How to Feed a Baby Who Won't Eat
Try tiny portions., Disguise the food as something your child likes., Allow your baby to smell the food., Offer your baby options., Eat at the same time as your baby.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Try tiny portions.
If you baby won’t eat her food, try feeding it to her in smaller portions.
This may be especially helpful if you are trying a new food.When you are trying to get your baby to eat new foods, give her a small taste from your hand or spoon.
You may also try to feed your baby small portions of familiar foods if she is refusing to eat. -
Step 2: Disguise the food as something your child likes.
Sometimes, your child may not want to eat an unfamiliar food.
A way you might get her to eat it is to make the new food she’s resisting look like a food she enjoys.For example, if your child really likes pureed vegetables, give her a new vegetable in the same form.
You can also try foods of the same color.
Try changing the texture of the food she eats.
When switching from baby food, try mashing the food or putting it in a blender if she won’t eat it in whole pieces.Just make sure to increase the lumpiness of your baby's food slowly, such as by mixing a bit of lumpy food in with your baby's pureed food. , When your baby is refusing to eat, try letting her smell the food.
This allows her to become familiar with the smell and decide if it is appealing or not.This might mean holding a chunk of food or the spoon to her nose. , If your baby is struggling to eat, then try different foods.
Give your baby options in case she will eat one thing and not another.If your baby is being spoon fed and doesn't like one baby food, try a different flavor.
If your baby feeds herself, set out multiple foods so she can touch, smell, and taste them and decide what she wants. , Your baby may benefit from eating with you.
As babies develop, they like to imitate what they see.
Watching you eat may encourage her to eat.Make sure your baby sees you eating.
You can even demonstrate eating to your baby to help her want to eat.
Eat some of your baby’s food.
If your baby sees you eat the food, she may be more inclined to eat it. -
Step 3: Allow your baby to smell the food.
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Step 4: Offer your baby options.
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Step 5: Eat at the same time as your baby.
Detailed Guide
If you baby won’t eat her food, try feeding it to her in smaller portions.
This may be especially helpful if you are trying a new food.When you are trying to get your baby to eat new foods, give her a small taste from your hand or spoon.
You may also try to feed your baby small portions of familiar foods if she is refusing to eat.
Sometimes, your child may not want to eat an unfamiliar food.
A way you might get her to eat it is to make the new food she’s resisting look like a food she enjoys.For example, if your child really likes pureed vegetables, give her a new vegetable in the same form.
You can also try foods of the same color.
Try changing the texture of the food she eats.
When switching from baby food, try mashing the food or putting it in a blender if she won’t eat it in whole pieces.Just make sure to increase the lumpiness of your baby's food slowly, such as by mixing a bit of lumpy food in with your baby's pureed food. , When your baby is refusing to eat, try letting her smell the food.
This allows her to become familiar with the smell and decide if it is appealing or not.This might mean holding a chunk of food or the spoon to her nose. , If your baby is struggling to eat, then try different foods.
Give your baby options in case she will eat one thing and not another.If your baby is being spoon fed and doesn't like one baby food, try a different flavor.
If your baby feeds herself, set out multiple foods so she can touch, smell, and taste them and decide what she wants. , Your baby may benefit from eating with you.
As babies develop, they like to imitate what they see.
Watching you eat may encourage her to eat.Make sure your baby sees you eating.
You can even demonstrate eating to your baby to help her want to eat.
Eat some of your baby’s food.
If your baby sees you eat the food, she may be more inclined to eat it.
About the Author
Kayla Hughes
A passionate writer with expertise in lifestyle topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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