How to increase hunger in babies?

Food, clothing, and shelter – that’s pretty much what babies need at a very basic level, along with good sleep and a loving environment. Despite that, you may be upset that your child is not eating properly. He may not be communicating his hunger as frequently as needed or not eating good enough portions at scheduled meal times. This could affect his weight gain and cause even more worry to you regarding his growth. So, if you’re wondering how to increase a baby’s appetite naturally, here are some things you could definitely try out.

Some of the common causes of low appetite in infants are,

If your baby usually eats well and has been showing poor eating habits off late, it could be due to the fact that he isn’t feeling well or is just recovering from some illness. When battling an illness, all the bodily processes take a hit, digestion included. This results in a loss of appetite. Even after the illness has disappeared, the medication and after-effects could cause the digestive process to take some more time to return to normal, as well as the food to start tasting better, too.

One of the major constituents that are necessary for the stomach to digest the food is hydrochloric acid. This also helps trigger the feeling of hunger. Zinc is primarily responsible for the production of this acid. So, if your child has a low appetite, there might be a possibility of him suffering from zinc deficiency. This can be easily set back in balance by tweaking the diet. The inclusion of chicken, cashew nuts, wheat bran, pumpkin seeds, and other items that are rich in zinc can help bring the levels back to normal.

Energy is required to process and digest the food in our stomach. This energy is termed agni (fire) in Ayurveda. This energy undergoes a hit when the stomach suffers from indigestion, gases, flatulence or so. Illnesses, too, can result in an improper digestion environment leading to lowered appetites.

Not every low appetite is a sign of a problem. If your child is an infant, his appetite and feeding might be consistent or on a rise in the initial months. But right after 4-5 months, the growth slows down a bit and the energy required to do so reduces as well. This, inevitably, results in reduction of appetite, which is absolutely fine.

All diet needs to be in moderation and of the right type. If your child has been consuming a lot of food items made of whole grains, these could keep him full for a long time. Whole grains contain fibre and require quite some time to be digested fully. At the same time, if your baby is dependent on cow’s milk or even the feeding formula more than required, this could adversely affect appetite, leading him to not feel hungry at all.

Here are some ways you could improve your little one’s appetite.

The name itself signifies breaking the fast that your body has been on while it was asleep. Therefore, the demand for energy is highest at the start of the day. Having a nutritious and substantial breakfast primes the body into peak metabolic state and kick-starts the day.

We, as adults, might be used to the three-meal structure that gets us through the day without problems. With children, however, since their growth is at a peak and that uses up quite a lot of energy, their digestive system needs a strong boost. This can be attained by replacing the three-meal structure, and instead, giving them portioned meals every couple of hours or so. This can keep them energised and help them eat the right amount, too.

The general notion of snacks is random items such as biscuits, chips, and salted mixtures. Instead of snacking on non-nutritious items to kill the hunger, replace them with small sandwiches or nutritional cookies. These take care of the hunger pangs and provide the required nutrition, too.

‘A glass of milk is the best breakfast,’ is actually a myth. It may have good nutrition but simply having milk for breakfast or a meal isn’t enough. Excessive milk consumption reduces the appetite for the following meal, being counterproductive all around. Milk should be kept in moderation and other dairy products can be used as an alternative as well.

Nothing can replace a good evening of outside play or a nice exercise session in the morning. Spending energy creates the need for energy in the body, which stimulates the digestive system and makes your stomach ask for more food. You will always notice that children who are heavily engaged in sports and other physical activities rarely have poor eating habits.

The environmental conditions change the appetites of adults as well as children. Generally, the need to eat takes a toll around summers. Compared to that, everyone seems to gorge readily on multiple food items during winter. The surrounding temperature is responsible for our body using up the energy to keep us warm. By maintaining a comparatively cooler surrounding, the metabolic processes will be at a normal pace and lead to the right times to be hungry.

The presence of zinc is essential to carrying out the very process of digestion itself. Once the hydrochloric acid levels in the stomach are normal, the digestion processes realign themselves. Apart from consuming zinc food items as mentioned earlier, you can get your paediatrician’s approval in using zinc-based supplements as well.

At times, everything is fine and it’s primarily the mood of your child that’s not right. He might be tired of eating food that tastes the same or just be upset with something else. By making something you know he will love no matter what, you can get him started on eating sufficiently.

