How to get my son to drink less milk? (mostly at night)?

Question

My 2 1/2 year old drinks 3-4 sippy cups of milk at night. He consumes 1/2 gallon of milk per day. Doc says it's too much...that he needs more variety of foods. Bed wetting is a big problem at night. I spend most of the night refilling his milk and changing his diapers and sheets. I am a tough mom, but always seem to cave on this one. I've tried several times -- last time he screemed for three weeks straight! I just couldn't handle it anymore. I know that he'll just go back to sleep if I give him another sippy cup of milk. He's not fooled by water, and water only adds to the bed wetting problem. I'd rather not take away the sippy cups since he's not totally ready for regular cups. Do I need to take away milk entirely for a while until he grows out of it? Please tell me how you did it. Thanks!

Answer 1

I had the same problem when my son was 2. Hes 3 and a 1/2 now. After noticing that he starting getting a cavity on his 2 front teeth was when I really got concerned. I completely cut milk out at bedtime. The milk, or juice that they drink during the night just sits there on their enamel, which causes the cavities. After taking him to the dentist, they told me to just give him water at night, even if he doesnt like it. If I had kept giving him the milk or juice, I would have to take him back to the dentist so they could pull the teeth out. Kinda scary for a lil guy. He freaked out about not having milk or juice for about a week. Once he figured out he wasnt getting what he wanted, he stopped crying. Plus the bed wetting stopped. He actually sleeps through the night now that he only has his water. I say, give your son a sippy cup of milk, about an hour before bedtime, brush his teeth just before you put him to bed, and let him have his sippy cup of water. He'll be upset for awhile, but he'll eventually get over it. It'll be hard on you to have to hear him cry, but in the end, you'll be thankful you did. Hope this helps and the best of luck to ya!

Answer 2

My son, who will be 3 in a few days, always had to have his milk at bedtime and would usually wake up at least once during the night asking for milk.

He, too, would often wet the bed and we would end up being up for close to an hour in the middle of the night, changing sheets, diaper, pj's and getting another drink.

When I was pregnant with my second (who is almost 14 wks old), I decided this madness had to stop!

I started filling the sippy cup up less and less, explaining that he didn't need a whole cup as it would make him pee and get wet again. After a couple of weeks, I purposely ran out of milk, so he had to have water. It worked!!

We've since talked about cavities and how he can keep his teeth healthy. He knows it's important for him to brush his teeth before he goes to bed to get off all the dirt and germs that can make his teeth sick and sore. He knows that this includes having his milk BEFORE bedtime.

I keep a glass of water beside my bed and pointed out that he could be like Mommy. He keeps a sippy cup of water beside his bed at night and will wake up, have a drink and go back to sleep without waking me. He is limited to half a cup - he knows that he can have more in the morning - and is now waking up dry in the mornings.

I thought we'd never break him of this habit and while everyone is different, I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Anything over 24 oz in a day is considered too much milk.

It's tough trying to break habits, but his teeth and his health could be at risk. Too much milk is linked with anemia and poor growth (overweight, underweight).

Try cutting back his milk from 4 cups to 3 cups to 2 cups to finally 1 cup. Take a cup away each week and with each refill, mix half milk with water. When you are down to that last cup make it mostly water, give it another week and then just give water. Reassure your little one. Water will not hurt him, but if his milk is watered down he may decide it is not worth the effort of screaming and be firm.

Good Luck to you.

Answer 4

Man, I feel your pain, just not as bad. My daughter is 2 1/2 and she has to have her chocolate milk every night for bed. The only way I can skip it if she she is sick and doesn't want it, or she falls asleep before it is time to have her milk. But I do agree with your Doc that it is too much milk, and I guess I would try to talk to him and tell him that he only can have 3 glasses a day and if he drinks them before bed, then he has none ( may still be too little to comprehend all that). maybe put 3 cups in the fridge every morning and that will help him visualize how many cups he has left. I would hate to see you take it away for good, but that may be your only option if all else fails. I sincerly wish you the best of luck.

Answer 5

Oh it's rough when we know how simple it is to just cave in but it doesn't seem to be good for your son, that is a lot of milk in one day! And you must not be getting any sleep if your are constantly up in the middle of the night catering to his needs. My advice would be to go cold turkey and just stop with the sippy cups at night. He'll probably scream and scream but eventually he'll be exhausted and go to sleep. It will take time I'm sure, most things with 2 year olds do but it's worth it for your sons health and yours as well!

Answer 6

Honestly, you've made him the way he is, so you need to stand up, be a mom and fix it. Not only does he not need the extra calories of milk, milk at bedtime will end up rotting his teeth. Have him drink a cup of milk with supper, and a cup of water an hour before bedtime if he needs it, period. Put your foot down, and just close the door to ignore the cries.

Answer 7

a million. you do not use almond milk. 2. you do not use soy milk and the hormones doesn't have something to do with it...that is the shortcoming of foodstuff and the actual undeniable actuality that it will constipate your infant. My suggestion: Slowly transition to a keep on with-up formulation for a million month and then transition to total milk. playstation : there's no way that a million ounce of total milk jumbled in 6 oz. of formulation brought with reference to the placement...that isn't any longer sufficient for his equipment to note...it change into something else that made his abdomen disillusioned.

Answer 8

I had the same problem, so we just kept watering down the milk at night until it was just water, and he doesn't need his nighttime drinks. He does drink milk during the day.

Answer 9

well your rotting his teeth that's for sure if hes drinking milk in bed...that's a no no........he needs to drink water too.....too flush out his system..my baby doc says kids don't need juice its not the best for them at a young age.....but sorry to say you have to take a stand and no more milk at night make it water only..trust me he will drink it before you dies....lol

Answer 10

If you're going to keep caving in he is simply going to keep screaming. He has you trained very well doesn't he?