Time to stop the 4am bottle! Advice needed please!

So our little man (15 months old) is still waking for a 3am-4am bottle, which I have been giving him just because I don't really mind getting up and I feel it is part and parcel of having a bub anyway. He also then sleeps through until about 6:30am. I would, however, like to have him sleeping through by the time our next baby arrived in May next year.

I am pretty sure that he is just thirsty and not hungry and, in all honesty, I just think it is a habit that he has gotten into (he is so predictable when he gets tired, wakes up etc, which is why I think it is a habit).

Problem is (as per my other post), he doesn't like drinking water, so I am not sure that leaving a sippy cup with him over night is going to be a solution (at this stage anyway).

A friend told me that she got her kids to sleep through by diluting their formula over time. Has anyone tried this approach?

I guess I am just after some suggestions to either solve the drinking aspect or to just break the habit. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am also just wondering if perhaps it is around this time that he may just start sleeping through of his own accord. When did your littlies stop their wake-ups? Do you think I should just persist and, if necessary, do something about it closer to bub no. 2's arrival?

Thanks a lot :)

If our little one (13 months) wakes over night for a bottle, we normally offer either half cow's milk/half water or 2/3 water/1/3 milk. She'll drink it without a problem.

I say don't do anything until closer to the time when he is a little bit older. Its not unusual that he is still waking up for a bottle at that age, and you may not have to do anything - he may drop it of his own accord. :)

You could always try reducing the amount you are offering him, so each week drop around 60mls? Maybe invest in some smaller sized bottles just for night time.

Sam, is there a reason for diluting the milk? I suppose that is what I am not sure about - is the intention to wean them onto water overnight or is it in order to increase their solids intake at night and in the morning?

AE - That is what I am hoping. A lot of littlies his age that I know have been sleeping through for ages and I was just wondering how long it can go on for!

Appletree - good suggestion - I may give that a try!

If it makes you feel any better, DS is still waking up for a bottle at that time.. I give it to him cause he goes back to sleep.. If he wakes 1/2 hr late and it is daylight, I don't cause I know he won't go back to sleep.

But my DS is off his food at moment cause his teeth are giving him grief :(

My 19month old DS is still having a 4am bottle and he also sleeps until 630 after that.
I just give it to him, I figure he will sleep through eventually...I hope lol