Is it good for babies to eat late at night?

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In recent years, the trend of late-night eating is affecting many families. Food that's available at midnight will attract people to eat, even if it's not necessary. When children tend to imitate their parents' eating habits, they can develop cravings and experience late-night cravings. So, is it good to feed babies late at night? Read more articles below to understand the benefits and harms of night feeding.

1. Is it good for babies to eat late at night?

1.1. Newborn Nightly Feeding Amounts Although every baby is different, the information below can help you figure out what a typical late-night feeding is for healthy babies during the first year. These numbers are averages only, if your child eats less than average at night but is healthy and growing well, don't worry! Also, keep in mind that if your baby is premature, growing poorly, or has an underlying medical condition, they may need more than the average number of feeds:
0 to 3 months old - on demand 3 to 4 months old - 3 - 4 feeds per night 4 to 6 months old - 1 - 2 feeds per night 6 to 9 months old - 1 feed or no feed per night 9 to 12 months old - parent's choice Always refer Consult your pediatrician before you decide to make any changes to your baby's current feeding pattern.
Watch how your baby feeds at night. This information is actually related to the amount of calories consumed by the child's body. If your baby is taking 60ml or more from the bottle at each feed or actively sucking for more than four or five minutes at a time, you can consider this a real feed. On the other hand, if your baby only feeds for a few minutes or takes less than 60 ml from a bottle, that means they won't get a significant amount of calories and you can consider them inappropriate meals that affect them. to children's sleep.
1.2. Should children's late-night meals be cut? Since babies sleep most deeply during the first part of the night, it can be helpful to start off from their earliest feeds, simply because it's easier for babies to fall back to sleep at that time. For example, if your baby feeds at 11 p.m., 2 a.m., and 5 a.m., then the 11 p.m. mealtime would be the best time to start cutting out nocturnal feeding.
However, if nighttime feeding at 11 p.m. is convenient for you and waking up at 2 a.m. is a challenge for you, you can start cutting back on late-night snacking at 2 p.m. shining. Both approaches work, and the end result is both you and your baby will get longer sleep. Just be aware that it may take a little more work to get your baby back to sleep in the early hours of the morning because he's in the light sleep stage by then.
To note: Expect your feeding schedule to change or change slightly as your baby quits - for example, if you skip a meal at 11 p.m., your baby may wake up at 1 a.m. instead of 2 am. for your child's next meal. The same is true if you skip a meal at 2 a.m. - your child may start waking up at 4 a.m. instead of 5 a.m. You need to let your baby eat as much as you want during the feeds you plan to keep.
When reducing night feeds, it's even more important to make sure your baby gets enough calories during the day. For more details consult your pediatrician or infant nutritionist about how much your child should eat during the day and make sure they are getting good, nutritious foods. If your baby seems hungrier during the day when you start shifting calories, you can give him another feed or bottle or feed more during the day. Remember that the goal is to provide enough calories during the day so that your baby doesn't need to receive those calories at night.

2. For older children, is it good to eat late at night?

2.1. How does late-night eating habits affect your child? Parents need to realize that eating late at night is not healthy, especially for young children. Babies will tend to eat more than their body requires, especially if they have already eaten dinner.
People tend to eat after dinner not because of hunger but because of cravings, boredom or stress, and this leads to overeating.
Late-night meals often happen close to a child's bedtime, when a child's metabolism is lower and the body burns fewer calories. The excess calories are then stored as fat.
Your baby's digestive system also has less time to rest and recover, as it processes late-night meals.
Poor diet quality is part of the problem, as foods high in refined carbohydrates are often the preferred choice for dinner.
If the habit of eating late at night, children will gain weight due to overeating, leading to overweight or obesity.
Eating late at night is also associated with a disruption of the body's circadian clock, as the response of glucose and insulin to food eaten during this period is disturbed, leading to insulin resistance over time.
Late night meals before going to bed (with foods such as milk, flour, rice, fruits...), they can't be fully digested in the digestive system plus the amount of gastric juice secreted more than usual in children's sleep causes stagnation, bloating - stomach distention, leading to reflux up the esophagus, this fluid leaks into the throat, then overflows to the larynx. With the stomach's gastric juice flowing back up into the esophagus often, in the long run can cause esophagitis leading to coughing.
This phenomenon of reflux oesophagitis due to overeating or eating near bedtime is common in both adults but most clearly in children. Children with this condition often have a cough at night, even during the day when lying down, playing or sleeping (also known as horizontal cough - coughing while sleeping, resting, in a horizontal position). . Some children even have reflux up to the nose causing prolonged rhinitis, very uncomfortable and the risk of choking or choking is very high, very dangerous for children.
Without early intervention, late dinners will persist into adulthood and be more difficult to correct. This can become chronic and lead to more serious health problems.

2.2. What to do when feeding your baby a late-night snack Follow these steps to help your child avoid forming a late-night snacking habit:
Regular mealtimes Follow a regular mealtime with a healthy snack time in between. For example, give your child breakfast at 7 a.m., snack at 10 a.m., lunch at 1 p.m., afternoon snack at 4 p.m., and dinner at 7 p.m., with no late-night snacking. This will prevent cravings and overeating throughout the day, especially late in the evening.
Nutritious dinner A well-balanced dinner with a wide choice of food groups will prevent your child from snacking later in the evening.
Avoid skipping meals Delaying or skipping meals can lead to overeating at the next meal. People tend to eat more late at dinner when they skip dinner.
Healthy Sleep Habits A regular bedtime routine can also prevent late-night eating. Children between the ages of six and 13 need about 9 to 11 hours of sleep each day, so you should put them to bed early and on time.
Good parenting Parents are the ones who have a great influence on their children. If you always eat late at night, your child will think it's acceptable behavior and form the same habit. Be firm with your child to make sure he doesn't snack unnecessarily, especially if he's overweight.
More play time, less device time Minimize device time as bedtime approaches so your child can fall asleep more easily. Overexposure to blue light from screens affects her body and encourages her to stay awake, making her more likely to snack closer to bedtime. Encourage more playtime and physical activity during the day so your child is less tired at night.

2.3. Some helpful tips for night feedings Late-night feedings are not recommended, but if your child is still hungry after dinner, you can:
Choose healthier snacks Choose nutritious/lower snacks calories, such as fruit, oatmeal, milk, etc.
Avoid eating out There are many temptations to eat less healthy food outside, especially late at night. Healthy options are also harder to find.
No distractions If you're feeding your child dinner (or at any mealtime), don't distract your child with the TV or gadgets. Being distracted leads to overeating.
Avoid eating three hours before bedtime To avoid indigestion, you should give your child dinner at least three hours before bedtime.
Eating late at night is an unhealthy behavior that can turn into a bad habit. Instead, you and your child should have regular meal times, preferably home-cooked dinners, as well as adequate sleep.
These are important for a healthy lifestyle, along with a balanced diet and regular exercise.