Sleep deprivation causes a lot of problems, including impaired brain function and weight gain. I know this as a fact! My little boy only slept three hours straight for years. I fried a lot of brain cells. Michelle is right about it being a risk factor for danger during day-to-day living!
Your husband needs to take a shift on the weekends! Only then will he realize how HARD it is to have your sleep interrupted!!! It is painful!!!
Also, if your child is older than a year, he should be able to sleep through the night without needing a drink of water. It becomes a habit. And then, as you've found, he will wet more. Ease up on the nighttime drinking, for sure. My mom would say as a rule, no liquids 1/2 hour before bedtime.
He should be able to sleep without waking up but it does become a bad habit. Try to break him of that habit. If you find it hard to have your sleep interrupted, HE must feel the same. Also, does he get to nap during the daytime? A too long nap will make him less sleepy at nighttime. I know moms like the benefit of a long naptime for their kids but it causes nighttime problems.
As for the co-sleeping thing: I have to admit that I did believe in this and let my kids sleep with us. It felt wonderful, like a clan of baby bears all nestled together. If one of them stirred, I just lifte my head to see what was up and then went back to sleep. BUT...it is horrible for your marriage. My husband got kicked out of the bed due to being kicked too many times in his groin area or just getting shoved out of the bed. He was good about accepting that but it wasn't fair to him.
I finally got them to sleep in their beds. Yes, they woke up. Yes, they tried to climb back into our bed. But once they see the pattern (you will not get up to fuss over them and you are in the next room in case of emergency) they will settle in. They are more comfortable with room in their beds rather than getting arms and legs shoved into their sides and faces, too!
Kids adapt quickly if you are consistent. Parents find it hard to hear their children cry so they don't give them time to adjust to a new routine. I know. I hated to hear my kids cry and I ended up spoiling them by not being consistent and giving in. I made mistakes and paid for them. But fixing them was simple enough. They got with the program eventually.
Yours will, too.