The following foods can help enhance appetite in kids.

Lemon has tons of properties. One is the ability to cleanse the palate and the other is to bring back appetite rather quickly. You can make some lemon water or lemon juice for your child, and give him a glass of it. Soon, his digestive system will start getting activated and he’ll want food.

Plums are known to boost appetite. The nutrients present in them, combined with the peculiar taste, make them a hit with children and are beneficial to give your child to boost his appetite.

This is mostly recommended if your child likes milk, but too much consumption leads to killing the appetite. Take a few pudina leaves, blend them, and add to the curd with some salt. This helps amp up the appetite and can be given even to kids above one year old.

Yes, these seeds are used to cut down cravings, so it might seem strange to include them here. However, the reason for them affecting the digestive process is the presence of zinc in them. A few pumpkin seeds are all that it takes to improve the appetite.

The benefits of carrot are countless and its tendency to increase the appetite is yet another jewel in its crown. Quite an age-old technique since generations, having a small bowl of carrot juice around 30 minutes before a meal has been known to pretty much restore the hunger needed to have the meal.

Also known as thyme, this is a pretty good herb to restore appetite in kids. When included in rice or dals, it not only brings out the flavour in it but further makes they want to have more.

Popularly had in the south, it is also known to be one of the first solids that a baby has. This soup helps streamline the process of digestion and boost appetite.

Save those packets you get with your pizza. While adding more flavour, it makes foods appetising as well.

A popular tonic among the older generation for both adults and kids, it is quite potent in being able to restore lost appetite in everyone.

This multi-purpose multi-valued ingredient can be had with some buttermilk to restore the digestive energy, as mentioned in the Ayurveda.

Treating everything from infections to indigestion, mixing turmeric with some ghee and giving it to your child before meals can steadily bring back the appetite he had.

Any popular one from the market can be used regularly to make your kids start having good eating habits again.

Also known as cinnamon, the presence of hydroxychalcone in its constitution makes it a powerful ingredient to boost appetite by adding it to various food items.

Another remedy that has trickled down generations, having tulsi water or simply the leaves of the basil plant can assist in resetting the hunger of your child.

An octa-herbal ayurvedic powder that is quite popular, this can be mixed with rice or ghee and given to young kids to increase their appetite.

Not only does hing get rid of gases and flatulence, but it indirectly affects appetite and reduces the feeling of fullness in the stomach.

Loss of appetite is not a new thing in children. Restoring appetite takes only a few techniques. Instilling good eating habits from an early age goes a long way in keeping kids healthy. Use these tips and tricks to increase your child’s appetite if he isn’t eating enough.

Also Read: Best Baby Foods

Does your child have a very limited appetite or and is always making excuses to skip his/her meals? Are you always worried about how you can make your child eat nutritious food in adequate quantities? And you wanted to know the reasons for loss of appetite. If these questions have been bothering you, you will find all your answers here.

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Appetite is the natural urge, wish or desire to satisfy some craving, mostly for food items or drink. Loss of appetite is a common problem in kids and there are many reasons for loss of appetite in kids. Usually kids are picky eaters and they only prefer to eat selective food items. But kids with less or poor appetite don’t feel hungry or don’t want to eat food at all. Whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner, the kid doesn’t want to eat or barely eats anything. This behavior of selective eating not only affects a child’s health but is very upsetting for the parents too.

Also check, How to promote healthy weight gain in kids?

In some cases, kids might be sensitive to the texture of food or have trouble chewing food making it painful for him/her to eat. This might result in reducing the appetite.

One of the most common reasons for loss of appetite might be that the child has access to snacks throughout the day and that is why at meal times, he/she does not feel hungry.

Also check, Easy and nutritious snacks for kids

Acid reflux, food allergies and digestive problems might sometimes cause the children to not feel hungry. When you are not feeling well, your brain doesn’t send hunger signals, this is the body’s way of protecting itself.

Also check,Ways and foods to overcome allergies in kids

The stomach sends the signal to the brain when it wants food. Sometimes children might not sense this hunger and that’s why they don’t feel hungry. This sense is considered as 8th sense by the therapists and is called interoception. Interoception controls all our automatic responses like when we want to eat, when we are full, when we have to use the washroom etc. If a child is not able to sense these signals, it means somewhere that communication within the body is not happening properly.

