Help! Child #3 is on the way and I need to reprogram Child #2...

[Grendalynn]

As I sit here like a typically portrayed pregnant lady, eating the last of the clausen Pickles and drinking the rest of the juice - to the very last drop - I have a pregnancy/parenting/sippy cup at night/toddler-kids in our bed/ question.... Not really sure which catagory it falls under. So here it is:

I am prengnat with child #3 ... How do I get DS3 off on the baby-feeding schedule his internal clock is still on? He will wake up and grumble or have night terrors at or around 11pm EVERY night. You can set your watch to it. He wakes up 2+ times a night requesting a refill of his sippy cup. He has been potty trained since 2 1/2 and wears pull ups at night and has been off the bottle since then as well. This is his only habbit. Now with Baby #3 on the way, I want to get him "trained" so he'll sleep thru the night , then I have to only worry about getting up with the new baby. I work 4 days a week - so a good night sleep is very important to me. DH is somewhat helpful when he is home and not out of town on the road. DH could also sleep through a train wreck I think - so he is not quick to get up and help out, Anyway, What am I to do - I am sure there are families in the same boat or have been over the years.

DS3 gets clear liquids in his sippy cup only - minimal amounts of Gatorade or flavored water (which are cut with H2o) and regular water. No milk or juice. He has great teeth and no sign of decay in any way and they are straight as an arrow. Did I also mention that DS3 sleeps with us almost nightly?? He starts out in his own bed, but somewher in his moments of waking up he stumbles intoour room/bed. If he doesnt come is with us, I have to check to make sure he is still breathing!

DS6 is easy going and I have no issues with him, except for the fact that he almost sleep walks into our room 4 nights a week with his sleeping bag in tow and camps out on DHs side of the bed on the floor. But other than that - not a peep.

Can someone, anyone, send some friendly helpful advice me way on this?? Thanks so much in advance!!

 

[moniot]

I hear you. DS is now 12 and DD is 11. DS ended up in our bed almost every night till he was 8 or 9. He didn't even realize it. We had a king size but as he got older it was to crowded. Then he ended up on the couch for a year or so. Even now he still sometimes ends up there. He doesn't know why. My thoughts were if you can deal with it they grow up so fast. It never really bothered my DH and I enough to force the issue.

The sippy cup issue hit close to home also. My DS had a water bottle (the only thing he had in is bottle) until he was almost 3.5. He would wake up and need a refill several times a night, he also had night terrors and growing pains. After he finally gave up the water bottle he slept all night. It was his decision....nothing I tried worked.

I didn't have to consider dealing with a third child so you have me there. Deal with what you can and make the rest work however you can. We had a toddler bed in our room for a while. I went out to the living room if I was to crowded. Now they are older and I kinda miss the midnight cuddles. Not enough to invite them back LOL

I too also liked the pickles and juice. Try the juice on green beans sometimes. I was eating that before I knew I was pregnant

Best of Luck to you and I hope you can work out the kinks.

 

[HaleyB]

I am not much help but I understand your problem all too well. DS#1 slept in a sleeping bag at our feet well into his 10th year. DS#2 was in our bed every night until his sister was born. DD, our youngest, just turned 8. She should be climbing into our bed any minute now...

 

[mamajoan]

I just wanted to let you know... I am NOT pregnant and I eat pickles and the juice.. I also eat olives and the juice... so you are not alone... not alone at all....

 

[Grendalynn]

Daily bump - looking for a little help here on this subject!! I see that I am not alone, so who else has had this "problem" and found a way to cure it?? Thanks so much!

 

[bananiem]

You might get more replies if you change your title. I thought we were going to talk about wierd cravings!
Well, you said it yourself- It's a habit. How do you get rid of a habit? You break the cycle. He will not dehydrate if he doesn't get a drink in the middle of the night. Tell him after dinner that there won't be a sippy cup tonight. Tell him again during his bath. Remind him before he lays down. If he wakes up go in a soothe him but tell him no sippy cup. Same with when the kids come in your room. Walk them back to theirs. It takes some work on your part, because it's so easy to just let them crawl into bed but if you want to break the habit you have to break the cycle. Good luck!