With the appearance of a baby in the family, parents have many questions that require an immediate solution. Usually, mothers are most worried about the baby being cozy, warm, he slept soundly and ate well. Most are often worried about the baby's poor appetite. This situation can arise for many reasons, it always requires a solution.
Refusal of the baby from feeding
What is appetite, how is it formed
Appetite is classified as a complex of sensations and emotions that are associated with a particular food. It is one of the most important indicators of the health, normal development and well-being of the baby.
In infants, a good appetite is inextricably linked to getting tasty milk on demand. It will also be complemented by a feeling of comfort from the warmth of the mother's body. Appetite is formed based on experience, parenting actions and attitudes towards the child's nutrition. In addition, it is influenced by individual characteristics such as habits, activity or slowness.
Reasons for a child's refusal to eat
Individual food preferences begin to form in a child from the age of one year. The refusal of a baby from breast or formula in the first months of life always causes serious concerns for parents.
Important! If the baby does not want to eat, then you need to find out the cause of this condition as soon as possible.
Changed taste
The reason that the baby refuses to eat may be the changed taste of mother's milk. This can happen as a result of the fact that the day before a woman could eat something sour, sweet or salty. Everything that mom consumes strictly affects the taste of milk. In addition to nutrition, hormonal status, psychological state, physical activity, as well as the use of cosmetics in the chest area can negatively affect.
Crying newborn does not breastfeed
Food temperature
When breastfeeding, there are no problems with the temperature of the food, the baby receives milk, which ensures the normal process of digestion. When feeding with formula, it is very important to ensure that the food enters the body warm. Cold or, conversely, hot food negatively affects digestion, as a result, the crumb can refuse to eat.
Diseases of the mouth and ears
If a baby refuses to eat, then parents must make sure that he does not have stomatitis, thrush or gum disease. Problems with appetite most often arise at the moment when the crumbs are teething, and it simply hurts to grab the nipple or nipple.
When a child's ear becomes inflamed, the sucking process becomes very painful, as a result of this, the baby may also refuse to eat. In such cases, it is necessary to seek the advice of a specialist and carry out treatment.
Gastrointestinal disease
If the baby refuses to eat, does not take the breast well, throws it, cries loudly and tries to pull his legs to the stomach, then this may indicate that he is worried about intestinal colic. In such a situation, it is important not only to be patient, but also to know what to do.
Note! Pediatricians advise young parents to massage the navel area of the baby, give special anti-colic drugs, and put a warm diaper on the stomach.
Influenza, ARVI
Colds and viral diseases negatively affect the baby's appetite - they are accompanied by a cough, sore throat and fever. As a result, the baby has no time for food.
Signs that your baby is getting enough food
Calm child is a sign that he is having enough food
Parents are very sensitive about their children and want to be sure that their baby is getting enough food for normal health, growth and development. You can understand that the child has eaten breast milk by the following signs:
- Newborns are gaining weight according to the norm (they begin to track weight gain from the fourth day of life). The increase should be in the range from 125 to 215 g per week.
- Active - the child should look healthy, be calm, and be active and curious.
- There is a regular emptying of the bowels and bladder.
- No lethargy.
It will take very little time to track the signs listed above. But each parent will be able to make sure that the baby receives the required amount of food, develops correctly and feels good.
If the child refuses to eat
The body of an infant is an independent system that determines the amount of food for normal development. When the baby refuses to eat and shows signs of poor appetite, begins to cry as a result, it is required to accurately and immediately determine the cause of this condition and eliminate it.
To establish the feeding process, experts recommend adhering to the following recommendations:
- Walk more in the fresh air.
- For a period of difficulties with feeding, prohibit the arrival of large numbers of guests in order to minimize the risk of emotional stress.
- Protect the calmness of the baby.
- When bathing, you can add a decoction of chamomile and string to the water.
- If the reasons for refusing to eat are a clogged nose, sore throat, ear or colds, seek qualified help and treatment.
- For pain in the tummy, massage regularly.
- When teething, use special devices, ointments and medications to reduce pain symptoms.
In addition to all the above recommendations, a nursing mother should adhere to a certain diet and, if she refuses to breastfeed, exclude food that the baby does not like from the diet.
Note! If you cannot find out the reason for refusing to eat on your own, then you need to seek help from a pediatrician.
Errors in the child's nutrition
If a newborn does not have enough breast milk due to non-compliance with feeding rules, then it will not be difficult to solve the problem. Mom must carefully analyze the situation, eliminate mistakes and prevent them from occurring in the future.
To do this, you need to follow the recommendations:
- feed the baby on demand;
- do not rush the baby, when he is full, he will release his chest on his own;
- make a correct latch on the breast and a comfortable position when feeding;
- at one feeding, attach the baby to only one breast;
- do not use nipple bottles or pacifiers.
A breastfeeding woman should get plenty of rest, sleep and eat each time she feeds, ensuring a complete diet and plenty of warm fluids.
Proper feeding is the key to health and well-being of the baby
Most often, in infants, refusal to eat is temporary. With careful attention, it will not be difficult to find out the cause and correct it, despite the fact that a reduced appetite can be due to a number of reasons. With some, the mother can cope on her own, in other situations she cannot do without the qualified help of a doctor.
