Which do you think is worse, absolutely no milk or milk with a spoonful of hot chocolate?

[User310]

Hi,

I have been feeling very guilty the last few nights because I have added a tea spoon of hot chocolate to my 20 month old toddlers milk.

He had a virus not too long ago which caused him to drink and eat very little. This lasted around 6 days and when I tried to reintroduce a glass of milk at bedtime (or anytime for that matter) he refused. I usually add vitamins to his milk as he won’t take it any other way. After trying and failing to give him vitamins in his juice I reluctantly made a cup of hot milk with some hot chocolate in so I could give him his vitamins and because I was worried he wasn’t going to get enough calcium etc. Obviously the inevitable has happened and he now expects a hot chocolate every night!

My question is, would you rather give your toddler a hot chocolate made with whole milk and vitamins before bed or just forget the milk and vitamins all together?

Thanks in advance, guilty mum.

As long as you brush his teeth after, I don’t see a problem! I’m assuming it’s quite weak hot chocolate? If I gave my kids hot choc at bedtime, they wouldn’t sleep!

I'd give the hot choc with vitamins presuming he's eating healthy nutritional foods through the day.

Does he have to have vitamins every day, though? What’s his diet like usually?

I'd switch to gummy vitamins, probably. No need for milk before bed at that age. But if you want him to keep having milk, just put a little bit less chocolate powder in every night until it's back to just milk again.

Sounds like a pretty clever way of getting vitamins into your child.
My parent gave me bottles of sugary milky tea at night so I think hot chocolate sounds like a lovely idea too help settle him down to bed.

One of mine used to love hot chocolate in a bottle. When I never had any I'd just dip a tea bag in warm milk and he'd think it was chocolate. Not really any caffeine because it was literally just a quick dip.

Assuming that they are a healthy weight, I would stop, no need for milk pre-bed at all. Absolutely no need for chocolate. It seems like a bad habit to get into.

I'd go for chewy vitamins. Make it seem like a treat.

Does he have cheese or yogurt etc during day? If so I’d probably just cut it out

I actually feel a little relieved at your answers. I know it’s not a major issue but I have been feeling like a very crappy parent the last few days because of it.

He eats well during the day, always has a cooked breakfast, a combination of either pancakes and fruit, egg and toast and fruit ect, cooked lunch and cooked dinner. He eats his 5-7 a day and I sneak in seeds into his meals. God, writing that down looks so pretentious, clearly why I am worrying about a spoonful of hot chocolate!

He eats a mixture of healthy and unhealthy snacks, he loves Jaffa cakes and quavers, but also loves fruit and jelly etc. I think that’s why I feel rubbish because he already eats treats in the daytime.

I did pop into Tesco and have a look for gummy vitamins but they are for age 3 and up.

Probably a very silly thread but I do feel better for posting.

I think its fine. You can slowly reduce how much you add.

Yes he does have cheese and yogurt for pudding so is getting dairy other than the milk.

I have one dc with dairy intolerance, Dr actually told me to give him nesquik with oat milk daily as combined there are lots of vitamins!

I would very gradually reduce the amount of hot chocolate in the milk over several weeks.

Don't beat yourself up about it.

My toddler was having 3 cups of chocolate oatly a day because other than bf it was the only way to get calcium into her. Her dietitian said it was better than calcium.

Toddlers need 350 mg of calcium a day, you can get this in cheese, yoghurt and forfeited foods like cereal and bread.

Sounds fine OP. Don't clean his teeth right afterwards though as it will brush the sugar in.

I'm surprised at those saying no need for milk before bed at under 2! My near 4 year old has milk and a small snack for her supper! I always have a cup of tea before bed. What's wrong with a toddler getting milk??

I wouldnt feel too badly about a spoon of hot chocolate. As long as he is drinking it from a cup or with a straw and not a bottle and you're brushing his teeth before he does to sleep!

I had a hot chocolate every night before bed from 6 months old. It was some years ago, but no ill effects. Don’t feel too bad.

There is something weird going on on Mumsnet tonight like weird stealth boasting/lying about things?? I draw the line at giving a 6 month old hot chocolate every night, that is just madness. What about formula FFS. Lies, or fuckin terrible parenting.

@HalloHello

There is something weird going on on Mumsnet tonight like weird stealth boasting/lying about things?? I draw the line at giving a 6 month old hot chocolate every night, that is just madness. What about formula FFS. Lies, or fuckin terrible parenting.

Excuse me. I’m not lying. It was almost 40 years ago. I was breastfed until 6 months and I had a milky chocolate before bed every night. Dm said infant formula/bf wasn’t pushed after 6 months and I settled with my chocolate drink. A FYI my parents were amazing parents. So bore off.

Have you tried chamomile tea? It's caffeine free, aids relaxation and my 19mo loves it. She'll have some before her nap or before bed (after milk). I have a few friends who have swapped bedtime milk for chamomile tea. There are a few brands out there specifically for kids but the regular chamomile tea is also fine.

Surely gummy vitamins also have sugar in them?

You could switch vitamins that taste nice (but aren't chewy yet as I don't think there are any for under 3). My DD loves a spoonful of Haliborange every morning.

He doesn't need milk at bedtime

I don't see an issue with a hot chocolate, I'd be tempted to see if he'd accept milk with a splash of vanilla extract, it gives the sweetness but is marginally healthier.

@HalloHello

I'm surprised at those saying no need for milk before bed at under 2! My near 4 year old has milk and a small snack for her supper! I always have a cup of tea before bed. What's wrong with a toddler getting milk??

I wouldnt feel too badly about a spoon of hot chocolate. As long as he is drinking it from a cup or with a straw and not a bottle and you're brushing his teeth before he does to sleep!

I agree. As adults we don't need tea. Or coffee. Or wine. Yet most of us have one/all of them regularly

My teens often have a mug of hot milk before bed. Sometimes they put cinnamon in it. Sometimes they have hot chocolate. Or camomile tea.