My Daughter Wakes up to Drink

I have the same problem. My son is over 2. Between the binky and a sippy cup of milk, I'm up 2-3 times a night.
I've had it,, and I'm cutting him off this weekend.

So I'm telling you now .... you want to face the music
and deal with it now... IT IS NOT going to get better by itself.. it really gets worse, and compounds into more needs from you toddler in the middle of the night.

I have my list of excuses why I waited so long, and looking back, they are all pointless compared to the hassle I have today.
They can learn that night time is for sleeping only...
a couple of days of whining and it'll be all better.... I have to go practice what I preach!!! good luck!

Hi B.,
Both my kids did the same thing..and still do (age 3 and 15 months). I thinks sometimes kids are too busy to stop and drink during the day and when the finaly sit down to relax, they remember that they are thristy. I wouldn't worry too much about it. It can be frustrating. I put a cooler upstairs with milk sippy cups or bottles andd this way it was not a big project in the middle of the night when they work up.

Simple- stop giving it to her when she wakes up!
Lynsey

Your daughter certainly doesn't need that much milk/drink before bed at this point. After a year old, a child only needs 16 oz. of milk per day, give or take a few oz. depending on their intake of cheese and yogurt. You say she eats well during the day... maybe you could give her milk or a drink before giving her a snack, so she is hungry/thirsty and will drink more. Also, at this age, it seems odd that she would get up just because she is "thirsty". Part of the problem could be that it is part of her routine now... see if you can get her to go back to sleep on her own... this may be tough for a few days, but then if she is really thirsty in the AM, maybe she will start drinking more during the day, and be less likely to get up during the night. Also, try using straw cups... once they figure it out, it is quiker and easier than a sippy cup and they get more from each sip.

My boy did the same thing, and it was a habit more than a real need for a drink. You can try water in a cuppy, or try soothing her without the bottle, or replacing the bottle with another comfort-item, like a blankie. We let it go on for over a year with our son, and in hindsight can see that while it was a tough habit to break, it would have been easier to do sooner - when he was younger - and it would have meant a LOT more sleep for me!!! :) Best wishes!!!

Hi B.,
I know everyone says its bad to put your little one to bed with a bottle or cuppy.

I did this up until about 3 months ago with my youngest. She'll be 3 next week. I didnt give her milk, I only gave her fresh water in a cuppy, just for those times she would wake up thirsty - the heat in our house is very dry.

I started this because at a year old, she would do the same as your daughter - wake me up every night when she should have been sleeping through the night.

I had no problem stopping this. I may have waited a little longer than I should have, but when I took the side off her crib - a big girl crib - in my room, her cuppy would drop to the floor and she didn't want to get off her bed to get it, so she left it.

Then, when I moved her to her big sister's room, she got a big girl bed, and we forgot the cuppy completely. She did ask for it once or twice and I told her that she had to find it because I didnt know where it was. I knew it was in her crib, but she didnt want to get it, so she went without and never got it again.

Good luck. Try the water instead of milk. It wont do anything to her teeth, just be sure not to add sugar!! That is a big mistake, I did this with my older girls, now 18 and 16, and the oldest doesnt like water unless is flavored - my fault for adding sugar to her water when she was younger.

Hi B.,
At over a year, she doesn't need to drink at night and she doesn't need milk feedings. Food should be her primary nutrition, she should be eating regular meals and milk should just be a drink. If she eats enough dairy - yogurt, cheese, etc, during the day to equal her 3 servings, she doesn't need the milk. People think kids need all this milk, but it's the milk food group that they need for their nutrition. She is waking up at night because it's a habit. I would leave a bottle/cup of water in her crib so she can learn to take a drink on her own and not need to wake mom. She'll continue to wake you and expect milk if you continue to give it to her
Good luck

Please stop giving her milk before bed and during the night. Lying down with milk in the mouth or throat causes ear infections and tooth decay. Give her some plain water in a bottle at bed time and nothing else. She will get enough calcium from the food she eats, especially cheeses and yogurt. When she wakes up at night try ignoring her, if she starts screaming, go in and lay her down and pat her back without saying anything. You might try humming softly, but do not talk to her. She needs to learn to go back to sleep on her own. Most children wake during the night and then go right back to sleep.

Try putting a sippt cup of water in her crib.. if she really is thirsty, she will drink it. Also if there is carpet in her room.... she might be waking up thirsty because of dust mites