13 month old getting over bad cold/teething- NWs help

[Mom-of-boys]

My poor DS2 has been hit hard the past week with a bad cold and teething.  Along with that was not eating very much and having diarrhea for a few days.  During that time, he was waking during the night hungry so he usually had 2 feedings at night.  Fast forward about a week and I think he's finally starting to feel better.  He's eating better, isn't as tired, etc.  Unfortunately last night after bedtime (7 pm) he woke up at 10:00 pm, 12:30 am, and 3:30 am hungry every time.  Today he ate a lot of food, so maybe he's making up for being sick?  Now the thing I'm worried about is if he genuinely is hungry during those NWs still, or did we slightly create a bad habit and now he's feeling hungry at night?  I need help getting back on track!  Also side note - before he was sick he had an occasional feed in the middle of the night or early morning which I was hoping to wean him off so now I feel like we've really gone backwards. 

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Could he be thirsty and not actually hungry? Though tbh 3 times a night sounds like a habit to me. Can't remember is he bf or bottle fed? Have you tried settling without feeding?

[Mom-of-boys]

I have tried settling without feeding.  He has a soother which he uses to fall asleep, but after a few replugs he still is unhappy.  Or sometimes it will take me an hour of trying things like shushing, back rubbing, sleepy phrase, etc. and he still is unsettled, so then I try feeding him, which usually does the trick.  He doesn't fall asleep with the bottle, so I don't think that it's a prop.  I did read a suggestion here on another board about gradually reducing the night feeds, so maybe I'll try that... 

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I watered down night feeds to begin with and then got to the point where we went cold turkey (I had been bf the nf's but swapped to bottles just to see if watering down would work!).  What about just offering water to start and see if it helps?