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Baby is on nursing strike and its killing me

Baby Care

Dear doctor, My seventh-month old daughter has stopped breastfeeding since she started eating solids, she neither takes milk and I’m worried she might be missing out on vital nutrients. Lyn, Meru

Dear Lyn,

I completely sympathise with your situation, knowing too well that child feeding often bothers mothers a lot. The only advantage to your situation is that the child has not lost appetite for other feeds, and is not currently sick or having a medical condition that hampers feeding. There are other feeds that can adequately provide the same nutrients a child needs at seven months. Remember your child has the benefit of having breastfed for the first six months. The goal now is for you to feed the child on meals that meet a balanced diet, with a richer protein and fat content. Cerelac, yoghurt, formula milk and porridge are options. Porridge can be enriched with omena and blue band. Ground nut paste is also a useful source of rich nutrient.

The ultimate goal is to ensure your baby receives all necessary proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Do not introduce two new foods at the same time, because if the baby reacts to them, you may not be able to tell which food she has reacted to. Eggs are also a rich source of protein, but potentially allergenic. Since some foods are allergenic, introducing a single food type at a time helps you understand the possible source of any arising allergic reaction. The other thing to look out for is risk of constipation, especially when infants are fed on thick solid foods. Keep the feeds lighter in consistency, to ensure easy digestibility and lesser chances of constipation. At seven months, a child can also be given water, and less acidic fresh fruit juice (eg carrot, melon, pawpaw, mango, avocado, and kiwi).

Dr Ombeva Malande is a paediatrics and child health expert

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