, does send them sleepy. But it has to come before the teeth brushing. So we will do the same as my daughter. She still has milk before bed but at quiet time before we go upstairs for a bath. Our pedi says they are ok till around 15 months and then change it. So about then we will be having milk as quiet time downstairs and then all upstairs for bath and brushing of teeth! We will then read stories and then to sleep!

 

I changed the bottle to a sippy of the same amount of milk first, then after a few weeks they weren't even sitting with us to drink it anymore. Once they had taken to wandering with it, I started giving it a little earlier and a little earlier. Then we spent a week or so having a late dinner (after a bigger than normal snack) so there was only about 90 min between their milk and bedtime. Finally at about 15mos we started giving them the milk towards the end of dinner and that was the last thing they had before bed. Because it was so gradual, they never woke up hungry. hth!

 

Hey Cindy! We stopped the last bottle, which was the one before bed at 14.5 months(New Year's Eve actually). It went FINE. They never woke up, which is EXACTLY what I was afraid of. They have their milk with dinner. And then we play, etc. I have their milk out, or water, before bed and let them have what they want-and then they go to bed. We actually don't do snack, as by the time we are done with dinner, it's practically 6pm anyways, and they go to bed for 7pm.

Try it. They may surprise you! Let us know how it goes!

 

I am confused, is there something wrong with drinking milk before bed? Obviously we brush teeth after but we do have milk as part of our wind down to bed time. We eat dinner at 6 and then have a bath. At about 7 we all sit down for a snuggle on the couch and watch sprout together for about 20 mintues (my fav part of the day!). During this time they have their milk sippy and, if they want, a small snack (cheese or something like that). Then we get them in their jammies, brush their teeth and they are in bed by 7:30. This works well for us. Tell me why we need to drop the milk sippy before bed ... I feel like I am missing something.

 

I don't think it's bad to have milk before bed. I think the OP is wanting to drop the bottle moreso than the milk. As you mentioned, the only concerning thing with milk before bed is cavities if teeth aren't brushed.

Mine still do a bottle of milk before bed too. I don't have a problem with it.

 

QUOTE(JessiePlus2 @ Feb 8 2009, 06:07 PM) [snapback]1181942[/snapback]
I don't think it's bad to have milk before bed. I think the OP is wanting to drop the bottle moreso than the milk. As you mentioned, the only concerning thing with milk before bed is cavities if teeth aren't brushed.

Mine still do a bottle of milk before bed too. I don't have a problem with it.


Ditto. My boys get milk before bed as well. I believe it's more of getting rid of the bottle before bed vs getting rid of milk before bed.

 

Yeah, I just meant dropping the bottle, not necessarily the milk itself. It's just that up until a few weeks ago they would always fall asleep when they had that last bottle, so I didn't want to continue letting them go to sleep that way (and not learning to go to sleep on their own). And they don't really drink that well out of their sippys, they like to play with them and throw them around.

Thanks ladies, I am going to start trying it for the next few days and I'll let you know how it goes! I appreciate it!

 

QUOTE(Ryan & Emmy @ Feb 10 2009, 06:09 AM) [snapback]1183884[/snapback]
Yeah, I just meant dropping the bottle, not necessarily the milk itself. It's just that up until a few weeks ago they would always fall asleep when they had that last bottle, so I didn't want to continue letting them go to sleep that way (and not learning to go to sleep on their own). And they don't really drink that well out of their sippys, they like to play with them and throw them around.

Thanks ladies, I am going to start trying it for the next few days and I'll let you know how it goes! I appreciate it!


The bottle to sippy transition was really difficult for us. I would say it took about 6 or 7 months before we finally found sippies that they would drink out of. For the first couple of months Lily just really did not drink any milk. Then, for Christmas we vacationed with my sister who has a daughter one week older than Jack and Lily. They kept wanting to drink out of her sippy so I bought them the same ones when we got home. Tada, all of a sudden they are now drinking milk out of their sippies! I say try as many different ones as you can. People told me that and I thought it was silly, how can they really care which sippy it is???? Oh well, lesson learned, I guess they do care.
Anyway, keep trying, I think it does take a while for some kids to make the switch.