Newsdelivers.com –
When your little one enters the age of six months, it is time to start introducing complementary foods for breast milk (MPASI). For some parents, introducing MPASI to their little one is not an easy thing. During this MPASI period, mothers will face various challenges. One of them is your little one who cannot recognize hunger and fullness signals.
Eating problems have a serious impact on your little one’s growth, Mother. As a result, if this continues, your little one will experience malnutrition which could then result in stunting.
So, to prevent eating problems in your little one, mothers must start implementing feeding rules. You should start implementing these eating rules from the start of your little one’s MPASI.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Feeding rules
So what are feeding rules? Explained by Dr. Dr. Meta Herdiana Hanindita, SpA(K), pediatric specialist and consultant on nutrition and metabolic diseases, via live Instagram HaiBunda some time ago, feeding rules are very important eating rules to apply from the start of eating to avoid eating problems, and also to practice eating skills properly. Good.
The basic principle is that eating rules are implemented to train your little one to recognize signals of hunger and fullness from within themselves. Broadly speaking, feeding rules can be divided into three things, namely schedule, environment and procedures. All three are equally important and must be applied consistently.
When can feeding rules be applied?
Quoted from the explanation of Dr. Meta, in the original literature, feeding rules are actually only implemented at toddler age. However, to get used to it, mothers can start implementing feeding rules from the start of MPASI, namely when your little one is six months old with modifications.
“Actually, if we look at the original literature, this is Bernard Bonin, who conducted research in 2006. This research was carried out beyond infancy, so over a year. When toddlers, 1 to 3 years. “But, actually, this can also be applied from the start of MPASI, of course with modifications,” explained Dr. Meta.
“For example, if it is for 1 to 3 years, then the duration or eating time is paused every 3 to 4 hours. So, if you want to apply it to babies who have just started MPASI from 6 months, because their stomach capacity is still small, and their ability to eat is still not very skilled compared to one year and above, then the eating interval is also adjusted to the capacity or duration of gastric emptying, namely about two hours. “That’s why, we can apply these eating rules even from the start of MPASI, we don’t have to wait until a year,” he continued.
More from Dr. Meta emphasizes that mothers should not wait for eating disorders to appear in their little ones before implementing eating rules. Because the process will be more difficult if your little one is already used to not following eating rules.
“Because again, the aim of these feeding rules is to train your eating skills and to avoid eating problems. Don’t wait until there is an eating problem, first there is a problem of delayed eating skills, first there is malnutrition, then we will apply it. “It will be more difficult to implement it if the child has been used to not implementing the eating rules for a long time and only then does it apply, compared to if it was done from the start,” said Dr. Meta.
7 Feeding Rules so that Children Don’t Experience Malnutrition
So, after knowing what feeding rules are and their benefits, you should immediately put them into practice before it’s too late, OK? The following are several eating rules that mothers must apply to train their little one’s eating skills so that he or she does not experience eating disorders that can cause malnutrition.
1. Regular eating schedule
The first rule is, Mothers must start making a feeding schedule for your little one and apply it consistently. A regular eating schedule needs to be implemented to help your little one recognize his own signals of hunger and fullness.
“It’s the same, just like us adults, if we have a regular schedule, for example, every morning we have breakfast at 6, lunch at 12, dinner at 6, then at those times every day we will feel hungry . “Children certainly don’t recognize this yet, so they still need help with arranging a regular eating schedule,” said Dr. Meta.
2. Meal duration
Apart from the eating schedule, the duration of eating also needs to be limited, Mother. This is because according to research, the average time children eat only takes around 20 minutes, until the eating process is finished it takes 30 minutes. According to Dr. Meta, increasing the duration of your little one’s meal does not increase the portion, instead your little one becomes unfocused on the process of eating because he no longer recognizes the signals of hunger and fullness within himself.
“Increasing the duration of a meal makes the child less focused on his eating activities so he tends to forget that he is eating. Just put food in the mouth, hold it for a long time, sometimes keep it on one side, on the left side or the right side. Later, as soon as he remembered, he didn’t know how to chew properly, so he was scolded by him. “These are several eating problems which again can actually be avoided by implementing good eating rules,” explained Dr. Meta responded to questions about the duration of children’s meals.
