A Comprehensive Guide on How to Improve Appetite in Babies
As parents, one often observes that the babies intriguingly play and feed themselves with the decorated platter in front of them but discard a bowl of a bland-looking dish.
Are you too worried about your kid’s less appetite or their fussy eating?
If yes, then brace yourself to read this comprehensive guide on how to increase lost appetite in babies.
Importance of proper nutrition for infant growth
Children are in their development stages from infancy to adolescence, which marks these years as one of the prime years for their healthy well-being.
Hence, the importance of nutrition cannot be discarded in the light of their proper cognitive, motor, and social, language, sensory, emotional, and intellectual development.
Yes, you are right! We are, in fact, what we eat!
Therefore, it is essential to feed your kid with optimum nutrition in their developmental years for their overall well-being.
Understanding nutritional needs for children
Different age groups demand different nutrition, and as parents, it is very cautious to be aware of their quantity intake, according to their growing age.
Up to 6 months, breast milk is their only tonic, as it contains all the essential nutrients and minerals that their body requires for their good immunity.
Did you know that children are born with iron reserves that last for up to 6 months, after which their body demands iron from outside.
After 6 months, they also start on solids; hence, they must be particularly exposed to vitamin A, B, C, and D, iron, magnesium, fiber, protein, healthy fats,omega-3 fatty acids, complex carbohydrates, etc. for their healthy bone, blood and oxygen flow, neural, heart, organ, and mind development.
In addition, did you know it takes at least a minimum of 10 to 15 different tries to make your baby eat something different?
Surprising?
I guess the experienced moms know why it is not!
Therefore, before moving further, I would request you to develop patience, being the only anchor to provide your kid with a nutritious diet!
How to boost baby’s appetite
The best and worst thing about the babies is that they are still learning about how everything around them functions, and therefore, they must be dealt with calmly.
In addition, it must also be noted that their likes and dislikes are not hereditary, and their nourishment from childhood is what shapes them in the future.
One of the most effective ways to increase the appetite in children is by starting their morning with a nutritious breakfast. As the name suggests, breaking the fast of eight to 12 hours of nighttime.
Morning breakfast is a panacea to increase appetite in babies, ensuring metabolism boost and healthy gut function.
However, behold, moms! Because this is where the most important tip lies!
It is the 30:30:30 rule, before breakfast and just after bedtime:
This implies:
- A glass or required quantity of water before 30 minutes of drinking milk.
- 30 minutes gap between a glass of milk and breakfast.
- 30 minutes of rest after meals before their active hours.
This rule works wonders while and during the initial phases of starting solids and should be continued throughout life.
How to increase appetite in babies naturally
Apart from the above pointer, there are many other creative ways of improving appetite in babies.
Tip 1: Introduce a Variety of Indian Flavors
It is recommended to include little spices and gradually increase the quantity in your kids’ meals from the age of 8 to 10 months.
However, it is beneficial to test one spice at a time, to be cautious of their allergic reaction to any particular spice.
Now, this need not wait until they turn 6 months old, as you can begin this even during breastfeeding!
Yes, you read that right!
By incorporating different mild spices in your diet, you can get your kids exposed to varied-flavored spices through your breast milk.
For example, if you include spices like turmeric, garlic, cinnamon, etc. into your meals while breastfeeding; your breastmilk would actually taste like the spice you have consumed.
This helps your baby to become familiar with a variety of flavors before they actually start to eat on their own.
Also Read: Is Your Baby Allergic? How to Spot & Avoid Food Allergies
Benefits of exposing babies to diverse tastes
One of the most essential benefits is their exposure to different flavors, which prepares them to adapt to new varieties of tastes in the future.
Accommodating diverse taste palates into your babies’ diet also helps them to meet their nutritional requirements, demanded by their growing development.
It also helps in the healthy development of their cognitive and sensory functions by understanding the difference in taste of every spice.
Tip 2: Create a Positive Mealtime Environment
You might have often noticed that sometimes the kids prefer to eat in the garden or in their playroom or living room, etc., depending upon where they feel comfortable.
This indicates that not only mealtime but mealtime environment also plays a role in increasing the appetite in babies.
Make sure to have a dining space that is sufficiently ventilated to promote a cool atmosphere. Hot atmosphere is directly proportional to low appetite due to uncomfortable heating up of the body.
Kids do not learn through words but through observation. So ensure to have a family mealtime at the dining table where everyone is cheerful and enjoying the dining time.
Avoid stressful topics and try to have an optimistic conversation with them, like how was their day, which movie would they like to watch, where would they like to go for a family outing, talking to them about the nutrition in the food they are eating, etc.
This not only encourages a healthy meal and family time but also teaches the kids about empathy, teamwork, and the importance of family. It also boosts their general knowledge in a fun way!
In case you have an infant or a toddler, ensure that you seat him together with all of the other members of the family during your mealtime.
It is always helpful to have a high chair and bib so that he accomplishes a sense of independence by having a seat of his own like all of you at the dining table.
Now, let him play with his food by feeling the texture, squishing it, etc., while they learn what to do with it by observing you. This also develops their sensory skills with time.
