Time for routine change?

[Chloevalentine]

We just dropped My 14.5 month los last bottle which was before bed to sippy straw cup. His routine has been to quiet things down in the living room with the goodnight show on sprout where he will sit and watch for about 15 mins at around 630/645 then upstairs for a bath then after bath we go into his room put pjs on in a dim room with soft music and then we sit in rocker with now the cup of milk instead of bottle. He's always cranky and cries while we are getting pjs on and he has been drinking the milk from the cup no problem and then goes into his crib and falls asleep. It's just that it doesn't really seen necessary now to sit in the rocker with the cup of milk even though he does drink it. Im wondering what other moms do at this age? He still isn't interested in sitting and reading a book he's just antsy to go to bed. So I'm wondering how I can change it or if I should. Maybe offer him the cup of milk downstairs when he's watching a show then up for bath and right to bed? I'm nervous to change routine to much as he goes down awake no problem besides the crying while getting ready for bed. Any suggestions ? Thanks

[Chloevalentine]

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Emami]

Do you do teeth?  I would say bring the milk earlier so it's not the last thing before bed, and you can brush his teeth during or after bath.  Then jammies in his room as you are, and instead of milk in the rocker you have cuddles, maybe a song or just talk to him a bit.  If he's antsy to go to bed I say let him!  Fwiw my DD wouldn't sit still for a book either until she was out of the crib, and now we get into bed with her and read together as part of the routine.  That didn't happen until 2.5 though!

[Chloevalentine]

Ok so maybe milk downstairs around 645 while he's watching a show winding down ( but he doesn't really sit still I doubt be would drink a whole cup of milk!) then up for bath pjs and maybe try to sit with him or just put him into Pjs and into crib? I just hope he doesn't get confused or thrown off. What if I somehow did bath pjs then bring him back down for tv and see if he will have some milk? Although that  might be too stimulating and /or confusing for him.

[Emami]

Personally once he is upstairs and ready for bed I wouldn't take him back down for TV, especially if the reason you're doing it is to get him to drink milk? Does he need to finish the cup?  I would let him have what he wants of it while he's watching the show and then do the rest of the routine as normal.  If the milk is your concern I don't think when or how much milk will confuse him.  It's not like he relies on it to sleep, and all his other bedtime cues are still happening

[Chloevalentine]

That's true ! Thank u so much

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

We have just shifted DD3's bedtime milk to after supper...DH takes them to the park for a wee bit and then she has milk and then we do bath, pjs, stories & bed (takes a good hour to accomplish with all 3). Planning soon to offer that milk with supper instead.

[Chloevalentine]

I've tried to offer the milk with supper but either he doesn't drink it or he drinks too much and not enough food!  Think I'll try to offer while he's winding down for now snd see how he does. He still will drink about 6-7 oz before bed!

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

E does 8 oz still! She gets mad at any less, but I was able to cut the midday one so we just have morning and night.

[Chloevalentine]

I usually just offer milk in the morning when he wakes in a sippy cup. He will usually sit with me on the couch then we will do breakfast about 45 min later and then I usually just offer water or water with a splash of juice in it throughout the day and milk again the cup at night so maybe about 12-15 oz total.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

E has a sippy cup but she pounds it all back in about 60 seconds, rarely leaves any. We do water or water/juice combo as well, she is not as keen on that unless she is really thirsty though. Probably she would drink it if I warmed it up but I am not going there!

[Chloevalentine]

So tonight I gave lo milk in his cup while he watched a little tv and he drank almost all of it. But then we did bath brushed his teeth put on his pjs and he ajways cries at that time. Then I tried to just hold him abd sing a song and put him in crib and he wasn't happy started crying. So I had to put more milk in his cup and sit with him in the chair for a few minutes. He only drank a little and then was happy to go into crib and went to sleep. Maybe he just isn't ready. It's only been a week since I've dropped the bottle and offered him milk in the cup.  Maybe I should revisit in a few weeks?

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

What about offering water before bed?

[Chloevalentine]

I guess I coukd try water. I just thought I was trying to break the routine of needing a cup of milk before bed. Is it just more about the teeth with the milk?

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Yes the teeth is pretty much the only reason we moved it back...my older two actually started taking a spill proof cup to bed at that point with water in it.