Many parents are concerned that their kids are not eating enough. They beg and bribe their toddlers and young children to eat so that they'll grow big and small...and make you happy. But what if your baby goes on a hunger strike? What if your child is too young to be reasoned with-that is, what do you do when bribing and begging just won't work?
First of all, you should visit your pediatrician if this serves as a serious concern. It could be that there's something wrong with your baby, a medical or psychological reason why he or she is refusing to eat. Your doctor may recommend an IV (if it's serious), or (more likely) will recommend some of the following tips:
1. If your baby is still nursing or drinking formula or milk, let your baby indulge in drinking for now. If she's not eating, she may get all her essential nutrients from drinking milk.
2. On the other hand, your baby may not be opening her mouth for solids if she's tanking up on too much milk. If you suspect that's the case, start reducing the amount of milk your baby drinks and see if that affects her hunger levels.
3. Add a multivitamin to one bottle per day.
4. If you think your baby may be constipated or if your baby has diarrhea (two common causes for a reduction in appetite), add a powder probiotics to her bottle. This could help regulate her digestion.
5. Add one to two tablespoons of a rice or grain baby cereal to your baby's bottle to sneak in extra nutrients and calories.
Remember, all babies go through phases when they eat a lot and when they eat next to nothing. It's related to growth cycles, their moods, the amount of sleep that they get, teething, and a number of other factors. Stay in touch with your doctor if a particular not-hungry phase lasts for more than a few days.
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