Hello!

Hi there MoM’s. I need some help as this issue I have has happened before & I didn’t handle it very well as sleep deprivation makes my mind go a little funky & worries my husband…so any extra advice would be great.

I have a 16.5 month old who has started to wake during the night screaming & won’t go back to sleep for at least 1 – 2 hours unless he is cuddled (this happened when he was around 11 months old & lasted for two months, almost every single night – we haven’t had this problem since October)…teething gel, panadol doesn’t work, I have also let him scream to the point of him coughing (sounds like choking) for 40 minutes.

I can hear his tummy having a grumble though…so my question is would you give him a bottle of formula (he isn’t breast fed) in the middle of the night. Should I give my toddler a midnight bottle? (this worked when he was 12 months old as our last resort).

My only concern is I don’t want to get into a habit & start a new routine of midnight bottles, as I need to start phasing bottles out…please help!


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  • Maybe try a dream feed and give a bottle just before you go to bed. My son also went through this and it was just a growth spurt. Fingers crossed you all get a good nights sleep soon, good luck x


  • That’s sad isn’t it. Waking in middle of night. Have yoou tried a safe night light that comforts him if he wakes. A new Teddy especially for late cuddles he can sleep with.


  • I think a Dr’s visit is in order, just to put your mind to rest if there is anything else going on


  • I’d first try giving more protein in the day time, if this doesn’t work then I would get him up before you go to bed and give him a dream feed. So don’t wake him up, just lift him out of bed, take him to a room with little light and little noise and give him a bottle. Once he’s finished, burp then put straight back to bed. No talking, no eye connection. Hopefully he wont wake up or if he does, he’ll be full and happy to go straight back to bed.


  • I would give him the bottle :( But have you took him to the dr to find out more?


  • How are you going now?


  • I hope you found the answer you needed.


  • Hope you manage to find a solution. Some other people have good ideas here too


  • maybe try a bigger dinner and a bottle before bed, you don’t really want to start the habit of having a midnight bottle at that age.


  • A lot of useful hints hope you were able to resolve the problem,


  • Sounds like he jus hungry. Sometimes they still need that bottle in middle of nit as they might b hvn a growing spirt


  • I hope your sleep has improved since you posted this question. Did you try putting him on to a sippy cup instead of a bottle?


  • Probably not a midnight bottle but a bottle just before bedtime.


  • Maybe give him a bigger dinner. or a large snack just before bed. Pasta and bread last longer..Worked for us :)


  • Also a massage before bed may help him into a deeper sleep


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