Establishing Healthy Eating Habits
March 23, 2007 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under advantages of breastfeeding, breastfeeding, mothering, nutrition
Breastfeeding helps establish good eating habits right from the start. If a mother listens to her baby and feeds on cue, the child learns to regulate his or her own eating habits (and does not overeat just to finish off the last bit of artificial milk in a baby bottle). The baby gets exposed to a variety of flavors in the breast milk and may be more willing to try new foods when it’s time to introduce solids. All those things combined with a mother’s own good nutrition and eating habits get a child off to the best start possible. Sure there are plenty of breastfed babies who become picky eaters, but if you’re lucky like me, you might have this conversation one day:
Me: “Dinner’s ready!”
4-year-old: “What are we having?”
Me: “Beef barley vegetable soup.”
4-year-old: “I don’t want that.”
Me: “I put extra lima beans in yours.”
4-year-old: “Yay!”
Later…
4-year-old: “Mom, can I have a little bit more? Mmmm. It’s yummy! I love beef barley vegetable!”
What?! EXTRA lima beans? What kind of weirdo child are you raising over there? lol, just kidding, meant in jest. I’m 34 and I still don’t like lima beans.
I haven’t started my little one on solids yet (doc recommended 9 months and we’re at 7 1/2 right now) but I know I’m already in trouble. I have a 12 year old stepson that is set in his tastes and can’t help but make a face when I offer up something he doesn’t like. My baby girl ADORES him and will take all his visual cues to heart I’m afraid!