Show Appetite Lack Means Means' Less Not More Food Foo l By MYRTLE MEYER ELDRED All babies at some time or another another an another an- an other during the first year have havea a noticeable loss of appetite The causes for refusal of food may be different The baby may have been persistently overfed overfed overfed over over- fed in which case he takes a vacation from indigestion by cutting cutting cutting cut cut- ting down down on his own diet He might be about to come down with some childish ailment the coming of which would be re reflected reflected reflected re- re by a loss of appetite It might be the immediate approach approach approach ap ap- of a a. new tooth for the day or so before its advent appetites appetites ap ap- petites do seem to be smaller Be Be Unconcerned About It But whatever the reason we wedo wedo wedo do know that for the moment food Is distasteful to the baby and if his' his mother is just as smart as he she too will be unconcerned unconcerned unconcerned un un- un- un concerned about his refusal of it The food is there if baby wants it and if he doesn't it must be because he would be better off without it We ought to keep reminding ourselves that when there is isreal isreal isreal real hunger and an appetite for food and food is available the baby wont won't need to be coaxed to partake of it Instead the very reverse tactics are in order When the baby shuns food he should be offered smaller portions por por- His milk should be skimmed or else more liberally diluted Or he should be al allowed allowed al- al allowed lowed to refuse everything and fill up upon on all the water or orange juice he will take until such time as his appetite springs to life and he begins clamoring for food and more food Few Carry Program Through But few mothers have the courage to carry through such sucha a program When the baby wants nothing she thinks up ways to get food into him She finds he will take a cracker or ora ora ora a mouthful of milk at intervals and so all day long she conscientiously conscientiously conscientiously con con- presents them to him B By night she feels as if she has accomplished a real victory for though baby wouldn't accept his meals she has counted the crackers and sips of milk and has decided he ho hasn't done so badly Incentive WillBe Will WillBe WillBe Be N Needed eded Perhaps he hasn't from the nutritional standpoint Psychologically Psychologically Psychologically Psycho Psycho- logically she has provided him with the worst possible education education education tion in eating habits He wanted want want- ed no food but he has been lured to eat In the future he will want continual incentives to eat instead of heeding the appetite with which nature has provided him Keep in mind that hunger creates creates creates cre cre- ates its own own inspiration to eat and that appetite is the pleasant pleasant pleasant pleas pleas- ant reminder of that tion Let the baby have all he wants when he wants it and give him the privilege of refusing food when he has no desire 1 for it |