3. Portions of meals and snacks outside meal times
Mother, so that your little one can recognize his hunger and fullness signals, it is important for you to be disciplined in implementing a predetermined schedule. In each schedule, give a small portion to your little one, Mother.
Another thing you need to pay attention to is not to give snacks or snacks outside the specified meal times. So, outside of the specified meal times, your little one can only consume water.
4. Create a pleasant eating environment
Mother, one of the feeding rules that you must fulfill according to Dr. Meta is a fun dining environment. Mothers must create a neutral and enjoyable eating environment for your little one as possible. Without coercion, anger, or even persuasion.
“Sometimes parents don’t do this on purpose, because they don’t know it’s not good. For example, persuading, come on one more spoon, come on one more spoon. “That is actually also included in the persuasion that should not be carried out in eating regulations,” said Dr. Meta.
Apart from that, if at mealtime your little one seems reluctant to eat, you can offer him food again neutrally, without coercion or persuasion. So, if after 10-15 minutes your little one still doesn’t want to eat, we have to end the eating process.
5. There should be no distractions
Mothers feeding children while watching, playing bicycles, or running around are things that are strictly prohibited in the feeding rules. Distraction in any form when eating will make it difficult for your little one to recognize signals of fullness and hunger, this can then also affect his eating skills.
“Why is it really recommended that distractions be avoided when eating? That’s it, children, babies, especially because it’s MPASI period, they’re still in the process of learning to eat. He still doesn’t know how to process food in his mouth until he can chew it, until he can swallow it properly. If we are adults, we are smart, we already understand how to do it. “But for babies it’s still not possible, and he has to learn, he has to practice,” said Dr. Meta.
According to Dr. Meta, babies don’t have the ability to multitask. So when there is a distraction, your little one tends to focus more on the distraction. So, if this continues, this will affect its ability to eat.
“As a result, mothers will complain later. How come my one year old child still can’t eat family food? This food still has to be blended, doc, you can’t eat chicken yet, doc, it has to be blended first. At the age of two years, there are even 2 year olds who can only eat porridge and so on. Why? Because they are not trained properly. Why not train properly? Because he doesn’t recognize his hunger and fullness signals. Why doesn’t it recognize its hunger and fullness signals? “Because we focus more on the distraction,” he continued.
6. Eating position
Eating position is also important, Mother, follow the feeding rules, Mother. This is useful for maintaining your little one’s posture, which will also affect the way he processes food and his eating skills.
“Actually, the principle for eating is that you have to be in a chair and you have to be at the dining table. So when eating, children must sit up straight. A baby chair is certainly very helpful. Why is this chair so important that you don’t carry it like that? Because for motor skills, for muscle and nerve skills, eating is closely related or closely related to postural stability. The spine, neck, then are also greatly affected by sitting up straight.”
Eating in a chair with the family is also good for your little one to learn, Mother. As a great imitator, eating together will make your little one imitate how adults eat at the dinner table.
7. Clean your mouth and table after eating
To end the eating process, dr. Meta, explained that cleaning the mouth and table can only be done after your little one has finished eating, Mother. “Don’t forget to clean the table, cleaning your mouth should only be done after the eating process is finished,” said Dr. Meta.
Mengenal feeding cues
Mother, actually from the start, since your little one was born, you have been able to recognize his hunger and fullness signals. During exclusive breastfeeding, mothers will definitely be able to recognize the reasons why your little one cries, one of which is when he is hungry. This feeling of hunger is determined by many things including the capacity of your little one’s stomach and the duration of gastric emptying. So the complete hunger signal is a time that you can predict.
There are signs to know when your little one is starting to get hungry, which is also called a feeding cue. For children who have started MPASI, it is easier to recognize body language compared to when they were just breastfeeding.
One of the feeding cues that mothers can learn. For example, if the baby closes his mouth tightly or looks away, this is a sign that your little one is probably full. But if he reaches for food, for example, opens his mouth wide when he sees a spoon, it could be that he is hungry. Those are the easiest signs to recognize.
These are the feeding rules that you can learn to teach your little one eating skills and recognize signals of hunger and fullness in your little one to prevent malnutrition. Hopefully it’s useful, Mother.
For mothers who want to share about parenting and get lots of giveaways, come join the HaiBunda Squad community. Register click HERE. Free!
(rap/rap)