Why does an infant not eat breast milk or eat badly

The reasons why an infant does not eat well

Identify the reasons for poor appetite or refusal to eatbreast is very important. Even experienced mothers cannot always understand what is happening to the child. Lack of appetite can be a consequence of the mother's incorrect behavior, as well as a symptom of a disease.If a baby doesn't eat, you need to find out right awayreasons for refusing to breastfeedPhoto: Getty For example, if the first child was born, the mother may simply not know how to properly latch the baby to the breast or make other mistakes due to a lack of understanding of some features of feeding. Here are the main reasons why problems with feeding a baby may arise:

Mom has too much milk or, on the contrary, it is not enough;
milk has a specific taste;
the child is distracted or lazy;
the baby has a bad mood or is very tired;
the first teeth are cut;
disturb colic.

Such problems are solved by the mother herself.If there is a lot of milk, the first portion will be too abundant. The baby will literally choke, which means he will get scared and refuse the breast. This problem can be easily solved by expressing a little milk before feeding. If there is not enough milk, the mother needs to drink more liquid, be sure to express the breast completely after feeding, or, as a last resort, after consulting with a pediatrician, feed the baby with formula. By the way, it is bottle feeding that can lead to refusal of the breast, because it is much easier to eat this way. Refusal of the breast can be caused by ignorance of the rules of breastfeeding, violation of the diet, strong emotions, intestinal colic. A spicy or hot dish in the diet of a nursing woman can give the milk an unpleasant taste or aroma. If the child does not eat breast milk, the mother needs to adjust her diet. Strong emotions can also affect the feeding process. Babies need to be calmed down or distracted. The gums of a teething baby will be loose, red, and swollen. The condition can be alleviated with gels recommended by the doctor. Colic can be alleviated by massage, stroking the abdomen clockwise and giving the newborn dill water or pharmaceutical preparations as recommended by the local doctor.

When to see a doctor if the child does not eat

Refusal of breast milk may be caused by illness or congenital pathology. In this case, the help of a doctor is necessary. If the baby does not take the breast, this may be a sign of the following ailments:

congenital pathology of the tongue or internal organs;
dysbacteriosis;
intestinal infection;
hypertension, or increased intracranial pressure;
stomatitis;
otitis media;
cold and SARS.

In these cases, you need to pay attention to other thingsSymptoms: screaming when touching the tragus of the ears or stomach, changes in the smell and color of stool, regurgitation, fever, etc. You should immediately call a doctor and begin treatment. Breastfeeding provides the baby with strong immunity and harmonious development. If a baby does not eat well, you must make every effort to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. See also: