My 12 mo DD has started being ‘difficult’ at meal times. We have always done 50/50 spoon and finger foods as she didn’t get a good range of foods doing just BLW and it always causes her to be constipated (not a criticism of BLW it just hasn’t worked for us).
she has recently been poorly and after a weeks worth of forcing a syringe into her mouth for antibiotics she now doesnt want a spoon anywhere near her and I think wants to feel ‘in control’. I’m sticking to finger foods for now but she is quite choosy as to what she will pick up and eat.
Here now is my question - by letting her dictate what she has - will I regret it? I don’t want to end up with a child I have to cook multiple/ different meals for. Currently if I just give her something she throws it on the floor, and tantrums. If I give her a choice and show her items of food she is much happier - she will either head shake ‘no’ or clap ‘yes’ if she wants it and will do this several times a meal. Eg I’ll offer banana, toast, egg and she will have some then move on to the next thing. It’s not actually what the food is but whether she is given a choice which seems to make a difference.
I know this sounds stupid but Im aware what I do now could influence her to being a fussy eater, as I feel this is a protest for ‘control’ which I totally understand and know is normal. I just get anxious about her meals, we have had a rough time recently with recurrent illness where she stopped eating anything and woke up multiple times a night as she needed extra milk. I’m a single parent so have no one to split things with and this is coming from a place of exhaustion, she sleeps better with a full belly.
So TLDR - will letting her choose now set precedent for a fussier toddler?