Content

• Steps
• Warning

One of the most common concerns of mothers is that their babies are not eating enough, especially when they begin to switch to raw foods (6 months or more). Children will let you know each time they are hungry, so listen for those cues to feed them. Because hunger can be adjusted according to important developmental steps, changes in bedtime and the type and amount of food previously consumed, a child's eating habits will also change. Be patient and trust your child's ability to recognize hunger. If your child is not gaining weight or feeling worried, talk to your doctor.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Determining Why Your Child May Not Eat enough

1. 

   Be confident that your baby will eat when hungry. If you think your baby is not eating enough or it seems that their feeding time is very short, that is not necessarily a cause for concern. There are many reasons why a child may refuse food, from as simple as being full to being tired, distracted or a little sick. Try to have confidence in your child and avoid making feeding time a battle. If you're feeling anxious and if your baby seems underweight or has a sudden or rapid change in weight, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor.

2. 

   
   
   Do not worry when the child is picky eats. It is perfectly normal for children to refuse new and unfamiliar foods. In most cases, although it may take a little time, the child will become used to it. Be patient, and if your child refuses something, offer it a treat. Come back with new food later.
   • It is also possible that the child refuses to eat for other reasons, such as teething, fatigue or simply being full.
   • Do not become impatient and upset with your child. Put new foods aside and come back to them later.

3. 

   
   
   Limit vomiting and vomiting. Vomiting usually occurs in children during the period of getting used to digesting food and will gradually decrease by the time the baby is one year old. Frequent vomiting can interfere with a child's diet. Therefore, gradually reducing this situation will help children develop good eating habits. Regularly pat the back to help the child burp and do not overfeed the baby, keep the baby in an upright position when feeding. You should also avoid playing with your baby as soon as possible, so that he or she has time to digest the food.
   • To control spotting, feed slowly and less at each meal. Keep your baby upright for half an hour after eating by placing him in a chair or stroller.
   • If vomiting is frequent, severe, or extremely uncomfortable, contact your doctor.

4. 

   
   
   Watch out for food intolerances. Food intolerance or allergies can be a cause of anorexia. Allergies can come on suddenly and often have very noticeable symptoms such as vomiting, redness, diarrhea, or stomach pain. Food intolerance can have less serious symptoms but can lead to a feeling of bloating, bloating, and discomfort.
   • With a food allergy or intolerance, it is almost certain that the child will not want to eat. So, watch out for any symptoms and contact your doctor.
   • The doctor will conduct tests to check the possibility of allergies in the child.
   • Take your child to the doctor or emergency room as soon as there are signs of wheezing, swelling, hives, or difficulty breathing.
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Method 2 of 3: Find Ways to Help Your Child Eat More

1. 

   Make the new food look like a child's favorite. If you find that your child often rejects new and unfamiliar foods, even if you haven't tried them before, you can try calming them down by making the new food look like their favorite. For example, if your child is very fond of mashed potatoes but dislikes the look of sweet potatoes, try mashed them to get a similarity.
   • Make it easier for children to eat small portions first and increase over time.
   • Introduce new foods slowly and avoid force to help them get used to.
   • A whole new food can feel very strange in a baby.

2. 

   Give your child finger foods (small foods that can be eaten by hands). You can increase your child's food intake for the day by offering small amounts of finger food between meals. Soft cooked vegetables, peeled and washed fruits are good options in this case.If your baby is older than six months, you can also try dry foods like graham crackers and melba toast. Flat noodles are also a good finger food for babies.
   • Do not give foods that are likely to cause choking like chopped apples, grapes, popcorn, hot dogs, and hard, raw vegetables.
   • Avoid foods with sugar or salt.
   • If your baby is 6-8 months old and is teething, toast and unsalted crackers can be a good choice.

3. 

   Make the most of your mealtime. Children imitate a lot from your actions, so eating together can encourage them to use more. Children will observe you carefully and learn from what you do. If your child turns his face in front of the spoon, eat it by himself first to show him how delicious it is. Talk to your child while feeding and let them participate in the family meal. Having a fixed meal time will help your child know when is time to feed.
   • You should anticipate some chaos and make sure to maintain a good atmosphere during mealtimes.
   • Accept to spend a lot of time on food and be patient. Eat at the child's speed and don't try to urge or force them to eat something.
   • Don't leave the table until the child has finished the meal as well.

4. 

   Thanks to the participation of many people. Sometimes, having more people in a meal can encourage a child to eat more. This is especially true if the child likes an adult friend or family member. Invite the person to dinner and usually, your child will eat happily because someone is not their parent.
   • If your child has a few friends who eat well, inviting them to dinner can be equally effective.

5. 

   Give your child a variety of foods. It is very important to provide your child with a healthy, balanced diet and give him a chance to be exposed to all kinds of different foods from a young age. In general, once they get used to new foods, they will learn to like them. Offering a variety of healthy foods from a young age will help them grow and develop, and form good eating habits. Foods and drinks that contain added sugar, salt or fat will increase your child's risk of wanting them in the future.
   • Offering a variety of foods and choosing foods for a specific meal can help children get used to new foods.
   • Young children love to choose their own food, so give them a try from time to time.
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Method 3 of 3: Extend Your Baby's Diet

1. 

