NO PLEASE! When your baby says a regular no to food
In the previous edition of Pregnant, we discussed why some babies refuse to be fed by their mothers, sometimes preferring auntie’s (nanny’s) feeding. We now focus on babies who refuse to eat irrespective of who feeds them.
There are foods which we, as adults, loathe to taste, let alone eat, irrespective of where they are served or by whom. Yet we expect our babies to eat—and eat everything, simply because mummy or daddy is serving. Sometimes we may feel ‘betrayed’ that after spending ‘so much money’ a baby says no to the nutritious meal prepared for her—sometimes out of an equally sophisticated recipe!
Imagine if you went to visit your parents today, and they tried to force you to eat a specific meal.
Most likely your reaction would be, ‘Mum, I am not a child!’ That is it: we think it is children who should eat whatever they are fed; what choice do they have?
A parent may have a genuine concern over a baby’s lack of interest in food. This should be differentiated from food preferences of a baby or ‘pickiness’. because poor feeding habits can lead to serious health complications for a baby.
Poor feeding can be caused by two factors: either, the baby’s refusal to eat, or lack of appropriate nutrition in the food fed to a baby.
When poor feeding is associated with a baby’s refusal to eat, it can be as a result of a myriad of factors, including but not limited to illness, congenital disorders and acquired disorders. These may range from common infections, structural malformations within the body, to neurological ailments. A general lack of interest in food should therefore always trigger worry. A parent should take immediate remedial action to ensure the condition does not lead to adverse physical effects on the baby.
It is common for toddlers to be choosy when it comes to food, especially the baby class age (up to four years). However, it is uncommon for an infant of less than one year to be choosy. Hence, any refusal by an infant to eat must be treated with suspicion.
Determining whether your baby has a feeding problem
Loss of Weight
Once your baby is born, you should obtain a weight chart from your post-natal clinic. This shows you how your baby’s weight should develop, depending on the sex of the baby. Take note of your baby’s birth weight and the increase in weight, initially from week to week, and eventually from month to month. Babies born with low birth weight require particular observation. Although they will be trailing other babies in overall weight, they must however not be left behind in weight gain.
A newborn baby is expected to lose a few kilograms during the first few days, but his/her weight should gradually start increasing thereafter. If the weight of your baby goes down at any particular time thereafter, consult your doctor, because that could be a danger sign.
Poor gain in height
A growing baby is not only expected to increase her weight, but height as well. When attending antenatal clinic, your health provider will take measurements of your baby’s height. This is something you can also easily do at home. Take note of the progress and compare this to the recommended height based on age and sex of your baby. Your antenatal baby development chart will have the benchmarks you need to take into consideration. If your baby’s height and weight are not progressing as expected — known as ‘failure to thrive’ —. it could be a sign of poor feeding, among other possible reasons.
Signs of dehydration
It is important that you regularly check your baby for any signs of water loss because dehydration can be fatal. Poor feeding habits and inadequate water intake, whether directly or by feeding fluid foods, can lead to dehydration. Other causes of dehydration are illnesses and conditions that cause loss of body water, including diarrhea, vomiting and fever.
Malnutrition and illness
If a baby feeds poorly, it follows that she will develop signs of malnourishment. Lack of nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, fat. vitamins and minerals reduce the body’s ability to fight infections. Health problems that prevent the baby’s body from breaking down and absorbing nutrients effectively may also cause malnutrition. Look out for signs such as a bloated abdomen, sunken temples (side of the head behind the eyes), skin changes (e.g. paleness, dryness), hail changes (e.g. brittleness, colour) and increased irritability.
In assessing your baby’s condition, the doctor will ask you questions about your family history, your own and the baby’s medical history. Current family living conditions and eating habits, the circumstances of baby care under which your baby is developing, recent changes in baby’s temperament and demand for food, are other important questions. Recent signs of illness, for instance diarrhea and crying, changes in colour of baby’s stool, etc should be revealed to the doctor. In general, a poor feeder may have several signs which when combined indicate a specific medical or physical syndrome or condition.
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