OVER-FEEDING.
Reading edition
What do you mean by this term? The infant gets too much food, and this is chiefly done at night.
Can I depend upon the infant's natural desire for food as to the quantity to be given? Not always, the habit of over-eating is frequently acquired, and is frequently seen in infants with a good digestion.
What harm results from over-feeding an infant? The food lies in the stomach or bowels, undigested, ferments, and causes gas and colic, and if the over-feeding is long continued, serious trouble arises. The baby becomes restless, fretful, irritable, sleeps badly, stops gaining weight and may lose weight.
[588 MOTHERS' REMEDIES ]
LOSS OF APPETITE.
What may cause this? Over-feeding or the use of milk too rich in fat.
What can I do for this trouble? If the child is well, offer food to him at regular hours only. Do not coax or force him to eat even though he takes only one-half or one-third of his usual quantity. Lengthen the intervals between the feedings. It may be necessary with a child under a year old to reduce the number of feedings to three or four in twenty-four hours. Give water at more frequent intervals, weaken instead of strengthening the food.