[saraann]

Formula always tastes the same so when a baby is exclusively formula fed they are exposed to one consistent flavor. When a baby is breastfed they taste many different flavors because the taste of the milk changes depending on what mom is eating. Are exclusively formula fed babies more picky eaters as toddlers?<br>
I was formula fed and am very picky. My husband was breastfed, he'll eat anything. My breastfed baby will eat anything. What are your experiences with your babies, and yourselves. This is just something that I have been wondering about, if there is any connection. There may not be any connection at all, but just something I have been curious about.

 

[sweetfiend]

Great theory, but not true at <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/dizzy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Dizzy">: our house! We have two teens who were extended breastfeeders (4+ years and 2+ years--both CLW) One of them is an adventurous eater and the other is very limited, picky eater.

 

[bu's mama]

I like the theory also but dd nursed until she was 4+ & has a very self-limiting diet.

 

[erika978]

I have heard that theory from a few public health nurses who run breastfeeding groups over here and from other breastfeeding advocates.<br><br>
It does make sense and while there may be some anecdotal evidence to the contrary, that doesn't mean it isn't (overall) true.<br><br>
Anecdotally, my brother and myself were both formula fed. I eat a wide variety of foods....now. I didn't as a child and even now I have issues with certain food groups, like fruit. My brother is the pickiest eater I have ever seen. At one stage, when he was around 7, he would ONLY eat white bread, white rice, sausages and chicken. and all had to be covered in rice. he didn't eat anything else. He doesn't eat much more now, either. No vegetables or fruit.<br><br>
In contrast, my breastfed twin nephews (breastfed for 2.5 years), ate olives, pineapples, many different fruits and vegetables at their second birthday party (they are 5 now). The reason I am mentioning their second birthday party is at the same time, they REFUSED the chocolate and crisps and cake <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"><br><br>
Now these days they do like some chocolate but still have a varied palette.<br><br>
My breastfeeding group leader (my PHN) used to tell us that babies who are fed beige foods, such as rusks and liga (once they start solids) and other sweetened jarred foods and shop bought finger foods, are more likely to favour beige foods such as chips, pizza and other junk food. I don't know how true that is but I'll be watching what DD eats from now on <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">

 

[A&A]

I've heard this theory and I believe it to be at least somewhat true.<br><br>
It's very true for me........I was formula fed and extremely picky. I told my dh just today that it's amazing I can ever find anything to eat!<br><br>
Would I still be picky if I had been breastfed? Perhaps, but probably not to the same extent that I am now!

 

[smeep]

Actually, from my understanding formula fed babies are more likely to be picky. At least that's what I've read.<br><br>
That said, my sister and I are definitely the exception to the rule. My younger sister was not breastfed (poor latch, weak suck, and my mom only had her 4 previous nurslings as experience and no IBCLC to guide her, so she ended up pumping for 6 weeks). I, however, was breastfed until sometime in my second year. My sister will eat anything. I've always been incredibly picky (although over the last few years I've started eating much more).

 

[bri276]

this would really only make sense if your sense of taste was a permanent condition and developed in the first years of life, which as far as I know isn't true- consider how many things the average 5 yr old will eat compared to the average 25 yr old. most formula fed babies also start getting solid food at 4 months of age, so the formula isn't the only thing they're tasting. smell actually has a lot to do with the sense of taste, so a child who was formula fed, but lived in an environment rich with smells of different foods could still be getting some different flavors (ie, if you drink water while you're smelling strong garlic, the water will taste like garlic!).<br><br>
my sister is picky and she was breastfed 18 months. being picky about food IMO is often psychological rather than a physical problem with your mouth.

 

[ellebelle]

I don't think there is one etiology to picky eating. All three of my kids were extended bf'ers. My super picky eater has sensory issues. His sense of taste and smell are overly sensitive. Slightly bitter foods taste terribly bitter. Slightly odiferous foods smell terrible to him (he can't be in the same room as someone eating cream cheese?!?!) I believe some people are super tasters - they have more taste buds than average and can be picky eaters. It can be genetic. Also, texture plays an important roll as well.<br><br>
My oldest (who had soy formula after 1 year of bf because he was allergic to milk and refused my pumped breastmilk - waaah) is my most adventurous eater.<br><br>
Ellen<br>
Wife to G., homeschooling mom to ds13, ds10, dd6<br>
Bradley certified childbirth educator.

