waking for bottle??

[aidmam]

aidan is now 16 months and has had one illness after another since christmas. he has always been prone to early waking (5-5.30ish) but for the last few weeks it has been getting earlier and earlier.

when he was poorly i couldn't settle him back so either got up or brought him in with me the odd time. now he just has a bit of a cold and i can settle him back but only for 20 mins or so then i have to switch hall light on and give him a book this keeps him occupied for another 15mins then we are up.

this has been the normal routine (actually we had a few months where he would wake at 5ish but settle himself back till 6.30-7) but before christmas it started at 5.30-6 getting up at 6.30-7. now its 5-5.30 getting up at 6-6.30. he is v v tired and is back for a nap by 8.30.

i am getting to the point i promise. 

when we get up he has a bottle 7-8oz immediately and he is draining it and has done for the last few weeks. as well as the illness could a growth spurt last that long and could he just be super hungry when he wakes?

or could it be that he knows he will get a bottle (out of habit) so wants to be out of bed for it?

at 16 months i'd hoped he'd have dropped the am bottle by now naturally but it might be i have to wean him off it. he uses a cup the rest of the day for water but i've tried milk in a cup and he won't have it.

sorry its long, any advice greatly appreciated

[elfin]

My ds didn't give up his am bottle until he was 2, so I wouldn't worry about it.  We also dealt with some very early mornings off and on.  The best thing I did was make a point of saying that we would not leave his room until 6am at the earliest.  When he cried out I would go to him and pick him up if need be.  He woul ask fo milk, or to go downstairs, and I would just tell him no and that it was still nighttime and time to go to sleep. He would cry and carry on and I satyed with him the whole time, until he eventually gave in and would want his blankie and I would then put him back down, seeing as this was the only option he had.  After a couple days he was sleeping until 6-6:30am n his own.  Some days I hear him up at 4:30 or 5 and he would go back to sleep on his own.  However, all that being said i would wait if your lo is sick before I started anything.