Why does a baby refuse to eat complementary foods?

Why does a baby refuse complementary feeding?

Problems with introducing complementary foods most often begin in mothers who feed their babies with breast milk. The baby is accustomed to suckling and does not need additional nutrients and nutrients until six months.

Even water and diluted compotes are given to him only in case of hot weather.

The exception to the rule is children who are not gaining weight and who are advised to eat extra porridge. Parents tend to panic when the baby does not eat complementary foods well or refuses them altogether. There may be several reasons for this behavior of a baby:

lack of hunger (when trying to give food after breastfeeding);
reflexive pushing out of food (due to inability to control the tongue);
transition from sweet breast milk to bland pureed vegetables;
mother's incorrect approach to feeding;
inability to eat from a spoon (the child is only used to suckling and does not know what to do).

Most often, the child does not want to eat new dishes, as he is accustomed to sweetish and nutritious breast milk. As practice shows, children on nutritional formulas are introduced to basic food much faster and easier. The transition from bottle to spoon is made with fewer problems.

In addition to the physiological reasons that every family faces, it is also possible to refuse complementary feeding due to its early introduction.

If the baby is breastfed, then the first complementary foods should be introduced no earlier than 6 months . For bottle-fed babies, the permissible period is 4-5 months. However, before 4 months of age, you cannot give your baby any additional foods. Such a prohibition is associated with the imperfection of the gastrointestinal tract, which will not be ready to accept foreign food. Even the baby himself, until a certain age, shows practically no interest in other dishes. He cannot control his tongue, which increases the chances of pushing out food.

Reasons for refusing complementary feeding

The optimal time for introducing new food is considered to be 4.5-5.5 months. During this period, the baby’s body is already ready to accept something different from mother’s milk or the usual adapted formula.

Untimely introduction (later than 6-7 months) of complementary foods leads to a delay in the formation of skills in chewing and swallowing thick and solid food, taste sensations, and maturation of the gastrointestinal tract. All this contributes to the development of constipation, impaired development and growth, and deficiency conditions.

Due to late introduction to complementary foods, the baby does not perceive new foods well. What is the reason that a child stopped eating complementary foods at 7,8,9,10,11 months and at 1 year? Possible factors for refusing to eat include:

Features of food;
Deterioration of the baby’s well-being;
Psychological aspects.

As a rule, complementary feeding begins with a one-component product of a puree-like homogeneous consistency. The baby gets used to such food. And if for some reason the nature of the processing or composition of the puree changes, then the baby may refuse it. The main reasons for refusal due to the characteristics of the food product itself: Change in consistency (transition to thicker food with solid particles);

Change in taste or smell (replacing industrial complementary foods with homemade ones, changing the manufacturer);
Change in feeding temperature (too hot or cold);
Introduction of a multi-component product (for example, the baby ate applesauce well, but when pumpkin was introduced there he began to refuse it);
Introduction of a new unusual product;
Too much food;
Intolerance to a particular product.

If the child is not feeling well, he is also reluctant to accept food. Among the reasons for refusal that are associated with health problems of the baby are:

The onset of the disease (malaise, intoxication, fever) contributes to a decrease in appetite;
Inflammation of the oral cavity – stomatitis;
Bloating and discomfort in the tummy;
Runny nose;
Reaction to teething;
Wet diaper.

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At the time when the first teeth appear, the mucous membranes of the mouth and nasopharynx become inflamed. The gums become swollen and constantly itchy, and any touch to them can be painful. Frequent accompaniments of teething are a runny nose, which makes nasal breathing difficult and coughing due to abundant saliva. All this can be a reason for refusing to eat.

In addition to the physiological characteristics of the baby’s body and the characteristics of complementary foods, refusal to eat can be influenced by such psychological reasons as:

Bad mood of mother or baby;
Changing the person who is feeding (for example, the baby is used to being fed by his mother, but then grandma or dad comes and it takes time to get used to new circumstances);
The child does not like the high chair, spoon or plate from which he is fed;
Change of time and/or place of feeding;
The habit of eating while playing or watching TV.

