Night eating???????? Or how to Stop Night Eating!!!

Jenie0000

Ok I am on my third baby now and she is a year old..... I started eating when she wakes up for a bottle.... Not because I am hungry but to keep my eyes open!! I think that it has become a habit because although she still wakes up 4-8 times a night I don't remember grabbing food until it is already gone..... I need to stop but have no Idea how to break a habit when it seems to be happening subconciously!!!! Anyone have any Ideas?????????

Shell521

First I am sorry your 1yr old is still waking up that many times a night! You must be exhausted! Maybe read a book or watch some tv while you are awake? Or do some exercise haha, jog in place or something until she finishes her bottle and you can go back to sleep!

FaeFae

Drink water Jen!! Not only will it occupy your hands instead of the food it is extremely healthy for you Also you and I need to talk about why she is still getting up so often!!

katzplay62

You're probably extremely fatigued by being up so often every night. Being tired will make you hungry. Is there anyone who can take a couple of those night feedings? Let you put together at least 5-6 hours of sleep regularly?

Where do you feed the baby? Kitchen? Taking the bottle to the bedroom might be better. Or are you grabbing stuff while you wait for it to warm? If that's the case, take those minutes while the microwave ticks down to wipe the counters or empty the dishwasher. You know, busy work to occupy your hands.

Alternately, put hard to eat things on easy reach: carrot sticks, celery, apple slices, etc. If you're eating junk, you need to throw it away NOW. Don't save it for a treat or because your family loves it. You gotta do it for you. And tell them that, too. Or if they insist, have them move it AWAY from where you prepare the bottles & feed the baby. Maybe the garage. Or garden shed.

One of my worst fears is this kind of eating. Mindless (literally) while in a half-somnolent state.

Side note: once I started feeding my daughter rice cereal for dinner, she started sleeping through the night more reliably. And I gave up on cloth diapers for overnight as a wet baby will ALWAYS wake up. If she's on solids, try to get some protein into her before bedtime. Same as for us, protein produces greater satiety for longer.

Good luck.

Kat

jhackenmueller

You have to be fatigued. ugh

If you baby is over a year old, let her cry it out. Or slowly feed her less bottles at night. Like the first week ween baby off one bottle, next week another bottle, so on... but your baby needs to just cry it out and learn, LEARN to comfort themselves and go back to sleep.

So sorry.. I would drink a glass of water, only feed in bedroom and stay away from the kitchen.

ajbeans

Neither of my kids slept through the night until they were 18 months old. I feel your pain. Some kids just take longer to get it.

I agree with the others -- keep water on hand, try to feed her only in the bedroom, etc. Do you have to warm her bottles or does she drink them cold? If she drinks them cold, you could premix them and keep them in a cooler with lots of ice packs in your bedroom so you don't have to go out to the kitchen.

If you absolutely need to feel like you're eating something, could you try chewing some sugar-free gum?

Nailrep

Try designating a certain amount of calories for night eating (say 200 calories). Then go out and buy those 100 calorie snacks. Eat two if you have to for a total of 200 calories. And if you only eat one, you are 100 calories to the good!!