NURSERY LORE.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 307, 26 September 1929, Page 1

NURSERY LORE.

BABY’S APPETITE. Mothers are often alarmed by sudden loss of appetite in babies of under nine months, who show no other sign of illness or internal upset. This loss of appetite is fairly common, and often the explanation is that the baby *~els thirsty rather than hungry. Cold boiled water will coql the throat t and can be given in a teaspoon if the ’child refuses at sight of the bottle. If the trouble is thirst, ho should take extra water during the day and a good feed later.

I If the possibility of thirst must be ruled out, the next move is to ensure that food is not being offered too frequently. The assumption that a child of six months should be fed every three hours is wrong, for this gives the | digestion no rest; four-hourly feeds suit the normal baby after his first month. Appetite for food cannot be expected if it is presented more frequently than every four hours.

If the interval between feeds cannot be extended, and if the aversion to food is sudden, there is always the chance that the food is in bad condition. Occasionally baby-foods “go off” in hot weather; occasionally a tin of old stock gets mixed with the new stock on the chemist’s shelves. To make sure that there is no slight st.aleness (which the infant’s palate might detect although the adult’s might not) open a new tin and try it. If the infant takes it readily, the problem is solved.

If all these methods fail, the food should be given weaker * than usual, and with an extra touch of sugar-of-milk to make it palatable. If this fails after a trial of two days, it must be presumed that the food does not suit the baby at this stage of his development, and other makes must be tried till the right solution is found. W hen trying a new food in cases of poor appetite, the first feed should always be made rather weaker than the direeixns indicate for the child’s age. ... .. . _ . D.P.