We end with this entry today the theme of how much do children have to eat. As you can see, it is an extensive subject that deserves a little more argumentation than the rest because, as we said a few days ago, how much to eat is one of the mothers' greatest concerns. For whatever reason, most think that their children eat less than they should eat.
Luckily this is not true and our little ones grow and gain weight without problems. In fact, if we look at the general trend of the child population, the result is precisely the opposite: our children eat more than they should eat and this is leading to a considerable increase in childhood obesity in our country.
That is why I insist again on saying that our children know how much they need to eat. Food is on demand..
What if he only ate two tablespoons?
Well, one of two, or does not want more, or does not like its taste, texture or temperature (or all at once).
If you don't want more, we'll stop giving it. If you don't like it, we'll stop giving it. It is better to take two tablespoons well accepted than two good and four bad.
The two tablespoons that he eats at ease today will be three or four in a while, however the six he eats, being four in disgust, can also become three or four in a while, but bad.
Is a question of confidence. If a child eats a few tablespoons at ease, but then he gets tired or simply is not hungry and his mother stops giving him, he learns that he can eat until he says "here, mom."
If a child also eats a few tablespoons at ease, but when he wants to stop eating, despite closing his mouth and turning his face, he is pressured to eat more, with tricks, airplanes, games or televisions, he learns that, even when he doesn't want to , they will press you to eat a few more tablespoons. Better then start closing your mouth soon.
In other words, forcing a child to eat something he doesn't want can cause him to end up rejecting food.
If a food does not like, we remove it from your diet until after a few days or weeks. Many children do not even want to see a flat banana but when they have had the ability to bite and chew it they have eaten it with pleasure.
In any case, as we said the other day, several exposures are needed for a food to be accepted. This does not mean that he will accept them all, but he will accept, maybe weeks or months later, foods that he doesn't eat with six months.
You are drinking breast milk and do not want a spoonful. What do I do?
This is very common. For whatever reason, some children who breastfeed accept almost no food until 8 or 10 months (or more).
It is believed that these children are part of those whose nutritional needs are still covered with breast milk, that is, those who still do not need extra food.
Whether this is true or not, it is considered normal. There is a phrase that sums up this phenomenon that says: "My son went from the tit to the macaroni", alluding to the fact that these children begin to accept more food when they are able to eat the food of adults.
They know what their bodies need more than ourselves. That is why we must respect their caloric needs and food tastes. Do you know someone who eats more than their stomach can hold? Do you know someone who is eating what he does not like?
If so, once he has said to himself "I have enough", do you eat four or five more tablespoons? (I speak of people who are not on a diet, of course, because they often eat foods that are not entirely pleasant and when they say "I have enough", sometimes they eat a few more spoonfuls).
