Question:
For Long-Term Post Ops w/ children after surgery

I was wondering, when you had a baby after surgery, as the child grows up do they tend to stay away from sweets and pop? I figured it's possible that since while you were pregnant and didn't eat candy and pop, then maybe the child would grow up the same.    — Sunny4x4chick (posted on October 14, 2002)

October 14, 2002
It's a nice thought but it just doesn't work that way. Studies have shown that babies (while still in the womb) love sugar and will suck like crazy if sugar is introduced to their feeding tube. It's amazing and horrifying at the same time. Some people just naturally love sugar and have to combat those cravings their whole life and others just don't care that much for it beyond a small helping. I have seen parents who are totally health-food nuts, with no processed foods or sugars in their diet, whose child will sneak sugary products away from home - and other's who've grown up with an abundance of sugary stuff who just aren't crazy for it. My daughter has grown up exposed to lots of chocolate, sugar and treats and prefers salads, meat and healthy stuff. I grew up in a "normal" home with dessert twice a week and no other real sugary items and would use my lunch money to purchase candy and skip lunch. Education seems to be the key...though you have to be careful not to scare them into an eating disorder. A delicate balance. Good luck!
   — [Deactivated Member]

October 14, 2002
I have to say that it does not matter what you eat. Everyday that I was pregnant with my son, which is 15 years old now; I ate a Hershey's with almonds and drank a Sonic Vanilla Dr. Pepper. Til he was 3 years old he had never had candy or sodas. He was addicted to fruit and vegtables because that is what he grew up on. So that is NOT true that they eat what you ate while pregnant with them.
   — Patricia L.

October 15, 2002
The parent is responsible for what a child eats.....Most kids like sugary treats, but how much they have is up to you. If you keep that type of food handy as the grow up..they will eat it more. If you start with good food habits and show that "sweets and sodas" are occasional treats it should be fine. I grew up drinking Iced Tea because that was the drink available to me...after awile my mom started getting soda by the case and it would sit there forever...even before surgery I would drink a Pepsi maybe 3 times a year and yes, I like pepsi, rootbeer, gingerale. I think the fact that it was not readily available to me growing up, having it presented as a treat helped...now if only the Fritos were treated the same way :O)
   — Patricia R.