Nutrition and diets 

What to do if the child refuses the mixture. Possible reasons for the refusal of the child from the mixture and ways to solve them

Many parents face difficulties when a child does not recognize formula. By no means should this be ignored, malnutrition leads to serious health problems and developmental delay. There can be many reasons for this phenomenon, but before you start to panic, it is worth eliminating the most basic reasons for refusing the mixture.

Don't like the taste

Among the variety of breast milk substitutes, it is not easy to choose the product that is ideal for the baby. You will have to try many options before settling on one. A fairly common phenomenon is when a newborn does not eat the norm, because he does not like the taste of the mixture. This happens during the transition from breastfeeding to artificial. If this happens, parents should be patient and look for the mixture that the baby will like.

With the start of complementary foods, the child may also not want to use the formula. The taste of adult food is much more interesting and varied than insipid children's food. However, it is impossible to refuse such supplementary feeding up to a year, because the child's body is not yet ready to consume only adult food. In this case, you can slightly reduce the amount of the mixture.

The nipple doesn't fit

The cause of poor appetite in a baby can be discomfort from an improperly selected bottle nipple.

If the hole in it is too large, the child will choke and swallow excess air. This will lead to digestive problems and bloating. And too small a hole requires more effort to get milk. You can avoid these troubles by choosing a nipple that is suitable for your age, usually such information is indicated on the packaging.

Mistakes in cooking

Infant formula is sold as a dry powder. In order to obtain the final product, the powder must be diluted with water. Manufacturers indicate the correct proportions on the product packaging, but some parents intentionally or unknowingly violate these requirements, which threatens with unpleasant consequences for the child's health and his refusal to eat such food. If more water is added to the powder, the milk will turn out to be low in calories, and the baby will be malnourished..

By making this mistake all the time, parents will face the following problems:

  • the child is not gaining weight;
  • avitaminosis;
  • rickets;
  • sleep problems;
  • developmental delays.

If the mixture is made thicker than normal, it can harm the baby's digestion. A poorly developed organism is not able to normally digest an increased, for its age, content of substances.

Overfeeding leads to such consequences as:

  1. frequent regurgitation;
  2. vomit;
  3. stool problems;
  4. bad sleep;
  5. overweight;
  6. frequent whims and crying.

Careless attitude to the preparation of food for the child is unacceptable. Each product has its own cooking instructions. In order not to harm the baby, you need to carefully study the instructions for using each new product.

Health problems

Everyone knows the fact that during the period of illness, children refuse to eat. It is better to just wait out such periods, trying to alleviate the suffering associated with this or that ailment.

If the baby abruptly refuses to use the mixture that he used to love, he may be teething. Usually, when pain sensitivity drops, appetite returns again. If a child has otitis media or a sore throat, eating food brings him discomfort, and he may refuse to eat. With such diseases, you should immediately consult a doctor for the appointment of timely treatment.

Other reasons

It often happens that the baby has not yet had time to get hungry. Artificial nutrition takes longer to digest than breast milk. Therefore, it is recommended to keep at least three hours between feedings.

Too short a bridle can also cause poor appetite. The baby has to put in more effort and gets tired of suckling. This problem can be easily solved by consulting with a pediatric dentist.

What to do if the baby does not eat?

In order for the child to develop correctly and harmoniously in accordance with his age, parents should take into account the peculiarities of feeding the child in each period of his growing up.

What to do if the child does not eat formula at different ages:

If a child refuses formula, parents should:

  1. change the nipple on the bottle;
  2. monitor the temperature of the product, maximum 40C;
  3. monitor the baby's reactions to food (stool, vomiting, bloating, allergies).

On the forums, you can find recommendations for adding sugar or sweeteners to the mixture to improve the taste, but this is absolutely impossible to do. It is also not recommended to mix different mixtures with each other, such actions can seriously harm the child.

There are times when a child eats little due to his physiology. In this case, it is worth considering the mood of the baby, his activity and weight gain. If all these factors are in order, you need to prepare not a full portion for the baby. And of course the feeding atmosphere is important.

Artificial babies doubly need close contact with their mother. When feeding, it is better to use a position that corresponds to the natural position when breastfeeding. It is also a good practice to get in the habit of feeding your baby in a certain place each time.

