2 And 1/2 and Still Doesn't Sleep the Whole Night!!

I always left a sippy cup of water with the boys at night when they were little. I hope you are only giving him water, as anything else would be very bad for his teeth.

I always keep a glass of water near my bed at night. My kids tend to do it too. They take a drink and go back to sleep.

Keep a sippy of water by your kid's bed so he doesn't have to wake you for it.

Leave the sippy cup in crib or at bedside. Problem solved.

Our kids were allowed to bring water to bed with them if they wanted - so we didn't have to get up to get them a drink. Maybe try that.

Can't you give him a sippy cup to keep in reach, so he can wake up, get a drink, and go back to sleep on his own? My daughter was the same way- woke up thirsty every night. For the longest time I tried everything- cutting back drinks, making sure she got PLENTY of water through the day, flat out refusing to get her a drink to 'break the habit.' Then one night, I realized how often *I* wake up thirsty, and how impossible it is to fall back asleep when your throat is calling for a drink. So I have my dd a cup to keep near her bed, and voila! Problem solved. The funny thing is that she is now 4.5 years old, and only occasionally needs a drink... But her water is there if she needs it.

He sounds like he wakes up thirsty like my hubby & I do.
We keep a glass of water by each side of our bed for that reason.

Kids get thirsty, too.

I'd put a sippy cup hanging from his crib side that he can grab.

Let him know it's there so he can have it when he wakes up thirsty.

Also, put in a nightlight so he can see it in the dark and/or doesn't
wake up scared. You can always use the plug behind a dresser so it's
not super bright.

Everyone wakes in the middle of the night (sleep cycles), so it's ok that he wakes. Lots of people (myself and my boys included) drink water in the middle of the night, so that's ok, too, as long as you're ok with it.

It sounds like the part you are not too fond of is getting up to get him a drink of water. That is understandable!!! So I really would consider letting him have it in his bed/crib.

I agree with the sippy cup of water.

I don't know if this helps or maybe not...my 9 year old still wakes up all the time.

I have tried putting her to bed later, earlier, with a drink, fed, warm, surrounded in pillows, it doesn't matter, she still wakes up.

I give up and just let her wake up. I don't normally go tuck her back in anymore, but tell her she has to go back to her room.

Put a cup of water by his bed. Tell him he can't come out of his room until morning. Don't get up with him.

Our guy didn't sleep all night....well, if we put him down in his own room at bedtime he'd halfway wake up during the night and grab his blanket then wander down the hallway bouncing off one wall then the other until he managed to find our room. He'd crawl in bed with us and sleep the rest of the night.

It was funny to watch. Like a pin ball with his eyes closed. He did that clear up into kindergarten. I don't mind him sleeping with us. He's 8 now and has slept all night for a couple of years. I think it's just a thing they do.

If I had woke up every night with him and put him back in his own bed I imagine he'd have done a sleep cycle then right back doing the same thing. I'd rather sleep so he got to just crawl in.

It's hunger. Always hunger. Not necessarily that he needs a snack at that moment, but overall, he is not eating enough, so he sleeps lightly and feels hungry or thirsty a night. I learned this FINALLY after a similar battle with my first, from my cousin. She's a mother of ten.

He may seem fine. He may eat normally. He may even eat a lot. But he can eat more. Nutritionally dense food of course, not fattening or sugary food. Even overweight kids can wake up hungry at night if their diet is fluff rather than high nutrition.

For three days, offer him more food and snacks than normal. Healthy of course. No sugar or fruit past noon. It will take his body about that long to adjust to being more satisfied and full. And then BOOM. He'll sleep like a rock all night.

Also make sure he's hydrated and exercises enough during the day.

I have a 4YO that still gets up several times a night - and sleep walks. We're pretty certain she's inherited a sleep disorder from Daddy's side of the family (he and his mom are the same way). We deny all requests (except bathroom and water....because, hey, those are things I need every night myself). At 2YO our doctor recommended melatonin - try a gram and see how that goes, then go up a little at a time if it doesn't work. She takes 1.5g/night, and has a nightmare every night about 11:30 pm, but at least she sleeps a good 3-4 hours before she wakes up the first time. Then, it's much easier to get her to go back to sleep. I would suggest talking to your doctor about it.

I'd give him a half-full sippy and let him know that the rule is once it's gone, he can't have any more until breakfast. Tell him once it's gone "it's sleep time."

When he wakes, stick to the rule and take him back to HIS bed.

Don't let him drink anything during sleeping hours or even right before bed. If he eats dinner right before bed, give him his milk earlier so that he has time to go pee pee before bedtime. If he is really thirsty before bed, give him 1 or 2 sips of water, but that's it. Don't let him sleep in your bed either. Basically, you are giving him good reasons to wake up by giving into his demands. If he wakes up, give him a simple hug, tuck him back and bed and say it's time for sleep. Don't engage in conversation. Also, by giving him fluid, you are making him have to pee in the middle of the night which wakes him up. Also, try to stick to a schedule. Kids thrive on routine and sleep is an important one. Try to put him to bed the same time every night and wake up the same time, even on the weekend. No late naps. And if he takes a nap in the afternoon, have it be early afternoon and no longer than 1 hour. Also, I heard that kids get tired usually around 7:30/8pm and if you miss that window of opportunity when they are getting tired, they can get more riled up and not fall asleep as easily even though they are put to bed later.
He doesn't need to drink a sippy cup in the middle of the night. If he is hydrating all day long, he will be fine. He will get used to not having the sippy cup in sleeping hours.

Also, don't forget to tire him out during the day. Make sure he is getting a lot of physical play during the day. Make sure his bed is really comfy and he is warm. I will go into my daughter's room and put her blanket on her (usually she's kicked it off) because I've realized that she sleeps longer when she has a blanket over her.