Question for moms of fussy eaters!

[Evita]

I was just curious in a general sort of way whether babies who are incredibly fussy eaters were breast or bottle fed. My daughter's a fusspot and has always been breast fed. I was lying in bed this morning thinking that if maybe a baby's bottle fed they get used to being fed from something that's not their mom's body and also with food that's not human in origin. I also wondered in general if people with fussye eaters had babies who were good drinkers. My daughter is a pain to get to drink her milk too. That pint a day lark is a hoot in our flat. I'm lucky if she has 12 ounces by the end of the day.

My dd is a terribly fussy eater and she was bottle fed - cos she wouldn't take breast milk!! I should have known then

Interesting post Evita ... particularly given mine below. DS was breastfed and is incredibly fussy now though did eat anything I put infront of him when he was younger (didn't start solids til 24w). Drinking ... he's dreadful!! Milk - gets offered about 22oz a day - some days takes 14oz, others maybe 18oz. Water - would hardly touch it unless we were out and about until I introduced a straw cup last week ... bingo - now he drinks loads!! BTW, he's 25 mths.

I thought the general idea was that breast feeding was likely to make babies less fussy eaters rather than more, because breast milk changes depending on what the mother has eaten, whereas formula always tastes the same. Can't say my breastfed children were marvellously un-fussy though

Ok, my theory might not hold re. breast feeding if the bottle fed variety of baby are just as fussy! It was just a thought in an insomniac moment, 6.15 am ... yawn ... And I'm always trying to find a reason why my little darling turns her nose up at everything I offer her to eat.

To answer your survey - My kids are fab eaters (the only thing DS hates is milk and DD eats all) and they were both long term exclusive BFers- started solids at 5 momnths or later
DSwas BF for 8 months , DD for 19 months.

Well so far my dd is a fantastic eater (15 months and still breastfed) ... I'd heard the thing about breastmilk varying in taste and so getting the baby used to slightly different tastes right from the start. Not sure if it's true in practice?

Anyway - I think babies are all different in the amount of food they need and not many starve even if they're the fussiest eaters! I think they know what they need and if you let them get on with it they'll nearly always be ok. Not much fun if your baby is really fussy though - as I love food and am glad my dd shares that passion!

DS1 (3) bf for 5-6 months - flipping atrocious eater. Was never even fussed about milk as a tiny baby.
DS2 (1)- bf for 6 weeks - not a bother. Climbs out of the highchair to reach food on the table.

There is no logic.

I bf ds for 3 months, then soya formula. He eats really well although has off days like everyone else. I wondered whether parents' attitudes had an effect - dh and I love food and eat a healthy diet, ds does the same.

Gosh, it's all so interesting but in the end not very conclusive is it? Seems babies are fussy however they're started on milk in the first place. Thanks to everyone for the responses.

DD1 (8) - b/fed for 2 months - eats like a horse

DS1 (6) - b/fed for 4 months - used to be a little picky, but eats very well now.

DD2 (4) - b/fed for 3 months - has ALWAYS been picky - never fussed for milk, even when on bottles NEVER finished a whole bottle. Doesn't like trying new things, and if things smell "funny", doesn't even attempt to eat them and will gag

Ds (3) was bf for a year and is now a fussy eater, although he was fine while I was weaning him (from 18 weeks) and ate all sorts. Now he'll eat bread/toast, cornflakes, ham, raisins, satsumas, raspberries, crisps, chocolates/sweets, cheese and crackers, biscuits and lots and lots of yoghurt/fromage frais. Actually, when I see it written down, it doesn't look too bad - and last night he ate some peas! Veg are normally a BIG no no!

I'm told he has a reasonable lunch at the child minder's (although no veg!), so I try not to worry too much.

I'm just being patient though and refusing to make food a battleground. He did eat all sort when he was weaning (Annabel Karmel, eat your heart out!) and I'm sure he'll come round again.

I'm not sure about the milk theory either - we had no problems transferring ds onto cow's milk, and he still drinks nearly a pint a day, which combined with all his "yokkas" means that he is getting PLENTY of calcium.

Just a thought JanZ - at 3 children only need 1/2pint milk a day inclusive of milk used in cooking so maybe if you cut back on the milk your ds drinks he would eat more food - a friend of mine had a v.picky dd who drank loads of milk and found when she cut it right back the eating improved dramatically. She also limited juice and squash to with meals only as far as possible.
ps I'm looking at an NHS leaflet called 'feeding your child from 1-3' which I picked up in the clinic last week.

Well, Vivie, yes and no. I was advised to cut out breast feeds to encourage my daughter to be more interested in solid / finger foods. It totally backfired! She now drinks virtually no milk and hasn't upped the solids at all.