If the child does not eat the formula for a long time, you should definitely consult a doctor. Perhaps the baby needs treatment and a professional approach.

Ekaterina Morozova - mother of many children, editor of the "Children" column in Colady magazine

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Problems such as poor sleep, poor weight gain and poor appetite often make moms and dads worry in the first months of a baby's life.

But young parents should not be afraid and panic! Responsible adults must find the cause of the problems and fix it.

11 reasons for poor appetite in babies - why does a newborn eat poorly?

A baby can eat poorly for many reasons., the most serious of which are health problems. Already with a slight malaise, appetite disappears even in adults - what can we say about fragile children's organisms!

To determine what the baby is worried about, you need to know the main symptoms of the most common childhood ailments .

  1. With otitis media the baby cries, shakes his head and does not allow to touch the base of his ears. If you suspect this particular disease, then be sure to seek help from a specialist doctor, and with constant crying and anxiety of the child, call an ambulance.
  2. , then he jerks his legs, bends and constantly, monotonously cries. To help your baby cope with gas formation, you need:
  3. If the child has snot - this is immediately clear. The baby squishes his nose and mucus flows out of his nostrils. With a runny nose, doctors recommend moistening and ventilating the room so that dry and hot air does not dry out the nasal mucosa. It is also useful to instill saline solution into each nasal passage. But vasoconstrictor drops for newborns are prohibited, they can be used only after a year.

  4. For diseases of the oral cavity the mucous membrane of the mouth is covered with either a curdled coating or white spots. At the same time, it is difficult for the baby to swallow and suck, which is why he refuses to eat. Traditional medicine recommends lubricating the damaged mucosa with a soda solution. But for the appointment of adequate treatment, you need to consult a doctor - a pediatrician.
  5. Cause of poor appetite there may be a change in the nutrition of a nursing mother. The fact is that some products can change the taste of milk. So, after garlic, spices, alcohol or smoking, children most often give up their breasts. Stick to the diet and your baby's appetite won't be a problem.

  6. Cosmetics can also be a cause. After all, children like how mother's skin will wave, and not deodorants, perfumes and cosmetic oils. Therefore, do not overdo it with perfume in the pursuit of beauty.

  7. A newborn can not only eat little, but also refuse to breastfeed . This is a whole disaster for breastfeeding, because in such a situation the baby is rapidly losing weight and constantly crying from hunger. Rejection can happen due to bottle use when the child understands that it is much easier to suck milk from it, and chooses a simple way of feeding. It also contributes to breastfeeding pacifier. As with the bottle situation, the baby finds it easier to suck on the nipple and refuses to feed naturally. Solving this problem is far from easy, so it is better to seek help from lactation consultants who have sufficient knowledge and experience to organize the feeding of such wayward kids.
  8. Poor appetite may be the result of a tense psychological situation within the family. If you have discord in relationships with household members, or your family has been overcome by troubles, then all you need is to calm down and devote more time to the baby. So the child will feel calmer, and his appetite will return.
  9. Or maybe the child is just a baby? Many parents and doctors are based on tabular norms for weight gain and the amount of milk eaten by age, but each baby is individual. Therefore, it is worth letting go of your doubts and not force-feeding the child. Moreover, if there are no visible reasons for concern - the baby is cheerful and playful, sleeps well and has regular stools.
  10. Another reason may be inconvenience of feeding . With the correct position of the body, the mother should sit or lie extremely relaxed, while the child should be in contact with the mother's tummy with the stomach.

  11. Also many children prevent themselves from eating by waving their arms. In this case, you need to swaddle the baby before feeding.
  • The main recommendation is to walk more. Because fresh air and oxygen stimulate hunger.
  • Don't overexcite the child. If guests often come to you to nurse a newborn (and this happens in the first months of life), then it is worth forbidding them to visit you until the feeding problems are resolved.

  • Pay more attention to your child , carry it on your hands, swing it. After giving birth, the baby feels lonely. After all, his old world has collapsed, and he has not yet got used to the new one. When the skin of the baby comes into contact with the skin of the mother, the baby seems to return to the intrauterine state. He again hears the beating of his heart, feels the warmth of his mother's body and calms down from this.
  • When bathing, add decoctions of string and chamomile to the water. They have a calming effect on the nervous system of the child, and therefore the baby quickly develops an appetite. Read also:

If the reason for refusing food is not clear to you, then Be sure to contact your pediatrician! Together you can help your baby and restore his long-awaited appetite.

