26 mos still wakes and wants milk in the night

[JDeMelo]

My son has always been an excellent napper but nights have never been great. He can definitely settle himself to sleep, but he still wakes most nights and wants milk before he will go back to sleep. He gets a small cup of milk before his nap and a small cup of milk before bedtime. He doesn't fall asleep with the milk, but it just seems to be the thing he wants to help his body reset or something. 99% of the time he goes right back to sleep when we give him a small cup of milk, put him back in his crib and leave the room (even if the waking is in the early morning hours). We've tried a sort of walk in walk out method, talking to him and explaining that it's time to sleep and that he doesn't need milk, etc. but he just gets super upset and screams until he gets the milk. I know we've developed a bad habit, but I don't know how to break it! Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks

[Martini~]

Hi Honey, sorry that you still get up at night.

As with any bad habit, you just have to break it and there is no magic wand which can make it for you:). As you said he will be screaming - and I would say it's unfortunately to be expected as he is very used to this form of settling at night. So I would just try to prepare yourself and end it. You can do wiwo if he is an independent sleeper but being honest, with such a screaming not moaning, I would start from staying in his room at the beginning. You can go with wiwo when he wakes but is not screaming so much. It shouldn't take much - probably couple of days. But it will be difficult, there will be regression after 4-5 days and as you already tried , the first time will be tough as he already checked once that when he screams you finally react. But in the end - it will benefit.

[Noelie]

Have you tried giving him water instead? or gradually dilute the milk water til it's only water and see if it breaks the need/habit?

[Shiv52]

Yeah I think it's one of those you just need to say no more milk and then deal with the fall out. At this age it is really bad for teeth to be drinking milk and not brushing teeth so you could explain it only allowed during the day to keep his teeth sparkly and clean. Also moving the milk away from nap and bedtime would likely help to stop the association. So you could do milk teeth book then bed.

[Martini~]

According to what I know - diluting formula is not recommended so you can either decrease the total amount of milk you are offering or offer water instead. In general however habit with milk can transform into habit with giving him water. So if you nights are not very hot, water won't be needed I guess.

[Shiv52]

I always leave a sippy of water for mine x

[creations]

I think it's one of those you just need to say no more milk and then deal with the fall out.

Yep, that's what I'd suggest too.  And certainly for oral hygiene as Shiv said.

Mine also has always had a sippy cup by his bed at night. I think lots of people leave a water bottle/cup of some sort for their toddlers and older kids.  sometimes mine just feels a bit thirsty in the night or has a cough or something and takes a sip or two.  Sometimes he doesn't touch it, and sometimes he is thirsty when he wakes in the morning but wouldn't be looking for milk yet as he doesn't have milk and breakfast for some time after waking.

[Martini~]

Yep totally agree with the ladies above, leaving water in a sippy cup which is used by a toddler himself without your assitance is probably a totally different thing to what I thought which would be "serving" your toddler water at night during NWs:)).