A question about older BLW children and fussiness
This question is aimed at those with older BLW children…. I’m interested to know if any of your LO’s are showing signs of being fussy, or is it just exercising freedom of choice? The Pickle (14 months) definitely has a preference for different foods on her plate meaning that some items NEVER get a look in. Do you think this is fussiness? Or maybe a phase? I wonder if the theory that BLW produces children who are not fussy eaters is entirely correct or does nature rather than nurture play a bigger part in it.
The Pickle still won’t touch broccoli, will not touch raw tomatoes either which is interesting considering my sister and grandfather both would not touch them due to the texture being utterly disgusting to them. Maybe this is a family trait?? She certainly doesn’t seem to be phased by new foods put in front of her and will generally give them a go at least once at a meal. Wondered what other LO’s are doing…………
Aitch:
To which I say – I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that broccoli can taste disgusting to some people and it is an inherited trait. Although I may have read it in The Big Book Of Science Non-Facts. And Babybear never ate raw tomatoes either and has developed an allergy in the last few months so I’m going along with the Gill Rapley thinking that she was avoiding them because she knew she was sensitized to them. Must pop off now, am supposed to be working…
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I’ve actually read that picky eating in general may have a genetic component, though of course I can’t remember where. I’m sure nurture helps, but the fact remains that my family’s menu got more varied over time, and my brother (#4 out of 5 kids) was the pickiest eater for a very long time. And my mom did something very similar to BLW for most of us.
Beauty is only a year, and when she avoids something on her plate I usually figure she’s had enough of that food group for now and is looking for some nutrient not in that food. The only food she consistently won’t eat is eggs, much to my dismay. (I love eggs.) She doesn’t seem to be allergic to them, but maybe she doesn’t like the texture or something?
oh that’s really interesting about the genetic component, if you do come across the thing you read, would you put it up here? i’ve also read that people who are on the autistic spectrum (which is sooooooo broad, as i’m sure you know) have real difficulties with texture. the way i see it, children are human beings, so they’re entitled to be freaky about stuff, just like the rest of us. if their freaky thing happens to be food, having a BLW ‘head’ on is only going to help the situation. There was a documentary on ITV a while back, pretty decent despite the channel, presented by a doc specialising in food refusers. they put cameras on in the houses and in all but one case the ‘problem’ was solved to a greater or lesser degree by the parents backing off completely. of course, it was a sample of four families, so not conclusive, but interesting all the same.
however, in the most extreme case, a 13-year-old who had only eaten chocolate for YEARS, her parents had given up trying to persuade her otherwise and the doc said that they had done completely the right thing. she described the girl (who was lovely) as having an aversion equivalent to us being asked to eat dog mess.
anyway, teenagehood did the trick, the girl started to feel left out, was dreaming of eating a pizza with her (also lovely) friends, and was now asking for help For Herself. she got the therapist she needed, and made great strides.
oh, and can’t help you with the eggs, i’m afraid. i have one here who refuses potato other than in the form of a french fry (not even a chip, goddammit, a french fry). very irritating, but there you go. she just doesn’t like potato unless it’s been sliced lengthways and breadthways to measure 3mm each side, then deep-fried.
Regarding the broccoli, it is true that some people are able to taste its bitter element more than others. This is genetic, and while there is some range as I understand it, most people are fairly well at one or the other end of the spectrum. Some of us are ‘tasters’ and some are ‘non-tasters’ (and this applies to other foods as well, the ‘tasters’ actually have more taste buds if I recall correctly). Personally I love broccoli!
Regarding older children who did BLW, my daughter will be 3 years next week and was weaned using BLW (though with a few purees here and there, I was never a purist nor take these things TOO seriously). I still let her eat whatever she wants from her plate and throw away what’s discarded without fuss, and she definitely has her preferences, but eats a good varied diet with no particular fussiness at all. She seems to have a really positive attitude toward food and tries new things with little encouragement. However if she doesn’t like it she won’t be made to eat it, and frankly I don’t blame her!
Definitely happy with how things worked out. We have no food issues and no dinnertime battles, though we do still frequently have food ending up on the floor…
Baby number two is just starting now. Hope all goes just as well.
Supertasting has a genetic component, see http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/29/4/535.short
for one peer-reviewed article.
But also going through phases of liking or not liking certain foods is statistically speaking pretty likely for any baby. The proportion of fussy eaters is a lot higher than supertasters, whom are quite rare.
F.A.S.C.I.N.A.T.I.N.G.
My LO was a brilliant starter and ate, not just explored, almost from the word go. He is now 2 1/2 years and still eats everything, just not as much as I would like. He is still breastfeeding (I have a new bub and the supply is plentiful)and I don’t want him to become anemic. He is fit and healthy though and meeting all of his milestones brilliantly. I put it down to 2 year old developement, learning to assert his own ideas….
I am a little worried about my nine month old. At the beginning he had a prederence for meat but would try any veg placed in front of him. Then he discovered carbs – stuffs himself with rice, potatoes or bread (although not so keen on pasta and doesn’t realise that spaghetti is for putting in the mouth). He still loves his meat and gobbles it up. The problem now is he is not at all interested in eating any veg except for brocolli (floret only), caulifloiwer, celery, celeriac or baby sweetcorn. All other veg just gets left on the tray untouched or is waved about before being flung across the room without going anywhere near his mouth. I have tried putting the veg on his tray first as a starter but it still gets left. He has no problem with fruit and eats loads of that for breakfast.
He is a bit like his father who, before we had the baby, ate mainly fruit & very little veg!
Has anyone else experienced this problem or have any suggestions? I am trying to follow the guidance about no coaxing or suggesting to the baby but it’s becoming difficult for me. I hope it’s just a phase as I worry about him not getting the right nutrients
Hi Si Si
It all sounds perfectly normal and a good old phase.
Try not to worry on a meal to meal or even day to day basis. Los tend to be pretty savvy at balancing out their nutrition over time ( as long as they are being offered a balanced choice)
Keep offering a wide choice of food and try and relax as much as possible. After all you can’t force them to eat it.