The baby, who was recently born, needs the minimum: mother's warmth, food and comfort. And if the child is completely healthy, then providing these three needs is enough for him to grow and develop well. But the older the baby becomes, the more questions and worries arise in newly-made parents. So, a situation in which the baby refuses to eat can lead to a complete stupor. So, what to do if the child refuses the mixture at 3 months?

Many babies have been bottle-fed since birth. Parents have many reasons for such a decision, and today we will not talk about them. Fortunately, modern formulas are able to provide the crumbs with all the sufficient nutrients when it is impossible to breastfeed or, if necessary, organize mixed feeding.

At the age of up to a year, the baby may repeatedly experience a natural physiological decrease in appetite when his body needs fewer calories. Most often, this situation is explained by changes in the seasons (changes in climatic conditions). And parents cannot influence her in any way, they can only observe the baby, assessing weight gain and general condition.

Babies at the age of three months may refuse the mixture for the reason that they have not yet had time to get hungry. If the baby suddenly began to cry, this does not necessarily indicate hunger. Perhaps he is worried about his tummy, or maybe he just wants to be with his mother. Therefore, do not immediately poke him with a mixture. In addition, formulas for artificial feeding are digested rather slowly and give a feeling of fullness for a long time. On average, the duration of the interval between feedings should be three to four hours.

Perhaps the child refuses the mixture because it has some kind of unpleasant smell or taste that an adult simply cannot feel. If you haven't changed your formula lately, try opening a new container and making a new batch for your baby. If the child’s diet has recently undergone changes, most likely, innovations are not to his liking. Therefore, consult your doctor about the possibility of replacing baby food.
By the way, consider the option that the mixture may not be of sufficient quality. Therefore, if you always buy the same mixture, and suddenly the child refuses to eat it at all, there may really be something wrong with it.

If the child refuses the mixture, look carefully at his gums and inspect his mouth. Perhaps the reason for the refusal lies in the discomfort. Sometimes, as early as three months, the gums swell in babies, which indicates the imminent germination of the first teeth. And such a process can deliver a noticeable discomfort to the crumbs. Also, the baby may feel pain if some inflammatory processes occur in his mouth, for example, thrush or stomatitis. Having found redness, an incomprehensible plaque, white dots or sores, you should consult a pediatrician as soon as possible and not self-medicate.

Quite often, children refuse to eat if they are simply uncomfortable. You may have picked up a bottle with a new nipple and the hole is either too small or too big. Both options will be completely uncomfortable for the baby. After all, with a large hole, he can literally choke on the mixture, and with a small one, he will need to make a huge amount of unusual efforts to get food. But even if the holes in the nipple are normal in size, the new nipple itself can be simply uncomfortable and unusual for the baby.

Babies at the age of three months quite often suffer from colic. And if the baby is worried about the tummy, if it hurts, then he may not want to eat at all. Therefore, stroke the child on the tummy clockwise, carry it in your arms, do a little gymnastics with him on the ball. And when the discomfort passes, the baby will eat with pleasure.

By the way, pain in the tummy can be caused not only by colic. The child may refuse the formula if after its consumption he feels discomfort. Perhaps you are preparing the mixture incorrectly, do not keep the proportions. Rethink your approach to preparing baby food.

Quite often, children refuse the mixture during illness and when they just get sick. If the baby as a whole behaves capriciously, seems lethargic and not too healthy, it is better to play it safe and call the pediatrician. Of course, refusal to eat in such a situation is quite natural, but only a doctor can understand its cause and choose the best methods of treatment. A very common reason for refusing to eat is a sore throat or earache, because in such situations, sucking and swallowing only increase discomfort. Also, very often, children refuse to eat if they develop a runny nose. In such a situation, it is better not only to consult a doctor, but also to acquire a special device for sucking mucus from the baby's nose. After all, with a clogged nose, the child simply will not be able to eat.

Quite common is the refusal of the mixture during the transfer of a child from breastfeeding to artificial. After all, the taste of new food is not at all familiar to the baby, and he may not have come across a bottle yet. In such a situation, you only need time, the child will get used to the innovations and will eat well.