   Determine the frequency of feeding babies not older than four months old. As a child, all of the child's nutritional needs will be met through breast milk or formula milk. If you are breastfeeding your baby, your baby can feed 8-12 times a day, about every 2-4 hours, or when hungry and demanding.
   • If formula is used, your baby will likely need it 6-8 times a day. Infants will start with a daily intake of about 475 to 700 ml, about 30 ml each for the first week and 60-90 ml each from the second week on.
   • If the baby is not getting enough feed during the day, awakening and evening feeding may be necessary if the baby is underweight.
   • Maintain close contact with your doctor so they can follow your child's condition and give you advice on what to do.

2. 

   Offer your child more foods and fewer times after four months. At about 4 months, your baby will begin to reduce the number of meals per day. If using breast milk, by this point, instead of 8-12 times, the baby will probably only drink 4-6 times a day. However, the amount of milk used in each feed will increase.
   • If formula is used, the frequency of drinking will also decrease as the baby grows. Therefore, you need to increase the amount of milk per drink to about 180-240 ml.
   • By the time your baby reaches 4-6 months of age, he or she will consume about 825-1350 ml of formula per day and you will need to start switching to raw foods.

3. 

   Recognize the signs for weaning. When your baby is about 4-6 months old, you need to prepare for the transition to weaning. You need to be really careful and avoid rushing this change. If your child doesn't have the physical capacity to use raw foods, they run a choking risk. Some milestones in your child's development may be a sign that your baby is ready for solids:
   • Babies reach twice the weight at birth.
   • Children can control head and neck well.
   • Children can get up with a little support.
   • Children no longer push a spoon or food out with their tongue.
   • Children can tell you they are full by closing their mouths or turning their heads away from food.
   • Children begin to show interest in food when they see other people use it.

4. 

   Introduce raw food. When starting to include weaning foods in your child's diet, use iron fortified cereal. This powder can be mixed with breast milk or formula milk. Make sure they are diluted in the early stages. Once your child has adapted to the raw foods, you can use a thicker mixture.
   • To start, mix 1 or 2 teaspoons of formula with breast milk or formula. Take as a meal, twice a day.
   • Gradually increase the amount of powder mixed to 3 or 4 tablespoons, once or twice a day.
   • Once you get used to using cereal flour regularly, you can try a few other instant cereals like oats, wheat or barley.
   • Control new cereals carefully and do not introduce children to more than one new grain every 3-4 days. With each new food, observe for symptoms of food intolerance and allergies.
   • There is some controversy among experts on the order in which new foods are introduced into a child's diet. While it is agreed that you should give your child a variety of new foods, there is no scientific consensus on which order to use it. Some people start with fruits and vegetables, others even start with meat. Talk to your dietitian if you'd like to try a different order when starting solids.

5. 

   Give your child crushed fruits and vegetables. When your baby is about 6-8 months old and has successfully consumed a variety of whole grains, you can begin to add more options to your child's diet with mashed fruits and vegetables. As with cereals, introduce each food to your child and wait a few days before starting to add other foods so that they can check for allergies or not absorbing foods.
   • Ideally, you should start with unsalted vegetables like peas, potatoes, squash, and carrots. In terms of fruit, you can start with bananas, apricots, mashed apples, and pears.
   • You may want to start with vegetables first because some believe that the sweetness of the fruit will make the vegetables less appealing.
   • Give your child 3-4 times a day for 2-3 tablespoons of fruits and vegetables each time. Depending on the case, a child's daily intake can range from 2 tablespoons to 2 bowls.
   • Although your baby will use less milk, you should continue to breastfeed / drink 3-5 times a day.

6. 

   Continue with meat. By about 6-8 months, your baby will eat a lot of fruits and vegetables ready for a little ground or finely chopped meat. If using breast milk, 6-8 months is the ideal time for babies to get used to meat. Breast milk is not rich in iron and at this stage, babies need to be supplemented with iron in the body.
   • You should continue to give your baby breastmilk or formula milk 3-4 times a day. However, it is necessary for the child to stop using the bottle at 1 year old. Any bottle intended for use by a child over 1 year old should contain only water.
   • Get your child acquainted with each type of meat at a time and let them use it for the rest of the week before moving on to a new meat. Use 3-4 tablespoons per serving.
   • Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables by 3-4 tablespoons per meal, 4 meals a day.
   • You can also give your child ripe egg yolks (not whites), 3 or 4 times a week.
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Warning

• Contact a registered dietitian if you are concerned that anorexia might affect your child's health.
• Contact a registered dietitian right away if a child's diet changes suddenly, he appears to be losing weight, or is constantly vomiting or vomiting with food.
• Do not give honey, nuts, milk, shrimp or egg whites to children under 1 year of age.