Also check, Tips to help your child gain healthy weight.

Make a schedule for all meal and snack times and feed your kid only at that time. Meals should be spaced at a gap of two and a half to three hours to stimulate their appetite. For example, if your child eats breakfast between 8-8:30 am, then the next meal should be at 10:30-11:00 am. This is how you should space the meals throughout the day to increase child appetite.

Also check, Tips to feed toddlers

Engaging in some kind of physical activity like running, jumping, swimming can help to increase child’s appetite. Sedentary activities like sitting, watching TV or screen don’t burn much calories and will not make your child as hungry.

Sometimes kids don’t realise whether they are hungry or not. Keep asking them questions like is their tummy full or empty or half full? Tell them that since they have not eaten for a while, the tummy might be empty and hence they need to eat something. Mindful eating helps the child to pay attention to his/her hunger and also to stop eating when he/she feels full, thereby preventing overeating.

Also check, Foods for kids to gain weight

Encourage your kids to eat a healthy breakfast as eating breakfast sets the tone for the day, kick-starts their metabolism and is believed to increase child’s appetite.

Also check, Some easy breakfast ideas for kids?

It has been found that low iron levels might reduce appetite. Get your child’s iron levels checked to rule out this possibility. Studies suggest that at least one in eight toddlers tend to become anemic before the age of 2 years. Kids less than the age of 9 years need about 7 to 10 milligrams of iron a day and those above the age of 9 years need about 8 milligrams of iron daily. In case your child’s iron levels are low, include iron rich foods in his/her diet to increase child appetite.

Also check, Iron in foods for kids

Iron in foods or iron rich foods like spinach, eggs and lentils should be included in your child’s diet to increase a child’s appetite. Always pair iron rich foods with vitamin C to increase its absorption and use by the body.

Zinc is a very important mineral and is required for many physiological functions such as boosting immunity, regulating the functions of antioxidants and growth and development. A mild deficiency of zinc can cause loss of appetite, weight loss, diarrhoea and increases vulnerability to infections. Add zinc rich foods such as pumpkin seeds, nuts, spinach, beans and mushrooms in your child’s diet to increase child’s appetite.

Peanuts are one of the best foods that increase appetite in children. It holds protein building and appetite boosting properties. Ensure to give peanuts to your child either in the form of peanut butter or by simply frying them to make it a crispy snack. Roasted peanuts are a good option when your child demands a crispy snack.

Also check,Easy chocolate peanut snack for kids

Give your child a glass of water first thing in the morning. In fact, they should drink water even before they drink milk. Also, make them have water at least 30 minutes before the meals rather than having meals as drinking water with meals might reduce their appetite. Water tends to activate the digestive juices and enzymes which helps to increase a child’s appetite and also boosts their digestion.

Also check, Nutritious summer drinks for kids

It’s no SECRET that following an Ayurvedic lifestyle has numerous advantages. This unique collection of Ayurvedic spreads is an easy solution to feed daily nutrition for Immunity, Eye, Brain development, Bone strength and overall growth to kids without any fuss. To know more about kid’s ayurvedic foods – SHOP HERE.

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Some parents have been kind enough to share their journey with us. Let’s hear them to closely understand the benefits of Ayurvedic spreads by Iyurved.

• Have your child drink water regularly.
• Fuel your child with food every two hours.
• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
• Include zinc intake.
• Include desserts in your child's meal plan.
• Stimulate your child's appetite.
• Get physically active!

How to help your child develop holistically - emotionally, mentally as well as physically? There are many facets that contribute to a healthy growing child. Wondering why your child’s appetite decreased?

I am here to provide you with some tips to improve your child’s appetite - for a happy and healthy child!

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Start off your child’s mornings with a glass of water, even before their daily intake of milk. Drinking water first thing in the morning helps to rehydrate their body, improving digestion. In addition, have your child drink water half an hour before their meals. It is highly recommended for your child to cultivate it as a habit as drinking water before meals help to stimulate their appetite.

