Could 14 month old actually need milk in night?

[Jen B]

Hello,
Just as I think I'm getting one thing cracked, something else crops up! My LO has recently learnt how to put himself to sleep - yay! - but is now waking up lots in the night and I believe it's due to hunger.

I haven't given him milk in the night since he was 6 months old but he's been ill on and off since beginning Oct - mid Dec. During that time he didn't eat very well and since then he has eaten like a horse! (example day below).
He goes to bed somewhere between 19:00 - 20:00 then wakes up somewhere between 12:000 - 02:30, drinks 150ml milk without breath then goes straight back to sleep. He then wakes at 05:00 / 5:30 and again drinks 150ml milk and goes back to sleep until around 06:30. He's up for half an hour or so before he gets grumpy and wants more food.

I started giving him the milk in the night as he would wake, I'd give him water, he'd sleep for 15 mins then would wake again and this would carry on for up to 2 hours. Because he'd started eating so much I wondered if he was hungry and the milk worked a treat.

I'm now scared I've started a really bad habit as he's been feeding in the night for 1-2 weeks (I'm not entirely sure). I don't know whether he's catching up from being ill or having a growth spurt and hence should ride the wave or to do walk in walk out in the middle of the night and ignore his request for milk. He gets so angry if I offer him water or nothing at all.

I'm now 9 weeks pregnant and shattered so am prepared to do whatever it takes to sort this out.

Please help!

Thanks

An example day (before night waking):
E - 06:30 - 150ml Aptamil
A - 06:30 - 08:00
E - 08:00 - 1 banana, cheerios, 150ml Aptamill
S - 09:30 - 10:00 - He is starting to cut this nap out
E - 10:00 yoghurt + water
A - 10:00 - 11:30
E - 11:45 - 4 x tablespoons lamb casserole, 2 x tablespoons mixed veg, melon + water
S - 13:00 - 14:20
E - 14:45 - 1/2 avocado with apple, 2 biscuits + water
A - 14:45 - 15:30
E - 15:30 - Yoghurt or couple of chunks of fruit
A - 15:30 - 17:00
E - 17:00 - 2-3 tablespoons pasta, 3 tablespoons mixed veg
A - 17:45 - 18:45
E - 19:00 - 240 ml baby milk
Bed

[Peek-a-boo]

No, I don't think a 14 month old probably needs milk at night.

There may have been a couple nights where it was genuine hunger in the aftermath of the illness, but by now, it's probably just habit.   He does still need those calories, you'll just want to shift them to day time either by increasing his milk or his solids as you decrease the night milk.

Personally, I'd probably offer water, then do wi/wo until he settles.  Or, if you're really worried about the hunger, you could take a more gradual approach and start by diluting the feeds for a few nights to shift the calories to day time. 

[Jen B]

Hi Peek-a-boo,

Thanks for the response. I tried diluting the milk but he woke up after 2 hours again hungry.......that was a few nights ago......but will definitely do as you suggest if he wakes tonight and give him water only and w/i/w/o because 2 nights ago a very wierd thing happened - whilst we were getting him ready for bed my husband told him very firmly that if he wakes in the night then we are very close and can hear him so he need not worry about anything and should just go back to sleep - and unbelievably he slept through - 20:00 - 06:00! I couldn't believe it. Just as I was at the end of my tether. Total coincidence with the prep talk though I think!

Last night he slept until 05:00 and wanted milk then, but at that time I gave it to him as the struggle to sleep again would have gone on until morning. He goes straight back to sleep for another hour / hour and a half then that's it, he's awake!

It definitely shows though that you're right and he didn't NEED the milk.

I've seen another post on how much milk a child his age should have so will go check that out to make sure he's getting enough by day too.

Thanks again - will post again if anything interesting happens!

Jen