15 mth old - how do we drop the night feed?

[Isadora]

Our DD is 15 months now, yet she still has a feed in the middle of the night, around 2/3am. She only has two to three bottles during the day now, with this night one included in that, due to eating more food. We know she doesnt need it as she eats a decent amount during the day and always has a filling dinner. I think it has actually turned into a comfort thing for her, and a habit. It came about around 6 months (when she was already sleeping through & had stopped a night feed) due to teething, we used it as a comforter. Since then it hasnt stopped.

Last night, being a very sleep deprived mummy, I decided thats it tonight she wont be getting any milk. Well I tried for 3 hours, cuddling her, offering her water in her sippy cup and in the end gave in, due to sleep deprivation lol.

It doesnt so much bother us, sometimes it seems simple at 3am to just get up & give her the bottle knowing she will be straight back to sleep within 5 minutes and we all get the rest we need. However I guess after hearing people saying to us that she shouldnt be feeding anymore during the night we have tried to stop it, and also it would be absolutely lovely to get a full nights sleep!

I also worry about whether this is bad for her teeth. I never leave the bottle alone with her in bed, so it doesnt sit in her mouth as she falls off to sleep iykwim, but still I am a worry wort.

Does anyone have any tips? DP seems to think she will grow out of it soon enough, what do you think? I'd just LOVE some sleep

[MantaRay]

I know what you mean about the sleep, but the thing is, if you don't think it's a problem, it's not. Don't worry about what anyone else says. It really comes down to what YOU want to do.

FWIW, once they start sleeping through the night, it still doesn't mean you will. I find I still wake most nights now, either out of habit, or something or someone waking me up. DS1 who was sleeping through the night very early, often comes into our bed at night now. And DS2 sometimes wakes for water, or to find his brother who is no longer in their bedroom. And if it's not that, DH will be snoring or something else will wake me up. So "sleeping through the night" isn't necessarily something that will happen all the time, even after the feed is dropped.

I am not sure that I have helped you at all. I guess the best advice I can give you is to follow your heart.