Seeking Advice Sleeping Through the Night.

It has become a habit not out of need. Do not cave in and just let it go, if he asks, say no not tonight and walk out of the room. Do not give in even if he pitches a fit. A child doesn't need at that age to drink in the middle of the night not to mention it will totally ruin potty training down the road. Just start by saying he can have it when he gets up but no more water at night. A child can condition themself to continue to wake if the habit has formed, which it has. To get him to sleep through the night, you have to eliminate the water.

Well first I will say that I do not have experience with this. But I had a couple of ideas to try. 1. Put a humidifier (or vaporizer) in room at night to help keep his throat moist. (If he is coming from out of state, he might be dehydrated and not used to Colorado air.) 2. Offer fluids throughout day (water mostly) You could add a squeeze of lime or lemon or a dash of juice. Let him participate to make it fun for him. Maybe get him a new special cup so he feels special about it. 3. After you have done this for a few days, and still no change, talk to a pediatrician to see if they have any other suggestions. 4. Set aside 3 nights to break the cycle. Get the rest of your family's support so everyone knows you need extra sleep at this time. It may be just a power struggle at this point. If he is used to having this done whereever he came from, you just have to let him know that this is not how you do things. As far as the exact technique of how to do it I am not sure. But maybe leave the water in his bed, but let him know he can drink it himself. Tell him it is time for you and him to sleep. Go to bed EARLY (right after the kids) so you can get extra rest, and arrange for a time in the day where you can take a 30 minute catnap to store up strength to deal with this. I would think after 2 or 3 nights of saying no, he will give up. It could be a battle of wills, and you have to believe you are the stronger. However, be sure with a pediatrician that there is no medical problem first. The doc may have additional suggestions too. I just re-read that you are going to school in the evenings. It may be that someone else needs to deal with him for those 3 nights.Good Luck.

I wouldn't deny him the water, because he truly might be thirsty; but you might try giving him more drinks during the day, and then maybe he won't be so thirsty at night. As far as the full diaper, try getting a size bigger than he usually wears, even if you just use them at night. Also, they make Night Time Pull-Ups that are extra absorbent, but they may not make them in his size.

Have you thought about having his blood sugar checked? One symptom of diabetes is excessive thirst. If it only happens at night, there may be nothing to worry about. I'd still have it checked; it's an easy process. Good luck!

I would check if he may have an ear infection or his teething may be bugging him. With the diaper situation we were told to put the diaper on backwards and see if that works. It has in our case. The water issue I would try to get him to drink more during the day and maybe wait a few minutes before attending to him he may console himself too sleep.

I think it is more about security for him then it is about the water, I also want to add that it is not abnormal for a child that age to still wake at night. If he is drinking three cups them place three cups in his crib at night, but only go in for the first waking, hand him his cup and let him know where the others are, after that don't go to immidiatly, wait 5 minutes, and then go in and hand him his cup, the next time wait a few more minutes before you go in. Reassure him that you are there, but start to show him he can do it onhis own. It's been a while since you have had a little one and it will take some adjustment, but look at it from his perspective, new house, new bed, new everything. It must be pretty scary. Good luck!!

Is he drinking that much water (or other liquid) during the day? It might not be a bad idea to have him evaluated by a doctor. Excessive thirst can be a sign of diabetes. It seems to me that if this were just an attention-getting behavioral issue he wouldn't actually be drinking so much...

I know it is so hard to say no...but you are the parent. It is sor of like training dogs. that helps you keep yourself non-emotional about these matters if you think this. Your son is far too old to be drinking water at night and getting up...and have you feed him. If he is still using a bottle, get rid of them. Start having him learn to drink water out of an open cup. Just fill it 1/4 full and fil it up several times during a meal. then get tny dixie cups for the bathroom. After 6 pm, he an only have small sips form one of those in the bathroom only. Train him to go in there for his sips first. then eventually, tell him that he can have sips of water up until he brushes his teeth, then no more. Start talking about potty training. Tell him soon he will be sleeping in underpants at night and can't be drinking at niht or he'll wet the bed. Start other early potty training like putting him on the potty before bath each time and maybe after bath. Teach him to pull his pants down and then up. teach him to wash his hands after you change his diaper, etc. I found starting these mechanics of potty training early helped a lot. then when he is 2.5 he already understands how to pull up his pants and wash his hands. Be strong and know, he doesn't "need' the water. He only wants to be with you. Make sure to have cuddle time in the day other then right before bed.

We have found a few things that work with our twins. It is a 3 day process, but once those 3 days are up, you will be able to sleep through the night. Anyway, does he have a night light? Sometimes they wake up and are scared, and a night light seems to help. Also, he is getting complete attention by waking up in the middle of the night. Give him a drink of milk or water before bed and tell him that that is all for tonight and he can have more when the sun comes up. Then if he gets up, quietly put him back in bed. He will probably scream, but after 3 days it should have all but resolved. Good Luck!

it id not about him wanting water it is about him needing to feel secure and know that someone is there.
at 18 months it is also a little manipulation.
i suggest stop cold turkey and get rid of the sippy cup. go to a sport bottle. this adjustment should last a day or two. it is stressfull, but once he knows that there is no more sippy then he should rest much better. he is your household and needs to follow your rules and don't think that he doesn't know --he undestands
a good distraction at bed time is musical chasing christmas lights or even a sound machine with crickets i have bedtime songs i play on tape.

Drinking that much water makes me wonder about a possible health issue. I don't want to alarm you, but drinking a lot of water like that is one symptom of diabetes. I would talk to your pediatrician. If there is no health issue, then I would follow the advice previously posted about letting him work through it for 3 nights. It will be hard for those 3 nights, but the pay off will be well worth it--both for your sleep and his independence.
Good luck!
S.

The little boy could also be stessing about being someplace different, and maybe he's afraid to be alone or separated from you. I know it's not very p.c. to let kids sleep in the same room as their parents (or guardians) but my kids each when through a time after moving to a new house where they would wake up and want me with them. I finally put a little sleep pad and blanket next to my bed for them to use if they woke up at night they knew they could come to our room pull out their little bed and sleep next to us...(the rule was they could come in if they didn't wake us up) They slept. We slept, it was all good. :)

He sounds insecure and needs reasurance. Give him a lot of dringks during the day. I would also make sure he gets enough attention. He is still ajusting to a new house without his mom or dad. It will just take a little time.
C. B

It sounds like you have your hands very full!! My advice would be to make sure he's getting enough fluids throughout the day and early evening. Offer him a drink before he lays down, but I wouldn't give into his every desire for a drink through the night. It sounds more like he's trying to feel you out more than an issue with him being thirsty. I can understand that adjustment is hard when children are in a new place, but giving in to everything will only make things harder. You're a great person for doing what your doing, and I wish you the best of luck! God bless!

My son is a little over two and still wakes up once or even twice a night, it is normal. Also he should probably still be drinking whole milk. Oh and I have found that Huggies nighttime diapers are the only diapers that don't leak during the night. I put on target diapers during the day and a nightime diapers at night (they are more expensive).

either let him cry through the night, or limit the drinking a little at a time