Children enjoying the food

Published: 12/16/2008 - Updated: 07/11/2016

Is not your child eating well? Has mealtime become a time of distress? The desperation of many mothers when their children do not eat appears to be a major concern more than we think. In fact, it is almost impossible that a child dies of hunger or malnutrition when has available food that is offered. A child by nature, always eat what he needs, this is a survival instinct, the need for food is something spontaneous. Malnourished children are in places where there is not food or are suffering from any serious illness such as kidney failure, cancer, etc.

Malnourished children?

We just need a tour of the offices of pediatricians to note that one of the most common problem is that mothers say their children do not eat anything and are thin and pale. The complaints say "he just takes a few ounces." "He doesn’t like the food" There are even some who claim that "since he was born he has not eating anything."

Stress caused to make children eat "well"

Many of these concerns are partly due to the propaganda of many media as they recommend plenty of food for infants and children, emphasizing things like "your baby will grow well …" “so your child grow up healthy and strong "”your child will not get sick …" and accompany these messages sometimes with a series of images that make the mother feel that it is absolutely necessary for the child eat and eat and eat …

Pediatricians, on the other hand, in some cases also have to do when recommend increasing food while on the other hand the child eats less. This also contributes to nutritional stress, the belief that children should not eat if it is not strictly guided by the instructions of the doctor with all this bombing, the mother begins to distress the slightest evidence, where neither the mother nor the child usually go wrong.

How to feed a child in the first years of life

This is a question we could answer many pediatricians to evaluate many issues. However, it is important to consider the following for your child begins to eat exactly what he/she needs, being well-nourished, and also enjoying lunch:

1. Your child should eat just enough: You know now that eating more is not synonymous with growth, because if a child eats too much, as anyone, fat will become the toxin, and if there is an overdose and there are no conditions for a good disposal, will accumulate and become not only overweight, but will likely rise to many diseases, including allergies, constipation, cold, the phlegm, skin problems, and so on.

2. Foods before lacked the extra fortification that are now in food with a number of vitamins, minerals, etc.. So the needs and level of satiety of the body is severely modified when consumed fortified products.

3. Foods are not introduced, but offered: Before the six months, encourage drinking pure milk. When passes this age, we must gradually offer fruits and vegetables in simple mixtures.

4. Do not force to eat: When passes the year, continue to offer food, do not force, if there is not as hungry as it can become an obligation, and it loses its charm. Imagine that you forced every day to eat three plates full of your favorite dishes. Sooner or later, you will be tired.

5. Between the first year and 3 or 4 years, the appetite of children is often very variable , sometimes he will eat, sometimes not. We recommend that you let this demand the first three years, preventing him, however, candy or junk food to feed the appetite for the moment but that does not nourish. From 3 or 4 years if not hungry, remove the dish, do not force, or threaten or anything like that, but just tell that there will be nothing until the next mealtime. For example, if he did not eat at breakfast, do not give him anything until lunch. If he is hungry between meals, offer some fruit.

6. What takes away the hunger :  the sweet, sugary and bakery products are often used to fill children without providing virtually no food. Avoid to get used to them.

7. Anxiety and nervousness : another issues that could remove hunger are exaggerated emotional states. If you're tense or anxious because your child does not eat, certainly he will feel and eat less. You should relax and trust that nature is wise and knows how to do its work.

8. Avoid refined sugar: Refined sugar is one of the "food" that is more harmful: in addition to removing hunger and give a feeling of satiety, rots your teeth, weakens the immune system, causes hormonal imbalance in the system, weakens the nervous system causing stressed, nervous and anxious and overweight children (or adults). If you already have the habit of consuming soft drinks, canned juices, sweets, etc., seek to make an effort to make your child avoid it, and do not offer these products.

9. Hours to eat is something that we learn : if you have an uncontrolled life or eat breakfast at different times, it will be difficult to fit the child. Children who go to daycare or school or where they eat breakfast, have time to eat well established.

10. And finally, enjoying lunch! It is necessary since the first months providing food to your baby, ensure these are always the best quality and freshness possible, eat as much variety unless sugar, fat, and processed products. And try to make mealtime a time for pleasure and not a battle, invite to prepare food with you and let the choose from the menu once in a while, talk of pleasant things while eating, enjoy and eat with a smile.

About the author
  • K. Laura Garcés G

    Writer, therapist and lecturer. She is a lover of natural medicine and the power of mind and emotions in body and life. In addition, he has studied nutrition and develops appropriate diets to support this healing process.She has written more than 1500 articles in magazines in Spain and Mexico, winner of two literature contests. Linkedin.