What do you offer before bedtime?

[BigFlower]

We don't offer anything but if she asks and says she is hungry she has a banana or a plain bit of bread.

[PerpetualMadness]

Nothing. Well, boobs for the small one. Tea is t 4.30/5.00 and then it's straight up for bath bed.

[Popsie]

We eat at 6-6.30 then it's bathtime and after bathtime she is offered warm milk and banana to have whilst she has her bedtime story. She usually Wants it but sometimes not. Depends on how much dinner she's had. She's a right pain at mealtimes and CBA to eat so banana and milk is necessary.

[PerpetualMadness]

She's a right pain at mealtimes and CBA to eat so banana and milk is necessary.

See, I'm of the opinion that mealtimes are for eating and if mine CBA to eat, they're just not hungry. I think offering milk is fair enough but the banana rather reinforces the not eating at mealtimes. If they don't like something we serve for dinner having tried it, they can have toast (at dinner) but once the get down they're done.Y

[Popsie]

I thought that too. Then she started waking up at 5 (when her normal time is 7) saying 'I'm hungry...!' and being a pita as the day progresses. if I don't offer a banana after dinner she will continue waking at 5. Or I bark at her to finish her dinner and I don't want to do that! Banana is the better option.

[PerpetualMadness]

I guess, I'm saying it's self perpetuating because she knows there's the option of banana at bedtime, she can afford not to eat tea. If the banana is the only thing you can reliably get into when she's overtired at teatime, I would offer it then, as part of the meal.

[Popsie]

Well the banana was the solution after a few weeks of dinnertime dramas/ early wake ups. But yes, I guess we could offer it with dinner.

[FestiveTidings]

Roo has never eaten a decent dinner. He eats a huge breakfast, a big mid morning snack, a decent lunch, a good mid afternoon snack and a smallish dinner. I could load his plate with his favourite thing and he'll still only eat what he wants to. I think his body is naturally starting to decrease his meal sizes throughout the day. If I didn't give him solid anything after dinner then he would be up every couple of hours asking for boob, which makes him tired and cranky the next day. So even if he doesn't eat his dinner, he knows he gets supper. But then he also knows he'll still get a mid afternoon snack even if he didn't eat lunch.

I always have a bedtime snack otherwise I wake up feeling sick. Perhaps he has my metabolism of little and often.

[HayleyL]

Hello all,

I'm new to this forum so hello! I'm really looking forward to sharing your ideas!

My little one isn't ready to go to bed until about 8/8.30pm and can sometimes be having his 'lunch' at 2.30-3.30 because of his nap time. So he isn't always that interested in tea (it really varies)!!

But he is not an excellent sleeper and I want to make sure he isn't hungry at night so he has toast or a rich tea biscuit or banana or Organix oat bar with a cup of milk while we watch Auntie Mabel and Pippin (!) before he goes up. Sometimes he just holds the biscuit and takes two little munches out of it, other times he goes through lots of toast!

I look forward to hearing from you all!

Hayley.

[BigFlower]

Hi Hayley!!!

Welcome and enjoy!

[HayleyL]

Thank you!! X

[FestiveTidings]

Hi Hayley!

My LO is the same. Sometimes he eats hardly anything and other times I'm raking the cupboards trying to keep him full!

I just sill go with his lead. I keep offering food and if he's hungry he'll eat it, if not then its left. I've always offe

[LittleQueenie]

We have offered milk and 'night night biscuit' (an oat cake) since my eldest was little - and at 3 years old it is still a winner! It is not so exciting that he'll leave dinner for it - but also fills him up a bit if he's been too tired to eat.

He'll only have fine milled oat cakes though *rolls eyes*