What to do if a child does not eat well - meals for children
Many parents complain that their baby is not eating well. Everything depends not only on the quality of food, but also on the individuality of the child. A breastfeeder who ate a lot of mother's milk, not necessarily a year or two will have a "brutal" appetite. At the earliest age, instincts are very developed in children. Each baby eats exactly as much as its body requires, so do not pay special attention or panic if your son or daughter does not shine with appetite. The main thing is that the baby has a healthy appearance while her body works correctly. In this article, we'll tell you what to do if the child does not eat well.
Causes of poor appetite in children
Parental compulsion
Often parents themselves provoke unwillingness of their child to eat anything."Eat everything" or "I told you to eat!" And similar phrases can discourage the baby's appetite. It is not necessary to impose large portions of food in a children's plate. It is better to be limited to less, for that baby will eat everything and can ask for supplements.
Useful food
Parents do not consider children's taste preferences. Many parents prepare only "useful" food, for example, the liver. Not every adult can boast a special love for this product, what about children?
Try to cook more foods that your baby loves. New dishes can be introduced by reporting them on a spoonful to your beloved. A child may not notice how to eat a new product.
Snacks
Special attention should be paid to snacks between meals. Sweets, chips, cookies are not suitable for snacks. It is better to give the child a little dried fruit or bread. They do not contain so much sugar, they will not contribute to the "killing" of appetite and will not provoke obesity.
Health
Many conditions provoke a decrease in appetite, for example, a disease or a newly transmitted infection. At very young children the appetite can beat off a pain of cutting teeth. Children prone to neuroses, with a broken nervous system, have difficulty chewing dry food, because their body produces a small amount of saliva. In this case, you need to help the baby, so as not to provoke a refusal of food. To do this, it is sufficient to prepare more liquid dishes with the addition of sauces and gravy.
Prohibitions and Restrictions
By forbidding a baby to eat sweets while eating soup or porridge, you only increase the reluctance to eat the main dish.
We must try to ensure that meals are calm and balanced. Do not swear during lunch, loudly talk and actively gesticulate, do not rush the baby to eat faster - it can provoke poor digestion of food, which in turn will lead to problems with the stomach. It is better to wait until the child quietly chews each piece, than then run around the doctors.
Time of year
Much depends on the temperature on the street. Adults themselves feel this on themselves. When it is very hot or stuffy, there is absolutely no desire. The child feels it all more than an adult. It is not necessary to push the baby a portion of mashed potatoes and cutlets at a heat of 30 ° Celsius. It is better to cook something light, something that does not cause heaviness in the stomach. A good way out of the situation will be fruit and vegetable purees. They are tasty, nutritious and do not load the digestive system.
What to do
- Give preference to plain water. Half an hour before a meal, you can give your baby some clean water. The liquid will contribute to the production of saliva and gastric juice, which will lead to increased appetite. Juices are also good. Freshly squeezed should be diluted so that the baby does not show an allergic reaction, and those that are in boxes, do not need to dilute, but you should carefully read the composition: many juices contain a large amount of sugar and preservatives. If a child refuses to eat from food for no apparent reason, it is necessary to consult a doctor. The cause may be a developing disease or infection with helminths. Therefore, to determine the cause, it is necessary to conduct tests and examination.
- You can show your imagination when preparing food or buy ridiculous plates, you can see the image only by eating everything. You can lay funny faces or cut out of products all sorts of interesting figures. In stores you can find ready-made products with images of your favorite cartoon characters. For example, for children who do not want to drink milk, producers have created special tubules that contain flavoring granules. Thus, when the baby drinks milk through such a tube, the milk becomes strawberry or banana. It's interesting, is not it?
- Start a diary and count the calories. If it seems to you that your baby does not eat well enough, then start a diary of his food and put everything that he consumes there. Often, parents who complained of a child's lack of appetite, find that the daily calorie rate exceeds the norm by almost half. Diversify your child's menu and try to make family meals.