[Henan Science Popularization] "Dietary Guidelines" easy to read: feeding babies should be encouraged but not forced

"There is a kind of cold calling mother to think you are cold." This phenomenon is ridiculed as a paragraph. In fact, this is not just a paragraph. In life, many mothers feel that their babies will be cold, keeping the baby overly warm, and even cause the baby to have a "hot syndrome".

Similar to it, "Mom thinks you are hungry" also become a common phenomenon. In fact, this practice of mothers is also necessary.

The "Chinese Resident Dietary Guide (2022)" specifically proposes the feeding guide for infants and young children from 7 to 24 months after birth. The fourth of the six major guidelines is "promoting response feeding, encouraging but not forced to eat."

During the feeding process, parents or feeders should perceive the hunger or satisfactory signal sent by infants and young children, and make appropriate feeding responses, and decide to start or stop feeding.

Respect the choice of food for infants and young children, patiently encourage and assist infants and children to eat, but never forced to eat. Therefore, "chasing feeding" and "mother think you are hungry" and "must eat light" are not advocated.

With the increase of the monthly age, parents or feeders should give adaptive feeding according to the changes in the nutritional needs of infants and young children and the development of infant perceptual, cognition, behavior, and exercise capabilities. Meal mode, learn to eat independently, and obey the necessary dining etiquette.

Parents or feeders are responsible for creating a good dining environment for infants and young children, keeping the dining environment quiet and pleasant, avoiding the interference of infants and young children such as television and toys. Control no more than 20 minutes per meal. Parents or feeders should also be a good example for infants and young children to eat.

For this criterion, the core recommendation given by the Guide is:

Parents or feeders should have sufficient communication with infants and young children to identify their hunger and full signals, and respond in a timely manner.

Patient feed and encourage eating, but never forced feeding.

Encourage and assist infants and young children to eat independently and cultivate interest.

Do not watch TV or play toys during meals, each meal does not exceed 20 minutes.

Parents or feeders should maintain their good meals and become the role model for infants and young children.

(Author: Book Xiaoyan Editor: Yang Hua)

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