DS is almost 20 months and he went through a phase this past summer of waking up for 2 or even 3 bottles a night - it was driving me bonkers! Before that he would go until 4 or 5am and I thought we had conquered the waking up back then. I persisted through this waking phase and gave him his bottles. Perhaps it was the pregnancy hormones or just the sheer 1st trimester tiredness that made it feel impossible to do it any way but the gentle way. Either way, he has now gone back to waking at 5:30 and then sleeping until 7 or 8am! Perhaps I am just a big softy, but I just couldn't deny him a drink seeing as he may require more liquid because of the warmer summer weather and the fact that he was more and more active. We tried water, but he wasn't interested. In our case it was just a phase - and it may also be in yours?

Something else to consider is how quickly you get up to him. I have had terrible 3rd trimester insomnia and, as a result, DH has been on duty for quite a few nights. He sleeps through way more than I do and, whilst he does get up to DS, I think he tends to take longer than I do to wake...so I imagine that DS may resettle occasionally. I, on the other hand, am up like a shot...which may not have helped things at all.

Something else to consider is watching his water intake in the afternoons. Make sure he drinks as much as you can get him to. If he goes to bed well-hydrated, then he may not get thirsty that easily.

I hope you find a solution that you are comfortable with. I can appreciate how strength and perseverance can be difficult to maintain at 2am when we are all sleep-deprived