Milk in bed

[Valley Girl]

Just thought I'd ask how many of you leave baby with milk in their cots? Does anyone else do it or is it just me? I know you're not supposed yo leave them alone with a drink but i'm not sure what age that stops. Toby's nearly a year and his cot is next to my bed, so i can hear him easily, but if i didn't leave him to have a quick slurp of milk in the night by himself i'd be up 20 times a night! I know I've made a rod for my own back but my number three has been my most challenging sleeper. Desperation takes over eventually!

 

[mrs_tommo22]

I do and have with both my children with no problems.

 

[*Star*]

yep ihave with both my boys. oliver still goes to sleep with a bottle. as benjamin got olderand i couldreason with him i swapped him having a bottle and he had a story read to him instead. whether it will be as easy as tht with oliver i dont know, but we shall see.

 

[scones]

I never did it with my son as I was scared he would choke and didnt want it to lead to bad habits.

 

[Sammystar]

yep, I've done it with all mine since about twelve months, in one of those non-leak cups.

Why would it lead to bad habits?

My older girls still take water to bed with them every night. I have a drink by my bed every night. I don't see that as a bad habit.

 

[poppy160]

We have recently because since she's been ill, Ella won't take a bottle from us before bed, she just pushes it away. It's obviously part of her routine so without it, she plays up and won't sleep. For some reason she will have it in her cot so that's the way it has to be if we want a peaceful night knowing she isn't hungry.

 

[scones]

Why would it lead to bad habits?

Im only thinking how would you break the habit eventually? I mean, when they get a bit older and brush their teeth then they go and have milk before bed, as milk has sugars in it that damage the teeth.

Its only my personal feeling on it, I wouldnt do it as I feel feeding time is feeding time, bedtime is for sleeping, and I wouldnt want mine to have to get to sleep on a bottle/drink.

The original poster said 'desperation takes over eventually' and i guess thats what happens to all of us when we are running on little sleep, we will try anything so im not judging, i just wouldnt do it myself.

 

[littlepip]

Ryan has woken up at 1am the last few nights so i prop a bottle up in his mouth then go and lay on my bed and go on facebook on my phone so i dont fall asleep lol then go in about 5 mins later and hes asleep, so take the bottle and blanket away. it doesnt disturb him then and he falls asleep on his bottle

 

[beanie]

yep, I've done it with all mine since about twelve months, in one of those non-leak cups.

Why would it lead to bad habits?

My older girls still take water to bed with them every night. I have a drink by my bed every night. I don't see that as a bad habit.

Its the harm it does to teeth - that's what gets frowned upon. Seren takes water with her to bed but water doesn't contain sugar unlike milk. Its especially bad at night as there isn't as much saliva in the mouth to wash the germs away. Plus there is the issue of milk getting into the mattress, as well as the choking risk. BTW these aren't my views, just what I have been told.

 

[Sammystar]

yep, I've done it with all mine since about twelve months, in one of those non-leak cups.

Why would it lead to bad habits?

My older girls still take water to bed with them every night. I have a drink by my bed every night. I don't see that as a bad habit.

Its the harm it does to teeth - that's what gets frowned upon. Seren takes water with her to bed but water doesn't contain sugar unlike milk. Its especially bad at night as there isn't as much saliva in the mouth to wash the germs away. Plus there is the issue of milk getting into the mattress, as well as the choking risk. BTW these aren't my views, just what I have been told.

Oh right I see. Fair enough.

I guess I've been lucky with mine (with the milk) as my youngest sleeps through and drinks when he wakes very early (usually around 5.30 -6am). The milk helps me to get another hour of peace!

 

[mummykay]

Jam has his bot bot in one hand and teddy tucked under the other when he goes to sleep in his bed, when hes finished his milk he put his bottle on his windowsill then goes to sleep, always has done

 

[leckershell]

I leave it on the side for him so he knows where it is but not in his cot as he crawls all over the place in his sleep and he'd never find it anyway lol

 

[andreag]

I was worried about LO teeth when she had milk after her teeth has been cleaned, and swapped her bedtime milk for a story a few months ago.
If he needs a drink, water would be better.

 

[trixipaws]

i was BFing for 8 months so never left melissa with a drink but now she has a bottle of cows' milk in the morning and i bring her to bed with us, give her it and snooze and leave her to it!

also, in her nursery, tied to the cot we got one of those cotton pouches hanger-y things. inside the top ones i leave 4 spare dummies and a little beaker of water, and if she wakes in the night she can fetch another dummy if her other one has fallen thru the bars of the cot and she can get a drink if she's thirsty (she can also switch her nightlight on herself too- she's quite self-sufficient! lol)

every morning all 4 dummies have been taken out lol but only occasionally i find the drink in the cot with her. but she obviously does drink it sometimes when she's alone and iv been doing this since she started standing up in the cot and pulling everything out of the pouches

 

[Valley Girl]

They get pretty self sufficient don't they!!

We play hut the dummy nearly every night and I have to say having some to hand is a very good idea.

Maybe I should switch to water, but I don't think Toby will be having any of that!

 

[nickilubs]

I never realized milk was harmful, would the sugar in the milk be so harmful that it outweighs the benefits of the calcium?

 

[Sherlock]

I never realized milk was harmful, would the sugar in the milk be so harmful that it outweighs the benefits of the calcium?

Its the damage it can cause to teeth overnight. If a child has a bottle of milk every night for an extended period of time it can cause damage. Same with any drink other than water as they get older. Time for damage to be done overnight between teeth brushing. Decay and bacteria etc have time to build up.

Milk/squash/juice is always better drunk before brushing teeth or in the daytime. Plenty of time in the day to drink a glass/bottle full and get the calcium intake then. After teeth have been brushed water is best.

Also there is such a thing as bottle rot. Once past a certain age children should drink from beakers or preferably cups if able and not bottles as the sucking motion (children who drink from bottles can comfort suck then also) can cause long term gum damage and cause teeth to grow incorrectly etc.

 

[nickilubs]

I always thought I was doing myself a favor having a glass of milk before bedtime! LOL water from now on then! (can anyone remember the ad where the man comes down stairs in the middle of the night and drinks a glass of milk......theeeyyy lieeeeee its not the white stuff!!!!)

 

[Xena]

Lydia had a bottle of milk in her cot until she was 2, and then we started putting water in it instead of milk, and then when she was about 2 and quarter or so we just stopped the bottle altogether.

Alex still breastfeeds at night. So no bottles, but it's the same thing.