Need help - an extreemly hungry baby through the night

[sazno1]

Hi, my son is 13months now and used to sleep all the way through at night time. Now, he is up in the night having wanting one to two bottles, one at 1am and the other at 6am. He does not eat much in the day. Ive been told that you shouldnt give him milk in the night, is this right?

If you want to sleep at night, then ensure he gets food and milk in the day and not the night.

I know, but its not as easy as that. He will not eat much, only yogurts and 2 different types of baby jars. Trying to get him to eat is a nightmare.

I don't think I am the right person to help you. If my children didn't eat they went hungry as I wouldn't pander to it. Saying that, I know there are children who have really big problems around food.

Have you tried real food instead of baby jars? Mashed potato is very filling.

I think there is a weaning section on here somewhere.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weaning

Offer only water at night. Sounds bad but puts many off bothering to ask for night feeds. I used to give my lo's a rusk in milk just before toothbrush and bed, if he will only have a yoghurt then give him one just before bedtime to top him up. At 13 months he does not need a night feed, it's often habit that makes them wake, water only will put him off.

If all he'll take is milk and liquid food like yoghurt and jars & if he's refusing to chew solid food, then I'd suggest taking him to see the GP and have him checked out medically. I knew a little boy once that routinely refused all but liquid food for years until he was finally diagnosed with a medical condition affecting his nose and throat passages that made chewing and swallowing solid food painful. Once the condition was corrected he ate normally and thrived.

Is there a reason he's eating jars at 13 months? What about proper food?

If he's not eating then I think you should be giving him as much milk as possible to make up for it, actually. As long as the milk isn't replacing food, it's better than nothing.

It's hard because if he was breastfed I'd say keep going with the night feeds if you're happy to do them, but I know it's an issue with bottles if you're feeding at night it can cause tooth decay, which is why you shouldn't do it after a year. But it seems wrong to me to say he shouldn't have it if he genuinely is hungry for it.

I agree you should ask your HV or GP for advice as this seems like an extreme situation with food all round rather than a standard waking in the night situation.