BLW - gag reflex

[Sherlock]

I've posted in the BLW blog about what Galen is eating now. He's had carrot sticks, broccoli florets, roasted butternut squash, parsnip and sweet potato. He's also had pear sticks, banana, kiwi and stewed apple.

He's also has some plain natural yogurt which he loves. Sometimes I mix banana or apple in with it.

In a few days he'll be starting on toast

My thing is he hardly ever gags on things when eating. He tends to chomp into food, chews (or appears to chew) well and things get swallowed. Sometimes he coughs a lot, sometimes he spits out mouthfuls if too big or not to his taste but he has only gagged twice when eating food. Once on banana and once on carrot. If food is soft I am guessing even if he's not chewing all that much on it he is fine swallowing it.

I just wondered if anyone elses LO didn't gag much when they started BLW. I'd like to know it was working but I am guessing if he is chewing things or they are an ok size he is just getting on and moving it to the back of his mouth and swallowing.

He's 6 months in a few days. And we'll be introducing more foods, toast, meat, fish and pasta etc. Will I see more gagging then possibly do you think. I'm not worried about it per se, but was expecting more of it in the early days.

 

[daftscotslass]

We've only been doing it about 3 weeks or so but haven't had a problem, she's not gagged at all so far. A few time's she's coughed and gone a bit red but never any gagging, retching or sickness and this is my barfy baby we're talking about . I thought I would see more with drier foods like toast, pasta, pitta and meat but we really haven't had a problem so far. Touch wood.

I think if they're not used to things being smooth from the start (I was never overly fussy about making sure her purees were smooth as she was weaned a bit early) then it's much less of a problem. My nephew was weaned the "traditional" way and it took him a good while to get accustomed to lumps and finger foods after a good couple of months on smooth things.

 

[charlie84]

Calleigh chomps her way through food, she has no teeth but chews with her gums. If she is a little unsure or if she has bitten off more than she can chew she will push it out of her mouth.
No major gagging incidents as yet (fingers crossed)

 

[valentine]

I did mainly BLW (apart from yoghurt and porridge) and I have never seen DD gag.

Due to her dogged refusal to take ANYTHING from a spoon for months now, we are finger foods all the way, and I think she's only ever coughed stuff up in over 9 months on solids.

Valentine Xxx

 

[Squiglet]

The theory behind BLW is that babies do not have the ability to push food to the back of their mouths until they are 6 months at which time they also develop the ability to chew. If you choose to start your baby the pureé method before 6 months, you increase the risk of gagging and choking on things they put in their mouths because you teach the child to suck the food off the spoon rather than to eat it.

Its why BLW isn't considered a choking risk.

Lil miss only really gags on things now if she manages to stuff her mouth full of food (which she does often) and then cant swallow.

 

[Sherlock]

Thanks ladies

I know I started Galen a bit early but he was so ready for food. He's really gotten the hang of it and chews his food round his mouth well from what we can see. He has some mashed foods (apple) but we put it on the spoon and he then shovels it into his mouth and tries to eat the spoon and then the food off it. He did suck from the spoon a bit the first couple of times we did this but since then he puts it right in his mouth and chews on it even though it doesn't need chewing much.

I'll not worry then. Just keep going as we are for a few more days before we move onto the new batch of foods. He's really happy with the veggie sticks and fruit so I'm fine with that for now. Same with him eating with a spoon, so long as he is the one putting it in his mouth I'm happy. His co-ordination is improving every time he uses one.

 

[maybebaby]

ds never gagged and we started BLW at about 5 months. He was ready. He's only ever choked once, and it was my fault because I let him run around with a piece of apple in his mouth (at about 10 months) - I didn't realise he hadn't finished it.

 

[clairedoran]

I think it just means he's doing well with his food! Rebekah used to gag on most things, and it used to terrify me to be honest. I hope Erin isn't a 'gagger'! xx

 

[beanie]

Seren never gagged really, Cally has gagged loads. Gagging isn't anything bad, its them learning how to swallow food, and if you stop them gagging then you aren't helping them. Massive difference between choking and gagging.

 

[Sherlock]

He's really gotten the hang of the broccoli now Grabs the stalk, shoves as much of the actual floret as he can in his mouth and bites. Then chews away happily.

I'm not worrying about his lack of gagging. Just was expecting a bit more of it the way he shovels things in and bites veggies. I was just hoping he was managing it properly and wasn't just biting and swallowing.

Thanks ladies

 

[happy-chick]

Ellie started on puree's at 4 months but around 6-7 months she began refusing anything off a spoon so she has finger foods for every meal now and basically what we have apart from sometimes when she has weetabix/porridge etc, shes never gagged or choked so I dont think its an uncommon thing

 

[Redshoes]

Isaac never gagged that I remember, he chews real well and always loved his food so I just think he took care to make sure he ate it and didn't leave any heehee Sounds like Galen is doing ever so well, he's such a clever little man, I hope the new introductions go well and sending very best wishes and nom's

 

[BabyMagic]

My LO gags at times (like today when she had fried egg), but then she smiles straight afterwards so she must find it funny I was a bit concerned first, but as she smiles I've learnt to relax..