Also, keep talking to them, for example; there are 5 pieces of food on the plate, and count them individually in front of them, or keep asking them, is the food yummy? Are you full? Would you like more? Alternatively, talk to them by pointing out that YES, it is healthy for your mind or eyes, etc.
It is very important to use the speech of affirmation in front of your toddler and avoid the use of “no” as much as possible.
Do not forget that you are their role model, and they will copy you, no matter what! So, also be cautious how and what you eat around them!
Doing this consistently would not only make them have a healthy eating habit but would also improve their social, communication, and cognitive skills.
Also Read: Top 5 Superfoods Packed with Nutrition for Your Baby's Health and Development
Tip 3: Offer Nutrient-Dense Traditional Foods
Indian food provides all the essential nutrients, flavors, and textures, alongside wide exposure to a rich culture.
Traditional food items are always a boon to babies’ health and are very easy to make, like:
1. Khichdi: This is a balanced meal, including lentils and rice with a blend of different veggies, thus providing essential carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals to the baby. Just a spoon of ghee and voila! A nutritious meal is ready!
2. Veggie purees: This is the best way to blend a mixture of vitamins and minerals into your baby’s diet without any stress of them disliking the taste. Just boil different veggies, even spinach!!. You can also add paneer and blend it into a puree form by adding a pinch of salt and some mild spices.
3. Fermented food: Foods like idli, dosa, etc. can also be given to them because of their good digestive properties but be wary of any choking hazards.
4. Yogurt: This works wonders in promoting gut health due to its probiotic properties. It can be served like a mixture of curd, fruit purees, and a little honey for their enhanced taste.
5. Eggs: This is also one of the most viable options, as just boiling the eggs and mashing them with a pinch of salt will make it a delicious meal for them to enjoy.
Balancing modern nutritional needs
It is important to have a balance of tradition with a modern blend of food intake for your little one. This ensures their healthy overall well-being.
Some important pointers that can be followed are:
1. Try to incorporate whole grains and protein into their diet to keep them full for a longer duration.
2. Limit snacking time.
3. Avoid drinking juices or fortified cereals during their solid food meal time, but you can adjust that with a few minutes of starting with breast milk, then giving them some puree, mashes, or finger foods, and then ending it with breast milk.
This will help, in case they show resistance while eating solids as it gives them satisfaction of being full.
4. Give them a little water before their mealtime to kick start their metabolism and healthy digestion.
5. Have a no-screen time dinner space at your home for your kids to remain mindful about what, how much, and when to eat.
6. Avoid excess sugar and salt in their meals because children’s taste buds are still developing, so they do not require them much.
Having a healthy balance of dos and don’ts can take you far ahead in understanding how to increase appetite in babies naturally.
Tip 4: Establish a Consistent Feeding Schedule
We have been adapted to a consistent three-time meal since our childhood.
Babies’ digestion is slightly different in their infancy or toddler age since they are still developing. This process requires a lot more energy than we can imagine for their healthy growth and development.
Therefore, rather than giving them three meals a day, break it into little meals and snacks. Feed them after every two or three hours to meet their nutritional requirements.
Ensure to stay consistent with the routine and stick to it to increase the appetite of your kids with time. Routine intake of food also helps in aiding healthy digestion and metabolism.
Now, learn to balance their mealtime with a little flexibility by adapting to their hunger cues.
Some common cues include:
- Sucking on their thumb.
- Rooting reflex, which includes turning their head towards anything that touches their face.
- Licking their lips.
- Frequent opening and closing their mouths at regular intervals.
- Restless body movements.
- Hitting at the chest.
- Trying to get in the position of feeding.
Crying is their last resort when all their above signs go unnoticed.
Tip 5: Make Meals Visually Appealing and Interactive
The most attractive things often tend to lure our attention to them. Similar is the case with the babies.
You have to unleash that creative mom side in you for your babies’ healthy overall development.
You can cut the fruits and veggies in cute shapes and decorate their meal platter or make a smiley face on their sweetened porridge with little honey or make a smiley face omelet or cute teddy shapes with eggs, etc.
Unleash your creative side and play with your baby’s food to make your baby enjoy their mealtime.
It is always recommended to let them self-eat by recognizing different tastes and textures of their food.
You can always start the solids with purees, moving gradually to mash, followed by finger food with their accommodation to new food.
If you are seeking to purchase baby feeding accessories, you can always explore R for Rabbit’s website,with a reliable and cute collection of high chairs, bibs, and feeding spoons.
Additional Tips:
1. Be calculative about the quantity of breastmilk you give them, as that can fill their tummy and loosen their appetite for other nutritious food.
2. Promote optimistic mealtime with creativity and encourage baby-led weaning to motivate your baby to eat without any fuss.
3. Always try to start with a little quantity of their favorite food as an appetizer. This helps create tummy space for the new menu on their meal.
4. Incorporate physical activities to boost their metabolism, thus increasing their appetite.
5. Be mindful not to force-feed them. Remember, what they eat is your choice, but how much they eat is theirs.
Conclusion
These tips to increase appetite in babies can serve as a life savior with your patience and consistency.
To know more about baby- led weaning and other such interesting topics, join our R for Rabbit, WhatsApp community, to be a part of various workshops, guidance from experts,and also to form connections with other moms.
Lastly, remain calm, as every child is different and learns at their own pace.
