Introduction:
It is easier for some mothers to start giving solid food items to their babies. However, there are common challenges that a mother faces while weaning (introduction to solids) as a baby strictly refuses to eat any solid foods.
The babies may spit up, avoid new food items, or refuse to eat certain foods. Sometimes, the baby finds it challenging to hold food and liquid in its mouth. These problems are temporary and normal during weaning.
However, in some children, feeding disorders might be a reason for refusing food items. Some studies show that nearly twenty-five percent of all children experience feeding difficulties during infancy and early childhood, which may have an impact on overall health and development. According to WHO (World Health Organization), 45 % of child deaths are associated with undernutrition.
What Are Some of the Common Feeding Difficulties in Infants After Starting Solids?
Feeding with enclosed essential nutrients is crucial for a child's growth and development. After delivery, breastfeeding is sufficient for growing infants for the initial six months of life. After that, breastfeeding and other solid foods are needed to meet the optimum nutritional needs. Generally, the introduction of solids is a challenging task for mothers as they face various types of difficulty while starting to feed their babies with something other than breast milk.
Some commonly experienced feeding difficulties are:
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Spitting and Vomiting:
This is one of the most commonly noticed problems while weaning. When feeding the baby with solids and other fluids rather than breastfeeding, the baby might experience spitting up the food that has been fed them. They may spit up the food items or sometimes may even vomit. To avoid this, the parents must feed their baby small pieces of food so that they can easily take it inside for digestion. They can try different varieties of food each day.
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Taking Out Tongue From the Mouth:
The baby might take their tongue out when one try to feed it. By doing so, they do not allow the parent to provide any other types of food. In such cases, they can dilute the food and feed it with extracted breast milk or plain water to make it a familiar-tasting food for the baby.
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Turns Face Away From Food:
They might already have experienced these signs in some infants or toddlers when the mother tries to feed them. It indicates that the baby is either not hungry or does not want to eat. To overcome this, they should be patient and try the same process someday.
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Constipation:
Some mothers complain about constipation when starting solid food. They should modify the baby's diet by removing bananas, potatoes, and rice cereals in such cases. They should include fiber-rich foods such as fruits and veggies on the menu. However, if they find the baby in trouble due to constipation, they may consult doctor for suggestions.
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Food Allergies and Intolerance:
If they find the baby getting rash after some time, they should try to feed some new food like eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, or some other items; it may indicate a food allergy. Food intolerances are more common than allergies and can cause bloating and sometimes belly pain. They must seek attention from the doctor if they notice any of these symptoms. If the symptoms are mild, the doctor may ask the parent to repeat feeding with the same items to confirm the food allergy. Usually, these problems are temporary and gradually resolve as the child grows. They need to be patient during this period. However, they may seek help from the doctor or lactation specialist if the baby is not showing weight gain or if the parent feel like the baby is suffering from abnormalities causing feeding problems.
What Is the Difference Between Picky Eating and Feeding Problems?
Picky eating is when a baby rejects one form of a fluid (milk) for another fluid, or a toddler refuses certain foods. On the other hand, poor feeding can be caused by abnormalities like premature birth or congenital anomalies. After the baby grows up to six months of age, the doctor might encourage the parents to introduce solids or other fluids to their diet. At this stage, they will be asked to feed the baby with breast milk along with some solid foods to achieve adequate nutrition to support to the baby's growth. Some good examples of food are cereals, pureed fruits and vegetables, and pureed or soft meats. Some babies do not accept the solids as quickly as other babies.
What Are Some of the Tips to Help Mothers With Feeding?
They may find it troublesome to add solid food items to the baby's diet and breast milk. Here are some tips for raising non-fussy eaters; they are:
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They should try to feed the baby routinely.
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They may schedule breakfast, mid-time snacks, lunch, evening milk, and dinner, followed by bedtime milk.
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Avoid making toddlers feed alone. Make sure they enjoy meals with their family and siblings.
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Try not to repeat the same food every day.
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It would help if one tried mixing cereal with solid foods.
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Offering solids in small increments, especially when they initially start weaning.
What Is the Food Suggested From Eight to Nine Months?
As the baby’s first solid food is mashed and smooth, they expect more varieties and different food. Foods suggested for babies from eight to nine months are
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Chopped and finger food like meat, cooked vegetables, and bread crusts can encourage chewing and self-feeding.
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The baby should be encouraged to self-feed by giving them a spoon during feeding time.
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Provide them with many varieties of fruits, vegetables, chicken, meat, and fish.
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They can be given pasta, rice, and bread.
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They can be given cow’s milk and yogurt.
What if the Baby Does Not Show Interest in Solid Foods?
If the baby shows no interest in solid food on the first attempt, the parent should not panic, and they should relax and try after a few days. Initially, most of the babies spit the solid food out when given for the first time, but they learn to accept it when fed continuously. Eventually, the parent will come to know when the baby is feeling hungry and when they are full.
Conclusion:
According to the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), an infant should continue breastfeeding for the initial six months. The gradual transition should be done to other varieties of food after six months. Solid food in combination with breastmilk should be given to the child for one year. It also advises avoiding cow's milk being fed to children up to one year of age. However, if a mother wishes to discontinue breastfeeding suddenly, she might talk to the doctor for suggestions.
