The Worry Cycle of Feeding Challenges
Most likely, you're here because you've reached your wit's end.
With every failed mealtime, you feel the weight of worry and frustration about your child's eating habits. Whether you've faced feeding challenges from day one, dealt with health issues like reflux, or had a great eater who turned picky as a toddler, the stress and anxiety these challenges bring to the whole family are immense.
You’re in the right place if you’ve tried every trick in the book to get your child to eat.
Introduction to The Worry Cycle- Developed by Katja Rowell, MD
You may be unfamiliar with the term “the worry cycle” but it might be a well-known pattern to you.
Does bargaining, bribery, or coaxing a few more bites sound familiar?
Despite your best efforts, feeding challenges persist, leaving you feeling defeated and unsure where to turn next. And let’s face it, unsolicited advice from well-meaning folks can sometimes do more harm than good.
This cycle, known as The Worry Cycle, looks like this:
Breaking the Worry Cycle Starts with You
The first step to stop worry in its tracks begins with you and shifting your mindset.
These key points are crucial to shifting your perspective to get off the worry spiral:
Refusal is normal: It’s totally normal for kids to refuse food. It’s part of their learning process.
Pressure creates resistance: The pressure you feel to have your child eat a healthy meal can often backfire, making your child put up their guard and eat even fewer varieties of foods.
Consistency is key: Just because your child ate a food once doesn’t mean they’ll eat it again. Similarly, just because they refused it once doesn’t mean they’ll never eat it. They need consistent exposure to learn about it.
Realistic Expectations: Kids need many exposures to food to learn about it. Some days they might be more open to trying new things than others.
Actionable Steps for Change
When we focus on mindset shifts first, the action plan becomes much more manageable:
Sensory exposure: A food exposure includes seeing, touching, smelling, and tasting. Too much pressure can backfire, so take it slow and steady.
Relax and regulate: Your anxiety can be felt by your child. Work on your own sensory regulation first to create a calm environment.
Family-style serving: Encourage interaction with foods by serving them family-style rather than pre-plating. This reduces immediate refusals.
Create a safe environment: Stress-free meals are crucial. When kids feel safe and supported, they are more likely to try new foods.
Flexibility and patience: Long-term change requires flexibility and patience. Your child didn’t become a picky eater overnight, and the solution won’t be immediate either.
Breaking the worry cycle can be tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Our feeding coaching packages are designed to help you navigate these challenges with personalized strategies and support. Let’s work together to make mealtime a positive experience for both you and your child.
Together, we can turn mealtime power struggles into harmonious family moments full of curiosity and acceptance.
Let us help you unlock your child’s full food potential today!
Many parents of selective eaters face anxiety and uncertainty when trying to introduce new foods. This FREE GUIDE offers practical solutions to help you overcome the barriers associated with introducing new foods to your selective eater. By following the steps in this comprehensive guide, you’ll be able to pull your chair up to the table with confidence rather than trepidation.
Your child’s eating habits did not form in one day, and they can’t be changed quickly either.
This guide will help you adopt a compassionate approach to your child’s eating challenges. You’ll learn to shift your mindset, enabling you to work together with your child to create more connected and safe eating experiences for the whole family.
Transformation is within reach, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