If the baby completely refuses to eat, behaves restlessly, or, conversely, constantly sleeps, it is better to play it safe and call a doctor.

Without a doubt, breast milk is the best food for a newborn. But if it is not possible to breastfeed the baby, you have to resort to formula feeding. What if baby doesn't eat formula well ? What to do? After all, the health and development of the baby directly depends on what he eats.

Unfortunately, there are cases when the mixture is not at all suitable for the child. How do you know when it's time to change your diet? First of all, you need to pay attention to the behavior of the baby. If the food is not suitable, the baby begins to act up, falls asleep badly and often wakes up, the child does not eat the mixture well. Also, the little one will gain very little or no weight at all. Allergic reactions may appear, skin color may change, the baby will be lethargic, inactive.

It is very important to take into account the amount of food the baby. Here it is necessary to follow the rule: the volume of the mixture should be almost the same as when breastfeeding. Sometimes some of the problems associated with artificial feeding arise precisely because of overfeeding the little one. And it is only necessary, in some cases, to reduce the amount of food, as soon as the child feels better. So, overfeeding for crumbs is even more harmful than underfeeding.

Satisfaction of the infant's need for nutrients during artificial feeding depends on the composition of the mixture that he is fed. Most formulas are made by diluting cow's milk. It is bred in order to reduce the amount of casein, which is very difficult for the baby's intestines. Therefore, when preparing mixtures, it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions. If the baby receives a more concentrated mixture, then his digestive organs will not be able to cope with it. So there is bloating, indigestion, regurgitation and intestinal colic. After all this, the baby's body may begin to reject food. And this can cause the child to eat the mixture poorly.

Here are a few simple rules that young mothers who formula feed their babies should follow so that there are no nutritional problems:

1. The formula takes longer to process in the stomach than breast milk, so it is necessary to increase the time intervals between feedings compared to feeding with mother's milk. Accordingly, the number of feedings will be less. That is why, sometimes it seems to parents that the child does not eat the mixture well.

2. The mixture should be at a temperature of about 35-40°C. The nipple hole on the bottle should be small so that the milk comes out in drops.

3. During meals, the mouth of the bottle must be constantly filled with milk so that the child does not swallow air (this can cause vomiting and spitting up).

4. Do not change the mixture for no apparent reason. And if you notice any problems, first reduce the amount of food.

5. If the baby does not eat the formula well, and there are no visible reasons for refusing to eat, then let the baby starve a little.

6. If you think that the child does not eat the formula well, but the weight is normal, do not worry. You must understand that all norms are average, and each child is individual.

7. If the child refuses to eat, then you can try to change the bottle or nipple on the bottle.
If, nevertheless, the child does not eat the mixture well and practically does not gain weight, and there are warning signs, then you need to contact the pediatrician.

I wish good health to you and your baby!

Why is the baby not eating well?

A baby's poor appetite always causes a lot of anxiety among new parents. First of all, suspicion falls on the disease. In this case, it is necessary to measure the temperature and assess the general condition of the baby, its activity. Sometimes it is difficult for a child to suck milk due to the development of inflammatory processes (otitis media and others). If, in addition to the lack of desire to eat, the baby is still worried about something, you need to seek medical help.

The reason for the refusal of food for a newborn may be the incomplete process of adaptation of the nasal mucous membranes to the air. Increasing the humidity in the room or putting a few drops of breast milk into each nostril will help.

Another unpleasant factor that causes poor appetite can be children's thrush or stomatitis. It is easy to diagnose by white coating on the tongue and mucous membranes of the mouth. It is not recommended to self-administer treatment.

Almost every parent is familiar with newborn colic. Until the age of three months, this unpleasant symptom is observed in almost every baby. The child bends his legs, blushes and is naughty. Naturally, he does not want to eat in such a situation at all.

A sharp rejection of the breast often occurs due to a change in the properties of milk or its shortage. It acquires a different taste after the mother consumes large quantities of spicy, salty or sour. Some drugs and general nervousness can also affect the composition of breast milk. Repeated pregnancy gives the liquid a bitter taste, not every crumb will like it. Smoking or alcohol especially dramatically change the taste of milk, and for the worse.

Swelling and redness of the gums indicate the imminent teething. This process creates stress for the whole body, it is not surprising that the baby does not want to eat.

