The transmission of taste is a fascinating subject that I have decided to tackle in this new article. You may be wondering when taste is transmitted and whether babies' senses, and in particular taste, are already awakened in utero. Are there any tips for initiating taste development in children? And if this stage of initiation is "missed", what can be done about it?
1000 days concept
The "1000 days concept" has been in the news for some time now and concerns children from the beginning of their in utero period until they are about 2 years old. This is a decisive period in a child's life, not only for its cognitive and emotional development, but also for its health and psychological balance. During these 1,000 days, growth is unprecedented : the baby gains 2 cm per month, the size of his brain is multiplied by 5 and neuronal connections are established at a rate of 200,000 per minute. Anthony LAKE, Executive Director of Unicef, said on this subject: "Scientific studies show that biology does not decide our destiny and that it is the experience of children during their first days and years that conditions and defines their future".
Taste development
In the mother's womb, it is important to know that baby already enjoys "eating" and distinguishing different tastes.Maternal nutrition therefore plays a role in awakening baby's senses in a pleasant way with the discovery of multiple flavours. Before the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, the taste buds are already functioning and allow baby to discover a whole range of flavours and tastes. As you can see, baby experiences taste very early on, even before he has actually eaten. The taste of the amniotic fluid swallowed by baby will vary according to the mother's diet. This is why it is important to eat well and vary your diet during pregnancy. As early as the4th month of pregnancy, the 4 main tastes (sweet, salty, sour and bitter) are already perceived. Thanks to the repetition of requests, the foetus will memorise the tastes that it encounters most regularly. A study has shown that if the mother consumed garlic or vanilla at the end of her pregnancy, the child will appreciate these flavours as it grows up. It should be noted thata child at birth has more taste buds than an adult. They therefore perceive flavours more intensely.
Tips for developing children's taste
First of all, and as previously mentioned, a varied and diversified diet during pregnancy followed by breastfeeding, if possible or according to the parents' wishes, and then food diversification between 4 and 6 months, with the same type of food as during pregnancy, facilitates the development of taste in the child. The first tip, which I will share with you, is repeated exposure to a flavour both during the foetal period and after birth. It can take up to 10 presentations of a food for it to be accepted. Another idea to help you initiate taste development is to offer your child a wide variety of foods. All these sensory experiences will help your child to have as wide a repertoire of foods as possible. In addition, a variety of textures, both simple and complex, is a very interesting element. Finally, it is essential for me to remind you of the importance of pleasure during meals. Indeed, a good atmosphere, a sharing of good moments and taste sensations, a good installation at the table... are elements that facilitate food intake.
Don't worry!
If this stage of initiation is not achieved, all is never lost! You can always reconnect to your inner sensations even as an adult. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the notion of pleasure is really important. Recent surveys show that 93% of parents say they find it difficult to feed their children aged 0 to 3 and that more than half of them find it difficult to be a parent and the same number regularly look for answers to their questions on social networks. So you are not alone! Don't hesitate to seek professional help if this is a difficult time to deal with. And finally, here are some other tips to help you even more: don't stop at the first food refusal, don't force your child to finish his plates, food should not be a reward, cook with your child even at a very young age, let your child experience sensory experiences, teach him the words to describe what he tastes, have your meals together as a family as often as possible, make colourful presentations, and finally, be a positive and enthusiastic role model!
Dietician - Nutritionist specialising in paediatrics
Sources
- Concept of the 1000 days: The 1000 days, what is it? (solidarites-sante.gouv.fr)