Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Having Disturbed Sleep Due To Gastric Troubles. Suggested To Stop Bottle Feed. How To Get Rid Of This?
Question: Hi Doctor,
My baby XXXXXXX aged 2 years 4 months is having disturbed sleep owing to gastric troubles. When we consulted our doctor we were advised to stop feeding her in bottle, as this could be the cause since she sucks air while trying to get milk. But she keeps waking up at night because of hunger/thirst and is used to drinking from feeding bottle through day and night. Please suggest a way to stop this habit.
My baby XXXXXXX aged 2 years 4 months is having disturbed sleep owing to gastric troubles. When we consulted our doctor we were advised to stop feeding her in bottle, as this could be the cause since she sucks air while trying to get milk. But she keeps waking up at night because of hunger/thirst and is used to drinking from feeding bottle through day and night. Please suggest a way to stop this habit.
Hi XXXXXX,
Thank you for your query on Healthcare Magic.
Stopping the bottle feeding should be a gradual process and it should not be done suddenly.
Instead of cutting out all bottles all at once,try eliminating them gradually from the feeding schedule, starting at mealtimes.
Start eliminating the morning bottle.
Take the child to a table and offer milk with a cup and give her some encouragement like saying " you are big now and you can use cup like your mummy or elder sibling".
As you try to remove morning bottle, keep offering the remaining bottle feeding afternoon, evening, and night bottles for about one to two weeks.
In this way, if your child asks for bottle you can provide assurance that one bottle is coming next.
The next week, remove another bottle feeding (afternoon), and give milk with a cup, preferably when your baby is sitting at the table in a high chair.
Gradually proceed like this with using the child cooperation and taking her into confidence.
Generally the last bottle to eliminate should be the nigh time bottle.
And at night time provide her a comforting object to cuddle her like a blanket or a favorite toy.
And the cups offered to her should be sippy cups to hasten change from bottle to a cup.
When your child uses cup, give her praising and positive reinforcement.
And this change should be gradual with so much of patience and it should be cheerful to the child without a fight between the child and parent.
Hope I have answered your query, if you have any clarification please let me know.
Regards.
Thank you for your query on Healthcare Magic.
Stopping the bottle feeding should be a gradual process and it should not be done suddenly.
Instead of cutting out all bottles all at once,try eliminating them gradually from the feeding schedule, starting at mealtimes.
Start eliminating the morning bottle.
Take the child to a table and offer milk with a cup and give her some encouragement like saying " you are big now and you can use cup like your mummy or elder sibling".
As you try to remove morning bottle, keep offering the remaining bottle feeding afternoon, evening, and night bottles for about one to two weeks.
In this way, if your child asks for bottle you can provide assurance that one bottle is coming next.
The next week, remove another bottle feeding (afternoon), and give milk with a cup, preferably when your baby is sitting at the table in a high chair.
Gradually proceed like this with using the child cooperation and taking her into confidence.
Generally the last bottle to eliminate should be the nigh time bottle.
And at night time provide her a comforting object to cuddle her like a blanket or a favorite toy.
And the cups offered to her should be sippy cups to hasten change from bottle to a cup.
When your child uses cup, give her praising and positive reinforcement.
And this change should be gradual with so much of patience and it should be cheerful to the child without a fight between the child and parent.
Hope I have answered your query, if you have any clarification please let me know.
Regards.
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
