Picky eater waking up in the middle of the night - what to do?

traveltheworld · November 2013

So DS has always been a pretty good eater until the past week or so. Now he hardly eats dinner (apparently still eats well at DC) - which is fine; I understand that toddlers go through phases. However, he has also been waking up at 2 or 3 a.m. in the morning crying because he is hungry. I've been giving him a bottle of milk and that seems to do the trick. But I'm just wondering if that's what other people do. I really want him to just eat a proper dinner, but I also can't stand to have him crying in the middle of the night because he is hungry.

shannm · November 2013

I don't believe he is waking from hunger. I think he is waking because he knows you will give him milk.

mommymegan831 · November 2013

I've always been one to do what ever it takes to get as much sleep as possible at night. There have been nights when I've let DD cry a little while before going into her, but there have been plenty of nights she's been crying at night and I've brought her into our bed or given her a bottle, what ever it takes to get back to sleep. At 3 1/2 she goes to sleep on her own and stays asleep all night. At this age it's just too hard to listen to them cry and they don't know why you're not coming for them. I also doubt he's hungry, but how long are you going to let him cry? If it gets everyone back to sleep I'd give him the milk and if it's still going on when he's 2 and can understand better, deal with it then.

mypeanut22 · November 2013

michyme123 said:
On the days that lo hardly eats supper (we went through a phase a few weeks ago), I give him a snack before bed.

So about half an hour before bedtime he. gets milk and a snack (like a banana or some yogurt) and then we brush teeth/read a book. Maybe a snack before bed would help?

This

traveltheworld · November 2013

I try offering him milk or a snack before bed but he won't eat. The reason why I think it may genuinely be hunger is because he used to eat a lot, so I can't see how he is not hungry if he is eating so little now.

shaunah816 · November 2013

I would add that if he's waking (whether it's from hunger or other reasons) and you're giving him milk, he then won't eat well the next day. Either he won't be hungry for breakfast, or he'll continue to boycott dinner because he knows he can get milk during the night to fill him up. It's so hard to hear them cry, but I think this may be setting him up for a vicious cycle. Hungry kids WILL eat, even if they're picky.

ashiscute · November 2013

I would seriously doubt he's waking up in the middle of the night due to hunger. I would think something else is causing him to wake up. I would not offer milk but try something else to get him back to sleep. My DS is a champion eater but some days he hardly eats a thing. He doesn't get middle of the night snacks those days.

shannm · November 2013

Be

theresat858 said:

shannm said:

I don't believe he is waking from hunger. I think he is waking because he knows you will give him milk.

What? This makes no sense. Why would he want milk if he isn't hungry or thirsty?

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Are you sure he's waking from hunger and not other issues? Around here, teething causes both less eating at mealtimes and night waking, but the night waking isn't from hunger, it's from teething pain.

Because it is comforting. I bet if he woke and she went in and rocked him he would also be soothed AND he would continue to wake each night because he was getting a response. So it is positive reinforcement of the behavior whether it be a drink or whatever else. Lots of kids skip dinner and can sleep through the night without waking up hungry. I don't believe the waking is related to not eating dinner.

singingirl96 · November 2013

If you keep giving him milk in the middle of the night that will create a bad habit which you'll have to break and the longer you do it, the worse it'll be.
I always give my son a small bottle of milk before bed and that seems to do the trick. Once he goes down, he doesn't wake up till the morning.

lana22 · November 2013

in agreement w/ other posters that by now giving him the milk at night you are creating a habit. i'd cut it out and eventually he will realize that he won't receive anything in the middle of the night and go back to sleep. he doesn't need it. kids regulate their intake and even if he's hungry in the middle of the night he doesn't need to eat.

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