7 year old still waking EVERY fr******* night

[Monsterspam]

Not that I'm annoyed or anything. Honest.

7 Year old DD wakes every night without fail. Usually between 11pm and 1am, it starts with a half-moan/half-shriek "Eurgh!" then a mumbled "Mummy" or "Daddy".

It doesn't matter what we do, it progresses until we can take/tell her to go to the loo. If you don't respond, she gets louder and louder and starts shouting random things "I don't like it!" is the usual phrase. (When you ask her what she doesn't like she usually says she's hot/cold/uncomfortable/needing the loo.)

She has a (sports) bottle of weak blackcurrant cordial (which contains about a pint) which she drinks through the night. I know this gives us the loo problem but she just doesn't wake up properly to make herself get up and go to the bathroom.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how we can put a stop to this? It gets pretty draining when you've had 7 years of it!

[mummyofprincesses]

Have you tried getting rid of the drink bottle altogether? DD used to wake up every night when she needed a wee too. She is now allowed a last drink about an hour before bedtime, goes to the loo before bed and if she is thirsty in the night has a very small drink that won't be enough to fill her bladder.

[CaptainNancy]

I'm sorry you're suffering- it must be awful. May I ask why she has the drink there? Does she have a condition that means she needs to drink very frequently?
I would be worried about her teeth too, tbh.
What would she do if you took away the drink? (assuming she doesn't actually need it) Screaming? sulking? the most it would last is 3 or 4 days, and that has to be better than this every night. You must be so exhausted- the broken sleep is so tiring, even if you go to bed early to allow for it.

[bumpybecky]

that's an awful lot to drink in the night and also it's blackcurrant, which isn't recommended for night time dryness (we've got a child with a bed wetting problem and have been told by specialist drs not to give blackcurrant at any time of day)

I'd take the drink away completely, unless it's needed for medical reason

[Monsterspam]

No, she doesn't need it Nancy, she has just always had it, it just went from breast to bottle to juice IYSWIM. It's a real comfort thing, I think. We have tried getting rid of it before and have given in.

Didn't know that about blackcurrant BB, thanks.

[BudaBones]

I think you need to drop the drink. She doesn't need it. It will be HELL I am sure. I would use every weapon in my armory - esp bribery.

[Monsterspam]

Thanks Buda - my usual weapon of choice!

[BudaBones]

Me too! However as I pretty much always have an 8 year old in my bed i am not sure it always works!

[bumpybecky]

they also said not to give coke, cocoa, tea, coffee for the same reason

not that you'd be giving her coffee at bedtime, but still....

is she too old for a star chart? good luck with the bribes

[Monsterspam]

She hates star charts! Goes into a fit of rage if they're mentioned! (She's usually really placid!)

She doesn't drink any of the other things, btw.

Thanks for the advice

[CaptainNancy]

I don't let my dd have anything to drink but milk or water within an hour of bedtime, I have seen on the emesis threads recommendations of nothing but water to drink after 4pm.

Hope it works... there must be something she really wants I'm sure.

[Monsterspam]

I'll have to have a think, I'm sure there is!

[frumpygrumpy]

I read this book and it teaches you much about sleep and its patterns

He talks of a sleep habit which makes perfect sense - imagine falling asleep with your pillow and then waking in the night to find it gone, you'd wake up properly to find out where the hell it was! Sounds to me like your dd has developed the habit of waking and what normally happens when she wakes is that she drinks and wees and sees mum or dad etc etc. You need to retrain her body and brain to a different habit. Totally doable, totally possible and not really that difficult in a child of this age.

First, talk to her in a fairly light way about how everyone's body wakes a few times each night and how everyone falls straight asleep again without ever knowing they've been awake. Tell her, she is waking more than she should and that, to stay well, you all need her to sleep through.

Let her know that the next time she wakes, you are going to kiss her and whisper, "its sleep time, night night" and that she is going to turn over and fall asleep. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

My girls usually respond to this until a period of illness and then I tend to have to 're-set' them.

It might take a bit of perseverance. But, ultimately, she should mainly manage a whole nights sleep without a wee. Maybe cut the drink by the bed. My kids can drink up until about an hour before bed. Then I let them have sips if they're really thirsty but not too much. Children do have hormones which condense the urine and supress the need to wee in the night. By giving her a drink to have, its encouraging a full bladder which will definitely lead to a restless night.

Form a new habit, only whisper if she wakes, speak hardly anything, remind her its sleep time and return her to bed as fast as possible.

Change the habit and you sleeeeeeeep!!!!!

[Monsterspam]

Thanks frumpygrumpy, will give it a try.

[ches]

I suppose you could try wake-to-sleep.

[Monsterspam]

Took the juice away last night, she still woke up twice but it was only minimal fuss, just a few whinges then back to sleep. See how it goes tonight...

Ches - what's wake-to-sleep?

[liloldi]

I would start diluting her drink (start with very little water and increase water content every night) while putting less and less amount of the mix in her cup. Also, I would give her a reward for every little progress she makes... i.e. going to the loo one less time than usual. The most successful way to reward my son is to simply give him big praise and let him see how excited and proud I am. That way, he gets really excited himself and wants to do better. If praise doesn't work, then I would try a little toy or treat. Good luck with this! Sleep is very precious and we all need it!!