Ep. 22 Little Foodies: Overcoming Picky Eating in Early Childhood
Meal times should be a time of enjoyment and connection. But if you have a picky eater, then the power struggle is real. Today, on our latest podcast episode, I had the pleasure of connecting with Kerry Lett from Milestones Nutrition, who shares valuable tips to help families overcome picky eating in early childhood.
Building a Healthy Foundation
Eating well, moving our body, and getting sufficient sleep contribute to a healthy foundation. Both feeding and sleeping play crucial roles in regulating the body. How and what a person eats can impact not only their overall health but also their sleep quality. There are foods that can help us sleep better and foods that may impair our sleep. When getting started with solids for your baby, Kerry recommends that you, "Start slowly, build gradually."
The Importance of Food Choices and Relationships
While there's still much to learn about the food choices we make, the relationship we have with the food we eat is paramount. Understanding the nutritional needs for your child’s age and stage, feeding patterns, and creating routines that support your feeding goals can help minimize feeding time battles and foster a more positive mealtime experience for everyone.
Key Loving Lessons Learned in this episode:
🟣 What mistake do parents make when it comes to mealtimes?
🟣 What do you do to avoid power struggles with mealtimes?
🟣 What do we need to know about picky eating?
🟣 Can children overcome picky eating?
🟣 How do I know if my child is a picky eater?
🟣 How do you get started with feeding solid foods for your infant?
🟣 How to go from Yuck to Yum?
Resources mentioned to help you keep learning & growing:
⭐ Kerry Lett- Milestones Nutrition
Over the years, I've observed thousands of parents worry and wonder if their child has eaten enough. To be honest, this was my struggle too for so many years. Feeding and sleeping often emerge as the biggest challenges for parents, leading to disconnection.
Power struggles can lead to disconnection during meals. Often this stems from a lack of trust that our children are listening to their bodies. Children are inherently capable of tuning into their bodies and knowing when they feel satiated. However, their need for sleep is sometimes misunderstood as a need for feedings.
Have you ever caught yourself saying this about your , well if they don’t want to sleep, they must be hungry? This keeps us on the crazy train!
When we establish healthy feeding patterns with our baby, toddler, or preschooler, this makes sleep times much easier. By becoming more aware of our child's nutritional needs and approaching mealtimes with relaxed, calm confidence, we can guide them through mealtime routines more effectively.
If you find yourself struggling with mealtimes, ask for help. Listen to the full podcast episode to dive deeper into these topics and gain practical advice from Kerry.
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