 

[guest9921]

DS is still breastfed, and will eat anything I put in front of him.<br>
Lovessss onions, garlic, peppers, olives, pickles.<br><br>
The trick is, to leave it in front of him, not offer, and walk away. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[Nettie]

I like this theory too, but it doesn't hold true in our house. DS was breastfed and for the first year or so after he started solids, he really would eat (or at least try) anything. I thought he was going to be a great eater. But the past 6 months, he's gotten more and more picky, to the point that there's not a lot he will eat, and getting him to try something is nearly impossible. Of course, this could just be a stage that most preschool-aged kids go through, and in the end he may end up being not picky at all. So there's a thought.<br>
Both DH and I were FF, and while DH is very picky, I'm not.

 

[kathteach]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">My breastfeeding group leader (my PHN) used to tell us that babies who are fed beige foods, such as rusks and liga (once they start solids) and other sweetened jarred foods and shop bought finger foods, are more likely to favour beige foods such as chips, pizza and other junk food.</td>
</tr></table></div>
<br><br>
I'm DYING to know what rusks and liga are. Please tell us!

 

[saraann]

Very interesting. Based on responses it looks like this theory is not true. I figured that it was probably too simplistic, but still something that I just couldn't stop thinking about. It makes sense that there would be many different factors that go into picky eating, including as someone mentioned "super tasters" people who's sense of taste is stronger then others, and texture, I didn't think about that but it's so true, people like or dislike certain foods based on texture and that would have little to do with flavor. I also didn't think about smell, but that makes sense too and the fact that babies are intorduced to different foods at different times. Some parents will introduce a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and and some parents will introduce rice cereals and things like gerber graduates, crackers.<br>
Thanks for all of the interesting responses. I've been thinking about this for some time and am glad I posted as now, it gives me something else to think about.

 

[annettemarie]

Moving to the general breastfeeding forum

 

[hubris]

There was some sort of research on this. I think carrots were involved? They looked at eating behaviors of children (can't remember what age) whose mothers ate carrots during different stages/combos of stages including pregnancy and breastfeeding. I believe that foods eaten during pregnancy weren't any more likely to be accepted by the children, but foods eaten while the mother breastfed were more likely to be accepted by the children.<br><br>
Wish I could remember the whole thing. Off to google/PubMed...

 

[hubris]

AHA! Here we go:<br><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11389286&dopt=Abstract" target="_blank">PubMed abstract</a><br><br>
I was mistaken - both prenatal and postnatal exposure to flavors (through amniotic fluid or breastmilk) had an effect on infants' preferences when given solids.<br><br>
It would stand to reason that a baby whose mother eats a limited diet would also prefer a limited diet, and a baby who gets exposed to foods during pregnancy AND through breastmilk might be less picky regarding those particular foods than a baby who received only formula.<br><br><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Display&itool=abstractplus&dopt=pubmed_pubmed&from_uid=11389286" target="_blank"><br>
Bunch o' related studies</a>

 

[Kirsten]

I think the OP's theory is interesting, but not true IME either.<br><br>
All three kids in my family of origin were bf; I was painfully picky eater as a kid but my sister and brother ate a wide variety of things. Now I eat most things (as an adult) but not to the extent that they do.<br><br>
All three of my own kids were bf (for varying lengths of time). Dd1 never had an ounce of formula. Dd2 had some as she had colic when I had PPD; had to get out of the house for my sanity now and then. Dd3 was nursed exclusively but weaned earliest of my three kids due to bf issues (very humbling after successfully nursing the first two kids to a year or past) so had a number of months of formula. All three of my kids are great eaters, will try almost anything and can go to any type of restaurant and eat what we do. But dd3 is a bit of a junk food junkie, preferring anything "bad" over most food - except raw carrots! The kid is eating a big bowl of them for lunch right now.

 

[erika978]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>kathteach</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7892490"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I'm DYING to know what rusks and liga are. Please tell us!</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
THey are sweetened baby biscuits, basically, and used especially for teething. I remember eating them as a toddler and child. I used to ADORE liga mushed in hot milk. Still would probably eat it now <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"><br><br>
I went looking for it for my DD but on reading the labels, put it straight back on the shelf. Too much sugar and preservatives. Even the reduced sugar varieties weren't up to scratch. Plus DD is probably a coeliac so since it isn't gluten free, it is a no-no.<br><br>
Here is info on Liga:<br><a href="http://www.jacobfruitfield.com/brands/liga/" target="_blank">http://www.jacobfruitfield.com/brands/liga/</a>