Toddler waking up hungry at 5 am!

[SpikeDearheart]

DS is nearly 2 (22 months) and has never been a great sleeper. Recently his night sleep has really improved, except he is still waking up at the crack of dawn - 5 or even earlier - and immediately demanding breakfast, which he demolishes. He is a good eater in general and always eats a substantial dinner between 5 and 6 pm, then has milk before bed, around 7 pm. I can't imagine stuffing any more food into him before bedtime, so are we just condemned to early waking until he is old enough to make himself breakfast??

How about some porridge or a Weetabix before bed? That's how we used to manage it.

Another way of looking at it could be that all of those night waking were probably because he was actually hungry.

Try and encourage him to get more down him during the day. If he's not fussed about physical food, try drinks of milk to bump his calories up.

@SpikeDearheart

DS is nearly 2 (22 months) and has never been a great sleeper. Recently his night sleep has really improved, except he is still waking up at the crack of dawn - 5 or even earlier - and immediately demanding breakfast, which he demolishes. He is a good eater in general and always eats a substantial dinner between 5 and 6 pm, then has milk before bed, around 7 pm. I can't imagine stuffing any more food into him before bedtime, so are we just condemned to early waking until he is old enough to make himself breakfast??

Give him porridge before bed made with the milk he'd normally have

I think he eats quite well but he's my first, so maybe my metric is off.

He generally has a bowl of porridge and fruit for breakfast, for lunch he has a sandwich (ham/cheese/egg/tuna/hummus) and some tomatoes/sweetcorn or a bowl of soup with bread and cheese, plus more fruit, then a hot dinner (e.g. pasta Bolognese, curry and rice, chicken stew and potato) followed by full fat yoghurt and more fruit. He doesn't always snack but if he does he'll have e.g. an oatcake and cheese, or flapjack. A couple of cups of milk through the day plus random amounts of breastfeeding depending on his mood.

I will try a Weetabix just before bed to see if it helps, but at that point he's only had dinner about an hour ago so I'd be a bit surprised if he eats out!

*it not out

I’d give dinner at 5 then some porridge/weetabix/rice pudding/toast & butter/crumpet or similar with bedtime milk

00100001 - that's a bit tricky as he breastfeeds then, but will try offering a Weetabix or porridge in addition.

Ooh crumpets, I bet he'd make room in his special crumpet stomach for that

Leave him a snack in the corner of his bed. Leave a toy in the corner also. Our children loved to find a surprise and would amuse themselves.

I was always amazed at how much DS would eat at that age! I’m sure he ate more then than he currently eats now, at 5 (I’m mostly joking, he just doesn’t eat very much atm!)

If he’s waking because he’s hungry, try giving him supper? A banana/bit of porridge/toast and peanut butter?

@RenoSusan

Leave him a snack in the corner of his bed. Leave a toy in the corner also. Our children loved to find a surprise and would amuse themselves.

In desperation I used to consider this but I think it's a bit young to be eating unsupervised.

Both of mine did that at that age, it didn't matter what or when they ate at dinner, or what time they got up. They always got up as if I didn't feed them for a week, whether it was 5am or 7. Eventually they just grew out of it.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I offered him toast for supper just before bed and he ate half a slice so we'll see...

5.15 this morning: "want some milk! Want breakfast!" 😴

That's because it's probably habit now.

What happens if you distract him, eg playing in his bedroom for a while?

He's sometimes happy to be distracted with books and toys for a while but the way he then demolishes his breakfast suggests to me he really is hungry. Yesterday he had a bowl and a half of porridge, then a banana and Greek yogurt, then started eyeing up my breakfast as well, and was asking for lunch by 9.30. Hollow legs!

If it is habit rather than hunger, what would you suggest? From what I've read he's a bit young for a gro-clock type approach, plus he usually comes into bed with us at some point between midnight and 4. Anything we've tried so far to persuade him back to sleep after about 5 is met with shouts for milk/breakfast and a friendly toddler knee-drop.

Honestly, both of mine were like this. I didn't do anything and they just grew out if it. It's very common for children that age to be up early, and they also don't have any patience and want breakfast RIGHT NOW.

We left milk in a sippy cup for DS2 when he went through this stage. He’d wake, drink it and go back to sleep. There were a few incidents when he didn’t finish it but left the lid open and milk spilt over the bed.

@CarrotPuff it's reassuring to hear I don't have the only unfillable toddler I do accept that many children get up early and I don't have a problem with that per se (well I don't love it but you know what I mean!). My main concern is that he's just not getting enough sleep overall and the early waking isn't helping with that!

@karmakameleon I'll try that if I can ever persuade him to stay in his own bed all night

No suggestions, just sympathy. My 18 month old is similar. He doesn't have the words yet though, so uses shrieks! I tried giving him a massive dinner the other night but he just ate until he puked, then was extra hungry

at 'friendly toddler knee-drop'

I remember once being told, dont give breakfast too early or it becomes habit.
So my rule is up earlier that 6.30am I give milk- breakfast is no earlier than 7.15.

Can you leave some oatcakes by his bed for when he wakes up at 5am and tell him breakfast will be once you wake up (at a more reasonable hour)

I'm too neurotic about choking to leave food next to his bed. Sometimes he still forgets to chew

If he's coming into your room can you have something there which you can supervise him eating? My toddler loves bananas which are no mess. We have a bedtime banana but maybe you could have a morning banana and then more sleep?

Why would anyone suggest leaving food in a bed for a wee toddler to eat unsupervised... ?