Why your infant is not eating food - cause, solution and feeding tips

My breastfed infant refusing to eat?

(Age 6 to 18 month) 

As soon as you offer a little bit of food to your infant or toddler, she refuses to eat, swats at the spoon or closes her mouth. This is the common problem seen in the breastfed infant of age between 9 month to 18 month of age. In this age group, sometimes the child suddenly reduces or stops eating the solid food.

🔴 Reason your baby refuses to eat 

      ----------------------------------------------------

 My baby used to eat properly till last month, now she's not having food. What is wrong with her? 

🔹 Want to eat own

If the child wants to eat by himself, the mother insists on feeding.

🔹 Full tank 

If you are giving breastfeeding throughout the night or whenever she cries, it means your baby tank is full. Obviously, she will refuse to eat solid food.

🔹 Bored with same type of food 

  If the same type of food is given continuously, the child will feel very bored.

🔹 Over expectations 

Babies need one chapati as a diet, you insist on feeding 2 chapati. 

🔹 Pain

️ Teething is a common culprit when your baby won't eat. (Read my blog "TEETHING" on facebook "Positive parenting" or watch the video on YouTube "Dr Ashish Agrawal." 

▪️ There are other reasons like Ear infection, vomiting, constipation or abdominal infection can cause pain. 

🔹 Negative feeding experience 

If you force bites of food when your baby is full, gagging frequently while eating solid food or you are crying while feeding-all this will create negative experiences for an infant. 

🔹 Late bloomer 

Some babies want to accept solid food late.

🔴 Is my infant getting enough food? 

     ------------------------------------------------------

Once your infant refuses to accept solid food, the first question comes to mind whether my infant is eating enough. 

🔹 Urine adequate 

🔹 Normal routine activity 

🔹 Weight gain adequate 

🔹 Milestones are normal.  

           ...... It means your infant is eating enough, probably you are breastfeeding more or your expectation is more.

🔴  Tips for getting your baby to eat

      ----------------------------------------------------

❇️ Reduce breast milk 

🔹 Instead of breastfeeding every 2 hourly, feed the baby after 2 hours and 15 minutes 

🔹 If your baby demand breastfeed, try to divert the attention for 15 minutes 

🔹 Make sure your baby is not feeding whole night on breast. 

 Remember...While reducing breastfeed, make sure your baby is comfortable 

❇️ Keep baby hungry 

 If you wish to give solid food around 10am, make sure your baby is not breastfeed after 7.30am.

❇️ Don't use breastfeeding as a pacifier 

Some mothers offer breastfeeding as soon as the baby cries particularly during the night.

❇️ Make her independent 

Baby enjoys eating independently, ensuring that you are providing enough opportunity like... 

🔹 Finger food like mashed potatoes or piece of fruit 

🔹 Rub cooked rice on finger and let her enjoy the food.

🔹 Let her drink a juices by wati or small glass. 

🔹 Help her to hold the spoon for eating semisolid 

Remember...All these will create chaos and still enjoy this type of parenting. 

❇️ Playing and eating 

🔹 One member of the family play with the baby and other member feed the baby 

🔹 Take baby on the terrace or balcony, feed the baby 

🔹 If you have one more kid (upto 5 year), try to feed both the child together while playing with them 

❇️ Involve the baby 

🔹 Let the baby seat with other family members during their lunch or dinner. Ask all family members to feed the baby if the baby is ready to eat. Even if the baby is not to eat, let her seat there. 

🔹 Take baby in a kitchen while cooking the food so that she get stimulation for eating by seeing the cooking process.

❇️ Choose the food wisely 

🔹 Experiment with colourful vegetable & fruits as baby are attracted with color 

🔹 Change the texture like making more liquid, semisolid or solid according to baby acceptability 

🔹 Make more sweet or salty according to baby taste. 

 Remember....Don't try to feed only a few types of recipes as the baby is not ready to accept new food. You can change colors, texture or taste as per baby taste but make sure you're introducing new food every week. 

❇️ Fool them

🔹 Pretend as you're feeding another child or even other adult member. You pretend to give a bite to another member and suddenly put that bite into the baby's mouth. The other member will cry and you will laugh & encourage the baby to laugh. 

🔴 Consult Pediatrician 

      ---------------------------------

🔹 Dehydration or poor activities 

🔹 Poor weight gain 

🔹 Poor development of milestones (Read my blog Growth & development on Facebook or Blogger and watch videos on YouTube). 

🔹 Still not ready to eat solid food

🙏🏻🙏🏻 If you like this blog, please share with other mothers and friends

 Remember.....Gaining knowledge is first step to wisdom and sharing it is first step to humanity 


Dr Ashish Agrawal, Paediatrician and expert in child behavior, education and developmental problems.

Ph: 8888126037, 7057551985

 Join us.....

 🔹 Facebook: Positive parenting 

 🔹 Youtube: Dr Ashish Agrawal

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