Textbook Problem

Baby Samantha Will Not Eat

Samantha is a healthy 8-month-old girl who lives with her mother, Kathy, her father, and her older sister, who is almost 3 years old. Both parents now work full-time, and both children attend day care full-time. Kathy nursed Samantha exclusively before she returned to work and built up a supply of frozen breast milk. She nurses her twice per day now, early in the morning and before Samantha goes to sleep. Samantha gets breast milk offered in bottles at day care. Samantha is reported by the day care staff to be a good baby. However, when Kathy picks her up after work, Samantha wants to be held and will not sit in her high chair or eat dinner. She cries if she is not held. Samantha’s sister wants to eat as soon at they get home. Kathy has so much to do at home after work that she finds it difficult to hold Samantha. Kathy thinks that Samantha must be hungry and that she would be less irritable if she ate her dinner.

Should Kathy stop or continue breastfeeding to improve Samantha’s eating?