Natalia Stasenko on Picky Eating: A Unified Approach to Feeding Challenges

This week on Sense by Meg Faure, we tackle a topic that causes immense stress for many parents: picky eating. Meg is joined by paediatric nutritionist Natalia Stasenko, creator of the innovative Easy Bites app, to delve into the 'perfect storm' of toddler feeding, understand its roots, and offer practical, compassionate solutions for bringing peace back to the table.This episode is a must-listen for any parent navigating the complexities of their child’s eating habits:The "Perfect Storm": Understand why picky eating typically peaks between 12 and 24 months, driven by natural developmental shifts and changing nutritional needs.Beyond a Phase: Learn how to identify when picky eating might be more than just a typical stage, exploring intrinsic factors like sensory sensitivities, temperament, gastrointestinal issues, and when to consider conditions like ARFID.The Parent's Role: Unpack how parental anxiety profoundly impacts mealtime dynamics and contributes to feeding challenges, creating a "horrible cycle" that needs to be short-circuited.Two Keys to Calmer Meals: Discover the foundational principles of "safety and connection" as the core of a positive, bidirectional feeding relationship, allowing nutrition to sometimes take a backseat to long-term well-being.Responsive Feeding & Division of Responsibility: Gain practical insights into creating a structured yet flexible mealtime environment where parents provide what, when, and where, and children decide how much or whether to eat.Maximizing Accepted Foods: Learn strategies for using your child's favorite foods as a "safety blanket" while gently introducing variety and fostering natural curiosity in fresh ways.The Power of Shared Meals: Why eating together as a family is crucial for fostering a child's intrinsic curiosity and a healthy, playful relationship with food, moving away from restrictive "boundaries."The Easy Bites App: Learn how Natalia's digital tool provides personalized guidance, recipes, and psychological support to integrate the responsive feeding approach into busy family lives, complete with questionnaires and developmental timelines.Exclusive Offer: A special promo code for 6 months free access to the Easy Bites app!About Our Guest: Natalia Stasenko: A paediatric nutritionist, guest lecturer at Columbia University, and co-author of child nutrition books like Baby-Led Weaning and Real Baby Food. After struggling with feeding her firstborn, Natalia specialized in feeding problems in children and now supports families in her private practice in New York and London. She is the creator of the Easy Bites app, designed to democratize knowledge and empower families to raise generations of happy and confident eaters.Episode References and Links:📱 Parent Sense App – Your all-in-one baby care app for routines, nutrition, and expert advice. Download it here.📱 Easy Bites App – Natalia Stasenko's app for personalized picky eating guidance. Download it here: https://apps.apple.com/redeem?ctx=offercodes&id=1562987724&code=PARENTSENSE2025🎁 Exclusive Promo Code for 6 months FREE Easy Bites App access: PARENTSENSE2025 (no spaces, no punctuation). Apply in the app store after download.