Another reason for a child's refusal to eat is the wrong daily routine. It is necessary to provide sufficient time for walks in the fresh clean air, sleep and active wakefulness. In addition, each mother has her own idea of ​​​​the required amount of food, it is possible that the child has enough portions eaten or he is not yet hungry.

In some cases, the baby is simply uncomfortable to eat. Incorrect feeding posture, structural features of the nipple, cracked nipples, an unhealthy climate, clogged nasal passages, sores in the mouth - all this can cause a deterioration in appetite.

The baby is not eating well, what should I do?

First of all, you should determine the reason for the small desire to eat. Further, they repel precisely from the root cause.

If the baby eats little, but is mobile and in a good mood, then he has enough nutrients. Adequate weight gain in accordance with age will confirm good health. No need to force-feed the child, he will eat as much as he needs. You can increase the intervals between meals within reasonable limits.

Sometimes breastfeeding is due to the introduction of complementary foods from a bottle. It is known that sucking from the pacifier is easier than from the breast, so do not be surprised when the baby chooses an artificial source of nutrition.

Poor appetite caused by illness requires medical intervention. Children's diseases proceed especially rapidly, so you can not postpone a visit to the pediatrician for a long time.

Diseases associated with pain in the oral cavity must be urgently treated. During therapy, the affected areas of the mucosa are recommended to be anesthetized. This advice applies to teething as well.

Dill water helps with colic. Favorably affects the massage of the abdomen, the warmth of the mother and a comfortable posture when feeding. Against severe colic, the doctor prescribes the safest medicines.

In general, a nursing woman needs to establish proper nutrition and daily routine. Getting rid of bad habits will give milk a natural taste and texture.

Baby doesn't eat formula well

The baby does not eat the mixture well. There are a number of explanations for this circumstance.

Formula is more nutritious than breast milk and takes longer to digest. Therefore, a feeling of hunger comes a little later. It is recommended to adhere to intervals of 3-4 hours between feedings.

The baby is still very small, but still a person, and he has his own taste preferences. Perhaps he is not satisfied with the taste of the mixture. The solution to the problem is quite simple - find among the many similar options the one that the baby will like. The main thing is not to try everything in a row, a frequent change in the mixture causes indigestion, allergies.

According to the norms, the temperature of artificial food must be identical to the temperature of the human body. But the baby may have their own ideas about this parameter. Some newborns are much more willing to drink slightly hotter or colder formula. Naturally, temperature fluctuations should fit within reasonable limits.

The painful process of teething is often accompanied by loss of appetite. This period should be waited out, immediately after the appearance of the teeth, everything will work out. You can anesthetize the eruption area with a specialized gel.

The child does not want to suck the formula from the wrong nipple. The size of the hole in the nipple must be chosen based on the age of the baby and its physical data. It happens that a child prefers only one type of nipple. For example, he likes soft rubber models. In addition, the baby may refuse to drink formula from the new nipple, it will always be harder and more unusual than the previous breast substitute.

The exact dosage of the mixture is indicated on the package. Failure to comply with it causes indigestion and increased gas formation. The child does not drink the mixture due to abdominal pain.

Too thick food is difficult to suck out of the bottle, this situation occurs when the concentration of dry powder in water is excessive. As a result of a high intake of protein, digestion is disturbed, diarrhea and flatulence develop.

The baby will not eat if he has a severe sore throat or an inflamed ear. Eliminating the root cause normalizes appetite.

The baby does not eat solid foods well for the same reasons as the mixture.

Such a small person will not eat complementary foods if the previous portion of food has not yet been digested.

It happens that the baby prefers one complementary food to another. You should not insist, you can offer a new product again a little later. Perhaps the food is too thick or not fresh.

Too hot or too cold a dish is unlikely to cause a strong desire to eat it.

It is not recommended to feed the baby with a metal spoon. Its coolness and taste spoil the overall impression of the amazingly tasty complementary foods. Maybe the spoon is not the right size and the child needs to open his mouth very wide, or, conversely, the portions are not large enough.

Inflammation of the ear and throat causes pain when swallowing. The kid tries his best to avoid unpleasant sensations.

Teething throws the body out of balance, including appetite.

If concomitant symptoms are observed that signal a serious illness, medical attention is required immediately.