[Mandy4President]

Problem one: Addyson takes a nuk. None of my other children ever took nuks, they sucked their fingers. Well, Addyson wakes up during the night once about 5:30 and all she wants is her nuk put back in her mouth. Now, I know that some people are dealing with a lot worse sleeping problems and are probably saying, "Please, woman!" but I have some sleeping problems of my own and it takes me about 45 min -1 hour to fall back to sleep after I am woken up during the night. Now, if she actually wanted to eat at least I would feel like she needed something important, but it is just the nuk to be put back in her mouth. Any suggestions? Is there a way to stop the nuk from falling out of the crib that I don't know about?

Problem two: I am switching Addyson from her formula to milk. We only brought enough formula to get her through a few weeks and my peds said that he would rather us try to switch her to milk than try to switch her to another formula. Anyways, she doesn't like her bottles with the milk in, she doesn't drink even half as much of them. I have her up to 6 oz milk and 2-3 oz formula. I thought I heard that their formula is a lot sweeter than our milk, so I didn't know if someone had any suggestions for switching the babies over. Its funny because seh gets so excited about her bottle like, "Oh, this is the one! This one will be like they used to be, I just know it!" and then when I give it to her she is so disappointed, you can just see it on her face. So any suggestions?

[amyruston]

Well I don't have any great answers for you on the nuk one, my oldest LOVED his nuk and would lose it in the night often also. We just put 4 or 5 of them in the crib in a corner and he learned to fish for one when he needed one.

On the milk issue- both of my kids for some reason refused to take their bottles after the age of 10 months. So I tried to put their formula in sippy cups, no go! So we had no other choice than to start on whole milk. When that went into the sippy cups they would suck it down no problem. It was like formula in cups or milk in bottles just wasn't right to them. Who knows. Anyway they always loved those Advent sippy cups , they have the long soft spout which was a good transition from the bottle I think.

Good luck. She is so adorable!!!

[mrpoohby]

Isn't there a valcro type thing you could attach to her pj's?

As for the milk, formula is sweeter than regular milk, our Doctor wanted them off the formula at 12 months no later than 15 months. They should be taking in more food thus not needing as much formula. Is she eating good? Try the sippy cup, they always feel like one of the older kids!

She is adorable. Good Luck!

[Mandy4President]

Good suggestions, guys. I'll have to try the sippy cup thing. She can suck out of a straw, maybe she would take a cup.

mrpoohby, I've always been so afraid that the "leash" for the nuk will get caught around her neck. I think it is about 4" long, what do you think?

[gibbar]

My son would not take formula after 10 months. We had to mix formula with milk until he was 12 months. Have you tried mixing formula with milk and slowly decreasing the formula.

[Mandy4President]

Yup, Carrie, I should have said that. We started with only adding 1 oz of milk and have been working up to the 6. With every ounce she has been less interested in the bottle. Right now she is only drinking about 6 ounces of it, which when it was all formula she was drinking the whole thing and trying to suck it dry.

[ana-mom]

My sister used to keep multiple pacifiers in the crib for her son so he could always find one.

[DPline]

You might try soy milk or rice milk. Neither of my adopted children would/will drink regular cow milk, but both like vanilla soy or rice milk. I think primarily because it was sweet like the Guat formula. Our pediatrician was fine with either.

Good luck!

[angelkisses0102]

DS was/is a binkie man. When he was younger I would put 5 or 6 in his crib at night. I also left his bumpers up...tucked into the mattress so it was harder for them to *escape* his reach. We also left a nightlight on so he could find them more easily.

As for formula...I left both kids on toddler formula until around their second birthdays, we switched over around the first birthday with DS...with DD who was 10 months, we just started her on toddler formula. We got the powered type and mixed it with milk and they both loved it. DS (who is very thin) still won't drink regular milk so he gets pedisure...but we are trying to mix some milk in with that as well. Just a thought but with all of her other changes, if she really still loves her formula...maybe let her stay on a while longer.

[PattyR]

This makes me smile because my little guy was (is) also a binky guy Sounds like we all came up with a similar solution to the binky falling out of the crib. I had to buy a lot of binky's, but it does help. I also put about 4 in bed with him so there's always another for him to fish around and find.

In regards to the formula, you might consider switching her to the second step formulas for children 9 - 24 months. My daughter would not take milk, but she would switch to one of these formulas. When she was around 21 months I then switched her to regular milk and she did just fine.

Good luck!

Patty

[lifessence]

mandy,

number one please don't attach a nuk to anything for shoking reasons! you would be amazed at how they can hurt themselves with four inches of string/ribbon. wrap it around a finger or arm or leg too tight cuts off circulation.j

formula - our pediatrician told us get them off of it at 9 months. they don't need it anymore. we all know everyones ped's have their own beliefs. so you wont' see many agree on what to do.

i can tell you from working with families and transitioning my own adopted sons - that they will do fine without ever drinking cows milk. we don't need cows milk to grow.

our children love almond milk and rice milk. both are sweeter than cows milk and they are much healthier!

i would mix 2-3 ounces of formula with 4 ounces of almond or rice milk (vanilla is fine too) then add water to finish off the bottle. you can add black strap molasses (organic) to sweeten the bottle as well and to give her lots of minerals that she needs. only need to give her 1 tsp twice a week. pretty easy actually!

please try to avoid soy milk or soy products. they are highly processed and sorry for those using it - cause many allergies and other health challeges. you can google soy and allergies. it is a very over used ingredient in products and if you eat snacks and any other processed food you are getting way more soy then you will ever need!

good luck.

[ERAmy]

my youngest (bio) didnt like most sippy cups but he did the straw sippy cups for "older" kids so we just started with those.
he also likes the nuby cups with soft silicone spout. i get them at walmart.

[au06]

our DS likes his nuk but it does tend to fall out once a night. If I go in to his room, he always wants me to pick him up. My solution - send in DH. our DS doesn't want to be picked up by him and I don't have to get out of bed.

[mombyfaith]

My oldest daughter loved her pacifier, so I always put about 4 in her crib at night.
Chloe was the one with the issue about milk. When we brought her home in April she was 14 1/2 mos old and for the 1st few mos refused milk in a bottle or sippy cup. She loves her formula. I switched her to the toddler formula, I think it was similac 2 advanced and she loved it. She drank it in her bottle and a sippy cup for several months. She is now 22 mos old and loved 2% milk in her cup and has been drinking it like that for about 2 or 3 mos. But not in the beginning. She was also a very picky eater, so I liked knowing she was getting plenty of vitamins in the toddler formula.
Good luck!

[akasohappy]

I also had a nuk lover!!!
He would actually sleep with one in his mouth and one in each hand!!
Anyways....I had 3 or more in his crib at one time and he would find them. I also had bumpers in his bed, but tucked down into the mattress so that he wouldn't climb on them to get out. They helped the nuks stay in the bed. I would try to switch to toddler formula. She is your daughter and you know best how she is adjusting, but maybe she isn't ready for another change right now.
I would just let her have formula. Heck, I am just hoping that my daughter will still be on a bottle when she gets home!