3 Year Old Sleeping Issues

I agree that he is probably hungry. Could you leave him a cup of milk next to his bed for him to drink at 1am? If you place it there when you go to bed, and it is in an insulated cup, it should stay cold enough. Hopefully full fat milk will fill him enough to make it to morning. And if it easily accessible, maybe he won't wake you. It sounds like water with a splash of milk doesn't fill him so he is awake again so soon.

Also, FYI, incarnation instant breakfast comes in lactose and soy free. One of my foster children drank it. I had to order it though as I couldn't find it in stores.

Why can't he have milk? My kids get all the milk they want. They're skinny and super healthy.

Milk isn't bad. Letting him hold a bottle or tippy cup in his mouth all night with milk in it is bad. It's the constant dripping of milk on his teeth that eats the enamel. If he drinks the milk then goes to sleep his saliva will rinse his teeth off just fine. That's what happens to everyone. Our saliva rinses our mouth out.

If he's wanting milk I'd let him have the milk unless he's lactose intolerant then I'd give him lactose free milk.

Sounds like he needs to drink an Ensure style drink so he can get nutrients and like it. If you get them really really cold they are even better. I made them into slushy's too. I froze the fluid in a freezer bag for a little while then until they were almost solid then squished them up a bunch.

Kids loved eating them or drinking them with a spoon or straw.

My son, would wake a lot, even at that age, when he was having a growth-spurt.
And I knew that.
And I gave him milk.
It was not a "habit" and he was not a milk addict
He was hungry.
He was growing.
He woke more when he was developmentally changing and hitting growth spurts.
And then, he'd go back to sleep.
And then, he'd grow over night.
And yes, my son used to be a picky eater.
And he is healthy and grows like a weed and even the Pediatrician said he is fine.

It sound like your food problems are not helping your sleep problems.

You have to offer him food that will sustain his little body. Perhaps try feeing him something at 1 instead of the milk Or water.
Proteins that my kids love.
Beans
Nuts- all kinds
Cheese sticks

My daugther has woken up for the past 6 nights. While we are on vacation we will often allow the kids to sleep with us if they are cold or scared so my daughter slept a few night with us when we were camping last wekeend. One night this week she slept with us beacuse we were so tired. Then we realized that she is trying to get to sleep with us.. so we put our foot down. My husband was up with her for over an hour the other night. He did not bring her to bed, but stayed in the living room with her. Last night she cried for her paci, but went right back to sleep. Being consistant will help..

Good luck

Sounds like he needs more nutrition to make it through the night. What does the pediatrician say? My daughter drank PediaSure, 3 bottles a day from age 1 to about age 5 when we switched to Carnation Instant Breakfast in chocolate milk. She is 13 and still skinny and a picky eater. I would try feeding him close to his bed time, then BRUSH HIS TEETH because with even a little milk in water at night his teeth are coated in sugar (Lactase in milk) and they might rot out before his permanent teeth come in. I would also get the book by Dr. Ferber "how to solve your child's sleep problems" since it addresses plain 'how to help your baby sleep through the night' up to night terrors, sleep walking, etc. Good luck.
http://www.amazon.com/Solve-Your-Childs-Sleep-Problems/dp...
Sorry just noticed the allergy info, I am not sure what is in PediSure but you could always try making your own smoothies with whatever he can have (almond milk?) and bananas or other fruits and eggbeaters for protein. But I would talk to the pediatrician first, ours sent us to a nutritionist.

Have you heard of Dana Obleman? Her info is really helpful, and I am currently using it to sleep train my daughter and successfully used it 4 years ago to sleep train my son. Costs money, but is very worth it.
http://www.sleepsense.net/share.html?p=brandyklein&w=...

My son was really difficult like this...he still can be difficult now at age 9! He's still a picky eater, very sensitive to everything, very stubborn and hot-headed, has sensory issues, was an awful sleeper, loved to fill up on milk and not eat enough food (he still loves milk). He's outgrown most of his issues...but we are still working on things. I like to think he's a work in progress. Can you get him to eat a big snack before bedtime each night with a glass of milk? Something that is healthy and not sugary. I don't know what your son likes to eat so I can't make suggestions. The other thing that worked with my son was to let him decide he wants to do it. He really really wanted a bunk bed and would beg for one. We finally told him if he starts sleeping through the night EVERY night we will go get a bunk bed. This really motivated him.

My son was/is a picky eater and would sometimes wake up hungry at night. He's now seven, and if dinner was unsuccessful, I'll have him eat a banana or drink a smoothie before bed time/teeth brushing. It does help get him through until morning.
My 3 yo daughter likes to get up in the middle of the night and run down the hallway. I threatened to put up the gate in her doorway and even showed her how I would do it. She's gotten much better about wandering in the night.

I would have him drink a Carnation Instant Breakfast (or Boost or Ensure) as a bedtime snack and see if that fills him up until morning.

Sorry but it won't stop on its own. Leave his "milk" ne t to his bed and tell him when he gets up to drink it. See if that works. You might have to, sorry to say, but get tough. Not easy, but what is going on now is not good for anyone.

Okay, let's see. Now does he eat well throughout the day?
Try getting him to eat throughout the day by constantly trying to introduce
new things.
Feed him what he will eat then:
Try making things appealing by making a face out of things, pancake w/
blackberry eyes, rasp nose & something for the mouth. See where I'm
going with this?
Constantly give him new things as well as his "likes".
Applesauce, try the chicken again but dice it up so it can be finger food,
spaghetti (I just break the noodles up so they are not so long).
He could be waking because he's hungry.
Work hard to get him to eat more during the day but don't make it awful
or he will have a negative association.
I know it's hard but hang in there. This is a stage & it will soon pass.
Try chicken nuggets (btr flavoring) dice up in small pieces.
Don't let him scream. He's letting you know he needs something so you
are right to go to him & try to address it.
Try anything & everything.
Fruit (strawberries, bananas).
Make his food tasty (maybe try regular pancakes w/syrup).