Child who eats constantly

annerbones

So Maggie is always hungry - she always says she is hungry. I try to offer her water or milk first to see if he is really just thirsty but that doesn't help usually. She eats breakfast, then snacks while at daycare. She eats lunch at daycare, I pick her up from daycare and she eats another lunch - because she is hungry. Then she takes a nap or rest followed by more food, then dinner around 5:30-6:00ish. Then she is hungry before bed again at 7:30ish.

She often comes up to me and says, "I'm hungry." To which I respond, "I'm shocked." I am not feeding her crap - she is eating fruits, vegetables, whole grain sandwiches (PB&J), veggie chips - these are usually her snacks.

I thought she was maybe going through a growth spurt when this started but it has been going on for months. Is this normal?

Any advice? Snack Ideas?

cocobay

I don't have any advice but it sounds like you're doing everything you can to make sure she is eating nutritious food. Ali's younger cousin did this, and still does. He isn't overweight but eats constantly. I am pretty sure he eats a lot of junk along with other semi nutritious meals. He has eaten a lot as long as I have known him. He was 4 when I met him. Now he's 9. About two years ago he ate an entire package of Oreos, like the packages with the 3 rows on cookies. In one sitting. I don't think he was allowed to, but his mom didn't catch him until he was finished. He had a belly ache but that was about it. Way off topic but I thought it was insane the amount of food his stomach could hold at his age. Bronx eats a lot of food too. I feed him 4 times a day, breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, and then he has a sippy of milk after his bath. He never seems hungry inbetween meals but if I were to offer him food inbetween meals he would eat it.

Zen

Sometimes I think kids form habits with eating just like adults. I take an alternate lunch and snacks to preschool for Shiloh in case she doesn't like what they're having. Everything goes in a Minnie Mouse lunch box that she calls her pack-pack (baby word carryover!). When I pick her up from preschool, she has a snack in the car. Usually a cheese stick and either a granola bar or goldfish or a graham cracker cookie from her lunchbox. Every day, Monday through Friday.

On the weekends when we get in the car, after a few minutes I'll hear "Mommy, I'm hungry in my pack-pack!" Then she'll tell me she wants cheese or whatever. This can happen right after having a meal though. So I know she's not really hungry. She just expects food 5 minutes after getting into the car!

I test her out with less favored options to see if she's really hungry. Like raisins. She likes them but they're not a first choice. So if she'll take them, I know she really is hungry

cAtWmN84

adri is the same way.asking for food when i know she's not hungry.sometimes i wonder if she thinks she hungry because maybe she isn't drinking enough water?i've heard kids will eat and grow more during the summer months or a growth spurt is right around the corner.

TheOtherLovingMoms

My son has been the same way for the past 6 yrs. Then again he is a teenager+a boy=human garbage disposal. He does make healthy choices though because he lifts weights so he wants to have a healthy body. Maybe make sure you have lots of carrot sticks and celery slices along with peanut butter to dip them, that way it is healthy and the peanut butter can make it more filling bc it "sticks to your ribs" as my mom used to say lol

old mama

My son is now 7 and is underweight and has been his whole life but he says he is hungry and wants to graze all day. I need for each bite to count with him. Because of a constipation problem too I wanted to encourage high fiber foods...I take a storage container and put in small zip lock bags of carrots, almonds, sliced fruit, cubed cheese, whole wheat crackers, a real fruit juice box drink, whole grain dry cereals and other nutritious foods and keep it in the refrigerator. He doesn't have to ask and can help himself all day. I refill it each morning. I don't worry if it is too close to meal time because he never did eat much then and I know what he eats is what he needs and he will eat everything in there which was more than he ever did before. May take a few minutes each day but will free up your day having to get up and down and serve her and give her her independence that all kids like.

annerbones

@old mama - I have started doing this too (minus the cheese, carrots and almonds) The hardest part is that everything has to be small enough to fit through her HUGE tonsils without her choking.

old mama

That sounds like a challenge. I have a 13 yr old disabled daughter who can not swallow anything other than pureed foods and she is sooooo picky I can't just grind up what we are eating...it is hard to get a 13 yr old full on baby food, yoguart, puddings and my homemade very nutritious but gross looking mix of applesause, babyfood oatmeal, soyprotein powder that I make by the gallon and add ripe bananas to. It's a good thing we love 'em fillin' their bellies shouldn't be that hard. Are they ever going to remove Maggie's tonsils? I know we used to take it for granted and seemed with kids my age it was a right of passage to have your tonsils removed but it does carry risks.

annerbones

She will get them removed eventually. Our insurance requires a sleep study before they will authorize a surgery. So she has a sleep study scheduled Sept. 6 to see if she has sleep apnea - I already know she does. Then we go in for a hearing test to see if he hearing has been affected by all the ear infections and strep throat episodes.

She will have surgery either after that or it they decide she doesn't have sleep apnea (which would surprise myself and 3 dr.'s) then she would wait until she is 3 to have the surgery.

Pray that they remove them soon!!

indigoscot

Ds1 used to be like that but has mostly calmed down now with the odd exception where I swear he puts away more food than I could eat in one sitting!! Like Cory's dd he is very active and tall and skinny.

g