Child psychologists note that children very quickly get used to certain “rituals” (sequences of actions). That is, if a child has formed any stereotype associated with feeding, then if at least one of its stages changes, a refusal to eat may occur.

What to do if a child stops eating complementary foods?

Pediatricians give the following recommendations:

Start complementary feeding with monocomponent products, do not rush, give the baby time to get used to the new food (introduce each type within 5-7 days);
If a child refuses any product, then you should not insist; it is better to postpone its introduction for a while, and then offer it again;
Make sure that the baby sits comfortably in the high chair;
If the child is not hungry, then there is no need to force feed him, because the time has come;
While eating, there is no need to distract the baby with toys or watching cartoons;
When teething, do a light massage of the gums, treat them with special cooling gels; Do not introduce complementary foods when the baby is sick or has been vaccinated;
It is advisable to use products from the same manufacturer;
Do not rush to introduce solid foods (cutlets, meat and fish soufflé), it is better to do this closer to the year;
Do not insist on eating if it seems that the baby has eaten the entire amount of food;
Food should not be bland; you can add a little salt and sugar to complementary foods;
Try to avoid sudden changes in the baby’s usual way of life;
If you suspect a painful condition in your baby, consult a doctor.

Each baby is individual, he has his own habits and preferences in food. The child needs to prepare for the introduction of complementary foods during pregnancy, this will help form the right attitude towards food. You shouldn’t worry if the doctor has ruled out all painful conditions, but you just need to be patient and gradually accustom your baby to “adult” food.

Valentina Ignasheva, pediatrician, especially for Mirmam.pro

It is important to know that the establishment and formation of eating habits occurs already during the period of intrauterine development and in the first month after birth. A pregnant woman should consume those foods that she plans to offer to her baby.

Today we will not talk about the general principles and rules of complementary feeding; there are separate articles on this topic:

This article is addressed to mothers who are faced with a specific problem: the child does not eat complementary foods. We will figure out whether something needs to be done, and if so, what exactly. I will tell you a few cunning secret methods that I used myself when faced with this situation.

How to deal with the problem

If your child does not eat complementary foods, you should not immediately panic and run to the doctor for advice. First of all, you should assess the baby’s readiness to accept new food. This will be evidenced by: increasing interest in common table dishes, doubling of body weight from the neonatal period, more frequent demands for formula or breast milk, normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In order for the first introduction of complementary foods to be more or less successful, you should adhere to the following rules:

food is given on an empty stomach, before breastfeeding, in the first half of the day, but not in the morning;
the diet should not be disrupted (that is, if the mother gave breast on demand, she should not suddenly offer the baby vegetable puree between feedings, but should wait until the baby wants to eat);
the very first complementary foods should be introduced by mixing them with breast milk or an adapted formula;
when choosing a vegetable, you need to take into account the child’s taste preferences (if he actively and for a long time refuses cauliflower, you should try switching to broccoli, and so on);
when introducing a new product (a week or two after the first), you should reduce the amount of complementary foods already familiar to the baby;
It is advisable to give the baby additional food during family meals, thus cultivating eating behavior and arousing the baby’s interest in eating dishes.

When the baby does not eat complementary foods, the mother should not be too persistent. If the baby refuses, then you should offer purees a little later. The tactic of temporarily stopping breastfeeding may be successful . That is, the mother offers the child a product, and when he refuses to eat it, he does not satisfy his hunger with breast milk, but waits for about half an hour, after which he again offers complementary foods. The hungrier the baby, the less taste whims he will show. However, you should not get carried away with this method.

Rules for successful transition to adult food

Sometimes you can hear from mothers that they are trying to introduce a variety of types of complementary foods at intervals of 5-7 days. They say, the zucchini didn’t work - in a few days we’ll give you cauliflower. The baby turns away from the buckwheat, we’ll give him oatmeal right away. The result is that the child refuses complementary feeding and suffers from colic and diarrhea no less than a newborn baby. This is mistake. Here are a few simple but important rules that will help not harm the baby.

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Common mistakes parents make

The child’s mother should clearly understand that she should not worry or panic in the following situations:

the baby does not want to eat a particular vegetable, but in general successfully joins the common kitchen;
the baby completely refuses complementary feeding, but steadily gains weight thanks to breast milk;
The baby does not have any pathological symptoms or disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract, although he feeds only on breast milk.

