My DD is driving me crazy with her eating & sleeping habits!

[RhiChiChi]

We usually eat at 6pm, sometimes 6.30pm at the latest. I think it is too early now & am thinking of changing it to 7/7.30pm. DD nearly 3 isn't a large eater of food, more a grazer & I think it is impacting on her sleep at night. She wakes after midnight rougly 2.30am, comes into our bed and won't go back to sleep (well rarely) We try rubbing her tummy/back, cuddling her, changing her nappy , putting her back in her bed, lying with her in her bed. Most of the time she asks for milk (she has a full cup prior to bed, bedtime is btw 8pm - 8.30pm) and this still won't settle her and then she wants more! She eventually dozes off from between 5.30am - 6.30am more due to exhaustion than anything. It isn't a big deal for me as I am not working atm, but DH sometimes gets up at 4.30am and he struggles during the day. I feel bad as DD was a great sleeper and something has changed & I believe it is food related - she is hungry! Today we have offered her food constantly to make sure she is 'full' but sometimes she won't eat anything (she was the same as a baby, didn't drink alot of milk). Today she has eaten: Approx 4 spoonfuls of rice bubbles with milk, a couple of nibbles at toast with jam, one strawberry, small amount of yoghurt, milkyway (refer to nana!), some cheese - that is it! I have asked her if she wants some of my breakfast (bacon & egg sandwich), crumpets, soup, baked beans, a sandwich, sultanas, a banana even frankfurts! - Nothing, she wants nothing! She eats well at creche (goes 2 days a week), but more b/c she sees other kids eating & they have to sit at the table to eat (we do this at most mealtimes)

Does anybody have any advice how to get her to eat more? I am open to recipes, suggestions - anything! She isn't 'fussy' with what she eats - her palate is quite good for example - last night she ate garlic prawns....

P.S. We have had her urine & poo tested by the Dr to ensure there is no underlying medical issue & all was clear

Thanks

[black_rose]

I think its a mormal stage that a lot of toddlers go through judging from what my nieces and DD is like, DD2 often eats more than DD1. We ended up having to give in and give her more milk during the day and she stopped waking up at night time. Now we are working on introducing more foods, she likes to graze too, so I keep lots of bowls of food topped up with her favourites which are cheese, bananas and rasberries at the moment. She asked for food before so that made me happy! Its not easy and I am sure sits why she gets grumpy when she hasn''t eated, We are trying to encourage her to eat by having her help make her lunch or pick some of the herbs for dinner. I also get her to help make cookies so she can have them if she eats all her lunch or dinner.

[KatieRabbit]

Just a suggestion- just make sure what she does eat is filling ie protein rich foods (eggs, cheese etc) and high in complex carbs- whole grains (grainy bread, weetbix etc)
Try just giving her three meals a day with nothing in between and at set times say 8am , 1 pm and 6pm. Of course give her food in between if she asks or is hungry but don't offer it so that you establish a set meal time each day. Put the food on a plate, at the table and sit and eat yours with her. If she eats it, she does, if not, take it away and don't offer anything else.
Maybe allow just one cup of milk at night after dinner and before bed and no fruit juice as it is filling and puts chn off their food.
If after a few days (of set meals times and no grazing all day) she is still not eating (and record everything she does eat and amounts) I would take her to a naturopath, homeopath or dietician as she make need something to stimulate her appetite?
Hopefully if you try the plan she will naturally get hungry and food won't be an issue all day for you as you try and get some into her! At creche she prob knows its meal time and this is the opportunity to eat as food isn't continually offered at other times.
Just something for you to ponder....