The early years are sometimes often plagued by a number of ailments that affect the little ones, whether it’s that cold, a bout of diarrhoea, teething pains etc. and this can make your baby have little or no appetite at all.
Here are a few tips on how to get your little one to eat
- Give small, frequent meals so your baby eats something every 2–3 hours.
- Offer food when the baby shows interest rather than waiting for mealtimes.
- Offer foods that your baby enjoys
- Take the baby for a walk in the fresh air before eating as fresh air stimulates appetite
- Eat together with the baby to make it a social event, your baby may eat better when other people are also eating
- Encourage the baby to drink lots of fluids: more than 8 cups a day especially clean boiled water, to prevent dehydration.
- Avoid putting the baby to lie down immediately after a meal as this may trigger vomiting
- Encourage the baby to continue eating and drinking when there is diarrhoea
- Give particular attention to food hygiene. Use clean boiled water, keep food and utensils very clean, store food for a short time as possible in a cold place.
- When reheating food, make sure it is very hot.
- Feed the child ripe yellow banana, cooked apple or mango; avoid unripe fruits.
- Feed the child refined cereals rather than wholegrain cereals and flour while he/she has diarrhoea.
- Avoid beans, gas‐forming foods, fizzy drinks and highly spiced foods.
- Feed the child warm foods, rather than very hot or cold foods
