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Just when you’ve made progress on the feeding front with your baby, along comes summertime to thwart it all. Summertime often leaves babies and children feeling irritable, agitated, and stuffy. And this cranky demeanor definitely transfers to their lack of appetite. During those hot summer months, their appetite reduces significantly, making it hard to get them to eat anything. This can be extremely stressful for concerned parents. But there is no need to worry and hover over your baby with a spoon in hand all day, as long as your kiddo is drinking milk at regular intervals every day.
There are times during the year when the weather can be relentlessly hot. This can be hard on babies, as they don’t sweat as much as older kids and adults, which reduces their body’s ability to cool down. Therefore, they may be more at risk of overheating. The answer to all your worries regarding maintaining a steady stream of nutrients to your baby’s system and keeping them healthy during the summer days are the same: hydration
Listed below are a few tips you can follow to feed your baby easily on those hot summer days.
Breast Milk Is The Best Solution For Your Baby
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Although your baby may be losing their appetite for solid food, they will want to feed more often than usual, just like we’d like to consume more fluids during this season. Irrespective of whether your child is breastfed or bottle-fed, it is best to start offering them more feeds during the hot weather days in order to cope with the heat and make sure that their bodies are hydrated enough to cool down without any additional external help. Slowly introduce more feeds and increase the amount of milk your baby consumes. As they are already accustomed and comfortable with the process, they should take to it without putting up much of a fuss. Feeding a breastfed baby means that they get far more of the lower fat milk which will satisfy them and keep them from feeling thirsty easily. This is because breastmilk is extremely thirst-quenching and has a high level of water content. Therefore, exclusively breastfed babies who don’t consume any other type of liquid shouldn’t be given water during the hot summer months as it reduces the nutrients and hydration they can derive from breastmilk. Moreover, infants have premature kidneys, putting them at risk of water intoxication if they consume too much water. So, it is best to increase the amount of breastmilk that is manageable for the mother as your supply slowly increases to cater to your baby’s needs.
Water And Variety Are The Way To Go
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We all know that water is the most efficient way to keep kids from becoming dehydrated as they run and play all day. But how to keep water interesting enough throughout these months so that they come back for more? Most children miss out on drinking plenty of water because it doesn’t taste like anything. So here are a few ways to make it more appealing.
1. Make A Juice
Colourful fruit juices aren’t just enticing to the eyes and the tastebuds, they are a good way to ensure that some important vitamins and nutrients go down easily, along with some extra mouthfuls of water. Fresh fruit juices like musambi and watermelon are especially recommended as it has a cooling effect on the body.
2. Flavoured Water
If your baby has an aversion to drinking anything tasteless, flavoured water is the way to go. Simply boil water with a handful of sauf or mishri, which are equally good for the tummy.
3. Buttermilk And Smoothies
Buttermilk is also a healthy water alternative that you can use to get more fluids and nutrients into your toddlers as it is exceptionally cooling to the system. However, if your child is picky and doesn’t take to the taste as well as you would’ve liked, smoothies are another great option to consider. Go for sweet seasonal fruits like mangoes or common fruits your baby is accustomed to like bananas. Keep in mind it is also easy to sneak in more nutritious goodies in a smoothie, such as, greens or cucumber, to keep your little one healthy and happy. You can always serve your smoothies in a transparent glass so that their appealing colours increase their appetite.
4. Satu And Soups
Satu is a great source of nutrition for your kids. Soups, preferably cold soups, go down easier than food during summer time. Use veggies like bottle gourd that cool down the liver.
Enjoy Mealtime And Stop Stressing
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Let your children eat while you’re eating. It will help stimulate their appetite and will make for a fun activity to do together. Moreover, try not to stress too much about your child not eating enough. A couple of spoons at a time are good enough, and their appetite will improve with time. Try to stay positive and enjoy the summer together.
Lastly, don’t lose patience with your baby and try to make eating an enjoyable experience. Make regular efforts to feed your little one and don’t be deterred if he is fussy. He will gradually start eating more as he adjusts to the climate.
