How to get baby to drink water at night...

[expat-mama]

I am not trying to night wean my son- he's just 10.5 months old. But we live in a very hot and very, very dry climate and I suspect some of his night wakings are because his mouth/throat are dry and he is thirsty. I drink a ton of water for the same reason at night too.

Right now I nurse him back to sleep for most of his wakings, but we're working on cutting down the nursing to sleep. I'd really like for DS to be able to drink some water at night but I'm not sure how to go about it. He is drinking water during the day using a sippy cup (with the valve removed, but I'm going to try it again with the valve as I'm tired of leaky sippy cups in my bag) and a straw cup and he is pretty good at it, he still sputters and coughs a bit sometimes though.

Anyone give their babies water at night? Do  you give them a bottle or a sippy cup? Do you leave it in their bed with them or give it to them when they wake? Were you able to get them to drink it on their own after they woke?

I'm just thinking of ways to start this as it's just getting hotter and drier here. Thanks!

ETA: we are looking into getting a cool-mist humidifier too.

[LadybugMamma]

i read someplace, probably kellymom, that babies rarely get dehydrated, does he show signs of dehydration?

[LadybugMamma]

here it is

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/baby-water.html

[expat-mama]

Thanks- no I don't think he is dehydrated, just that his mouth and throat are dry and he is thirsty. I get a dry mouth and a dry throat often at different points during the night and i'm not dehydrated, just thirsty. I thinks there's a difference.

I think he may just need to wet his lips, kwim? I often grab my water bottle at night and take a sip or two for this reason. But he wakes up very often especially when it's dry like that. So I'd like to get him to drink some water occasionally instead of us both getting up to nurse each time, either by me giving it to him quickly at night or by him being able to do it himself.