Every expectant mother and mother knows that one of the central questions during visits to the health visitor is the current weight of the mother and the baby. It's no different when relatives visit: if the baby is long and thin, then "your mother doesn't feed you, does she?", and if the baby is chubby and plump, then "what's this, they've made you into a Michelin baby, you little darling?" No matter what we do, someone will always have some useful observation or advice, especially if the baby isn't eating.
 

The most likely reason for not eating: teething

If there is a change in the baby's eating habits and willingness to eat, it is often simply due to teething. This is true whether we are talking about a six-month-old child or a two-year-old struggling with back teeth.

If we notice that the baby hasn't eaten for days, has lost appetite, and rejects favorite treats, it's worth doing a quick check of the oral cavity, and the culprit is usually quickly found. (Which is most often one or more teeth, a red throat, mouth infection, possibly an ulcer, or sore tonsils.)
 

If the baby used to eat well and now doesn't, head to the doctor's office!

If there are no signs of the above symptoms, but the little one has been eating noticeably less for a longer time - a few days, two to three weeks - it is worth consulting the child's pediatrician. Although the symptom may be due to a simple and easily identifiable cause, we must consider such a change diagnostically and investigate it!

It's better to have an 'unnecessary' abdominal ultrasound and an unscheduled blood test than to miss out on a potentially more serious problem.
 

When there seems to be no problem, yet the baby doesn't eat

There are many reasons why a baby or young child may not eat. These can range from banal reasons, such as simply being more interested in everything at a given age than eating itself, to more complex ones, such as oral muscle tone issues, neck muscle weakness, sensory issues, or autism spectrum disorder.

Diagnosing these conditions is not the parents' task, but their observations significantly contribute to the diagnosis made by professionals. If we believe our child is not eating enough, it is worth keeping a food diary detailing exactly what, how it was prepared, and in what quantity the child consumed on given days. If possible, photograph the plates before and after eating! This way, we may even realize that the child is not eating less, just not consuming the foods we intended for them.
 

The role of parents in the development of not eating

Ideally, meals are a communal experience in children's lives. We eat the delicious bites together at a table, so the little ones see that eating is not just about nourishment but also joy. Based on their observations, they adjust their movements, become more adept at using utensils, chewing, and learn etiquette. However, if children never see the family eating together, if they don't experience the joy of shared meals with their parents, it's natural that the enjoyment of food and eating is not as interesting an activity for them.

We must not forget that in some cases, children's refusal to eat is not the problem itself but a symptom of another issue. A kind of signal that draws attention to an unidentified problem within the family or in the parents' relationship. It is also possible that not eating is a form of communication: as long as the parents are busy solving the problem, they look in one direction, fight for a common goal, thus staying together or at least alongside each other.

 

 

5 Mistakes You Also Make While Feeding Your Toddler

By the time you reach this part of the article, you might be seriously anxious about whether you are a good enough parent. You don't need to be, because the answer is simple: of course, you are! In most cases, not eating is not due to serious health issues or other undiscovered obstacles, but rather methodological nuances that can be easily adjusted with a little awareness.

Let's see the most common mistakes you make as a parent while feeding your child!
 

You Offer Food Often and in Many Varieties

Variety is delightful, but not when it comes to feeding toddlers! If, out of concern that they are not eating enough, you keep offering food, it might be that the little one is actually snacking all day or simply cannot choose from the numerous options available.

You will do better if you stick to five meals a day and also predetermine the duration of meals! This way, you can avoid replacing actual eating with all-day nibbling.

If you are one of those parents who often get involved in mealtime games, read, get informed, and put an end to them! Do not offer various alternatives, do not open the fifth snack, do not prepare three types of sandwiches: give what you originally intended to give.
 

You Discourage Drinking Water with Sugary Drinks, Yogurt Drinks, Syrups

The natural and refined sugars found in various sweet drinks provide enough carbohydrates for children, so if your child consumes a lot of these, they will almost never be hungry. However, these carbohydrates are fast-absorbing, with little nutrients and vitamins, so they do not support your child's health, but rather harm it.

Be consistent and insist that your child drinks only carbonated and sugar-free water throughout the day! A glass of milk, juice, or tea is not the end of the world, but the consequence of drinking sugary drinks all day can be a lack of appetite or overweight.
 

You Do Not Create a Calm Environment for Eating

For a toddler, the world is full of wonders, and everything is much more interesting than the 'boring' meals. To eliminate this problem, it is advisable to turn off the TV and radio during meals, put away phones and tablets, and enjoy the delicious bites together at a set table.

With these steps, we not only turn off the stimulating environment but also set the way of eating, directing the little ones' attention to the meals. It is also very important that if your child gets up from the table, do not take the food after them! Meals should take place in the designated area, that is, at the dining table, in the high chair, or at the child's own table.
 

You Stick to Your Own Ideas

Consistency is extremely important in establishing healthy eating habits in early childhood, but too many rules severely limit the child's independence efforts. Let them choose the plate, cutlery, or glass! Help them to serve themselves as independently as possible, to determine the amount of each dish, and let them eat alone even if everything around them becomes messy and dirty!

This reinforces their ability to make independent decisions and have an impact on what happens to them, and it also develops their fine motor skills! The same applies to demand-based complementary feeding: if you notice that your child is more interested in eating solid foods independently, follow their cues, as no one knows better than them what they need!
 

You Regularly Mention Their Not Eating in Front of Others

Body shaming and the development of eating disorders begin well before preadolescence. If you don't want to be a parent who unintentionally contributes to your child having an unhealthy relationship with eating and food, consider what you say and when! Chubby little girls and plump little boys do not need shaming, teasing, or mocking, especially not from their mother or relatives. Watch your words, and take care of your child's physical and mental health too!