Of course, it is advisable to start introducing children under one year old to the common table in advance.

But if the baby does not want to do this, then it is not recommended to force him.

Another common mistake if a child does not eat porridge is sweetening the dish or adding salt to it. Both the first and second are strictly prohibited, as they only bring harm to the child. also not recommended to immediately change the type of complementary foods if the baby refuses it. This is especially true when switching from vegetables to cereals. It is recommended to offer the same product 10-12 times before switching to a new one. Various distractions can help feed the baby for a while. However, one should not assume that he does not understand anything. Turning on cartoons, dancing, singing and fairy tales will not work in a week, and the baby will no longer trust you.

Tricky ways and secrets when a child does not eat complementary foods

So, the baby purses his lips, turns his head away, spits or cries, and generally demonstrates in every possible way his reluctance to eat something new. But it’s time to introduce the baby to food and start weaning, what should you do? Try a variety of tricks.

Bread crumbs, broken or whole cookies, canned green peas, pieces of soft boiled carrots, etc. - to your imagination. The point is that the baby, sitting at his high chair, begins with interest to grab with his hands and drag into his mouth the edible treat laid out in front of him, to muzzle it in every possible way, touch it, knead it, and be interested in it. At this time, you manage to bring a couple of spoons with the main food - vegetable puree, porridge, etc. - to his mouth (and if you’re lucky, then even more).

A nibbler is a special device with a mesh, inside which you can put anything with a harder consistency (apple, pear, cucumber, etc.). The baby will munch on it, bite it, taste it, feel a new taste, but will not be able to choke, because the hard pieces will not pass through the small holes.

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You can use the nibbler in the same way as in the first case, as a distraction, or you can use it as independent entertainment. In any case, this is one of the ways to safely introduce a baby to new tastes and give him the opportunity to get used to them, even when the child does not want to eat complementary foods.

Safety when introducing complementary foods is the main rule, as Dr. Komarovsky believes, and I completely agree with him.

Experimenting with texture and consistency. Often capricious children categorically do not accept a particular type of food. For example, viscous puree or porridge does not work. But as soon as you give him chicken broth with noodles and fancy boiled carrots, or meat broth with meatballs, the matter gets off the ground.

The method is ambiguous, and yes, you should resort to it only in extreme cases. For example, when you really need to teach your child to eat because you go to work, or because of health problems it’s time to stop breastfeeding, etc. and so on.

Some children are so occupied with books and cartoons that, while watching them, they, unnoticed by themselves, eat whatever they want.

However, you should remember that this can lead to the formation of a bad habit - eating while watching TV. In addition, there is an opinion that in this case the baby has a worse sense of taste and smell of food, and is concentrated not on chewing it well and processing it properly, but on what is happening in the pictures or the screen.

Therefore, you need to be aware that in the future, when the problem with complementary feeding is solved, you should immediately get rid of this bad habit.

If you still decide to try this method, here is a list of videos that are most likely to captivate your child: Tiny Love, Doman Cards video, Blue Tractor songs. Start with this and experiment. You'll never know what will fit. Will your baby eat while listening to Soviet cartoons, Tom and Jerry, or Luntik?

When should you be concerned?

The first year of a baby’s life is very eventful in terms of general changes in the body. Parents should closely monitor their children, noting even the most subtle changes. When babies do not eat complementary foods, normally eating formula or breast milk, then there is no need to worry. However, refusal of new foods along with a general decrease in appetite may be the first sign of a serious illness.

Because children exhibit more general symptoms rather than local ones, loss or decreased interest in food is an important diagnostic sign of the disease.

Also, during the introduction of complementary foods, the mother should carefully monitor changes in stool, the appearance of a rash, the general activity of the baby, body temperature, bloating, belching and vomiting. A cause for concern is any sign of the body not accepting new food . In such situations, the child is taken to a pediatrician, where a thorough examination is carried out. During the diagnosis, the cause of the pathological reaction to complementary foods is determined: allergy, infection, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, deficiency of any enzymes.

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