Do take note to let your child drink water in between meals instead of drinks such as juices or milk as this fills your child up faster, reducing their appetite. This prevents them from ingesting more food and nutrients instead. To prevent this from happening, pair milk or juice with their meals or immediately afterwards.

Children require all the energy they need in trying out new activities, taking in new knowledge, and for play throughout the entire day. Your little one may be a fussy eater due to the fact that they are not feeling hungry. To counteract this problem, try feeding them small food portions every two hours. The three regular meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner may not stimulate the little ones’ appetite well enough. By giving them light snacks such as fruits like bananas or nuts between meals, it can help to boost their appetite as well as provide them with nutrients.

Wondering where to bring your family for a meal? Here are some child-friendly restaurants you can try out!

Starting the day with a healthy and filling breakfast breaks fast after night, kick-starting metabolism and helps your child to be more physically active throughout the day. Having a good and healthy breakfast helps to increase the little ones’ appetite and boosts the body’s metabolism.

Incorporating zinc into your child’s diet helps to build up an appetite. You can go for sources of zinc such as nuts like cashews and dairy products such as milk. Try including these into your child’s meals or snacks. Peanuts are known for their appetite-boosting as well as protein-building properties. You can include it in your kid’s diet in the form of nut butter or roasted. Here is a simple guide for working parents!

Fruit-based desserts have also been proven to entice kids to finish their meals and at a quicker rate. Including fruits in your dessert can help to stimulate your child’s appetite which aids digestion and improves metabolism. Fruits such as apples and strawberries help to boost a child’s appetite. Apart from fruits, yoghurt is a good alternative as well. Yoghurt contains healthy prebiotics and calcium which help to strengthen your child’s immune system, carrying out an appetite increasing function at the same time. Another alternative to a healthy dessert could be a smoothie - where you can include fruits and vegetables. Yes, even certain vegetables that your child does not like but require the nutrients from!

Small bites of food help to improve appetite as it builds metabolism. By offering smaller bites of food to your child, it will gradually increase their want for food.

Children are often less willing to try out new foods due to the unfamiliar textures and tastes that they are not used to. To fix this, you can start by arranging your child’s meals around nutritional food that he likes or is familiar with. Your child is more likely to increase food intake if his meals include his favourite foods. This helps to increase appetite and upon rotation of meal plans that your child is similar with, you can slowly attempt to incorporate new foods. Before long, your child will be willing to accept a greater variety of foods!

Here are some healthy and tasty recipes that you can introduce new foods with!

Children will only eat enough to keep their hunger signals turned off. If you have food or milk kept readily accessible in your house by kids, then you might want to keep your eyes on the screen for this part. Your child may never actually get hungry as they could be snacking on small portions of food throughout the day, leaving them with little to no appetite for regular meals.

To prevent this from happening, I advise that you feed your child at scheduled timings, separating each meal for around two to three hours. This is crucial as it helps your child to develop their hunger signals and for their body to learn to establish the healthy connection between proper hunger and eating.

Choosing infant care or child care centres in Singapore? Let me get you started with the complete guide!

By expending more energy running about and engaging in physical play, your child will develop a greater appetite for food during regular meal times. In this era, children may be spending more time on their screens and less on outdoor play. Therefore it is important that your child gets sufficient time for play and exercise outdoors.

You can encourage your child to get out of the house more by introducing new sports to them, such as cycling or swimming. You can also spend more family bonding time with your child by taking them out on a walk in the park. Not only will this help to stimulate a greater appetite, but physical activities also help to develop your child’s physique as well as coordination skills.

Nurture Infant House (Tampines)

At Nurture Infant House, our passion is to love and care for each infant and to provide a safe and interactive environment for infants to learn and grow in body and in mind independently. If you are looking for infant care in Tampines or in East, do visit Nurture Infant House. We have over 30 years of experience in nurturing thousands of infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers.

If you are looking for a preschool for toddlers and older children in Tampines or in East, do visit Genesis Childcare 1989.

Feel free to book an appointment through WhatsApp. You can visit us at the following venues:

Nurture Infant House (Tampines) (2 to 18 months Infants) Blk 433 Tampines Street 43 #01-61 Singapore 520433

Tel: 96664141

Genesis Childcare 1989 (Tampines)

Blk 433 Tampines Street 43 #01-63/65 Singapore 520433