Baby Led Weaning Support Thread - Part 10

[creations]

gagging isn't dangerous-just unpleasant, but the babies don't seem to be phased by it!!

Mine will be gagging on one mouthful and shovelling another mouthful in at the same time!  It rarely phases him.  The absolute worst ones are when he swallows something too big and bringing it up makes his eyes water and he looks uncomfortable (this is not a choke, he is still breathing) and 2 seconds later he picks up whatever it was that he's just hacked up and has another go at it!
Honestly these LOs

I'd suggest taking an infant first aid course to familiarise yourself with what to do in a choking situation.  They are more likely to choke on a small toy or button but the knowledge from the course is well worth having and it may help you relax around meal times.

[amayzie]

I'd suggest taking an infant first aid course to familiarise yourself with what to do in a choking situation.

I was going to suggest this- I am usually pretty calm as through my work i have had to be able to tell the difference between the two, but i always go through my head what i need to do in case- but that is the same with older babies and finger foods (and kids!). Apparently i was traditionally weaned as a baby, but routinely had to be turned upside down when i started finger foods as i just loved it so much! (I don't think thats the recommended practice for choking now- but an example)

[*Ali*]

I covered infant choking and CPR in my first aid at work course although that was 3yrs ago now.

I imagine you're familiar from your line of work too zoey?

[amayzie]

Oh- what do you do Zoey?

[Zoey]

Yes, I'm familiar however it's one of my biggest fears.  Owen choked the other day and I had to do the Heimlich and I am still having nightmares. 

Katy, I am (or was?... I haven't worked since Owen was born) a nurse.

Thanks ladies, I'm excited to try this...  I'm hoping Wyatt enjoys it more than the puree.

[amayzie]

Ha! A nurse!! Well you should be right then!! I'm a speech path and i have to know because i'm the woman feeding the kids things they can't eat...

I think though in some ways kids are more likely to choke than little babies- on food anyway... in that their gag reflex is stronger and stuff all seems to come out way before it's in choke range...

Oh- i'm so laughing now- I was searching for a good link on the difference between choking and gagging to give you some more information Zoey- how embarrassing!!   

[Zoey]

Oh no no, don't be!  I would have welcomed it and been very grateful!!    Thank you for the thought

[amayzie]

OMG!! HAmish has discovered a new favourite food!! Pasta bolognaise!! He SMASHED it!! AND he ate it out of a big boy bowl! (If by big boy you include a plastic tupperware divided dish with mummy keeping a finger on the side just in case). My secret ingredient that made it nice enough for mummy and daddy to aslo eat with no sugar and salt: Grated apple to take the tang out of the tomatoes!!

Also- i've decided to start offerring him lunch every day this week and then start dropping the afternoon feed (feed 3 out of 4). Mainly because the afternoon and night feeds have been a bit iffy- either wanting one or the other, or sometimes neither!! So today he had lunch and then when i offerred the afternoon feed he had a bit of a suck but preferred to look at his poppy who had come for a visit. And then was right till dinner- where he ate an almost adult sized portion of bolognaise!! More meat than pasta... but LOVED IT!!

[creations]

The choking thing - I'm sure you will already know this though - any choke size/shape things I didn't offer for a while until I felt DS was really in control of what he was putting in his mouth.  I didn't give raisins or peas for ages.  Grapes and cherry toms I sliced in half or quarters.  On the whole though I kept things really big.
I've told this little story on here before...
I noticed a button had fallen from DS's cardigan one day, it was right next to him on the floor, I was SO glad I found it before he did and it struck me then, bigger is safer.  I would rather he tried to put an entire plastic plate in his mouth than a small plastic button - you know?

And sorry if I'm being patronising with you being a nurse and all...
the infant choke method is different, the heimlich isn't used like with an older child or adult, maybe just look at a video on-line, with an infant it's more like a chest compression.

[amayzie]

Grapes and cherry toms I sliced in half or quarters

I do this- and once he started breaking up the kiwifruit skin i peeled it...

[Zoey]

And sorry if I'm being patronising with you being a nurse and all...
the infant choke method is different, the heimlich isn't used like with an older child or adult, maybe just look at a video on-line, with an infant it's more like a chest compression.

Thanks, I know this.  I'm completely comfortable with "what" to do - it doesn't mean I'm not afraid of it happening.  I was just sharing how afraid I actually am, when I mentioned Owen choking.

Anyway, the first trial went amazing.  He ate more than he ever has lol.  He did, as I was afraid, bite off HUGE pieces - and I, as I was afraid, freaked out inside... however, I watched and waited and he spit a lot out, and mashed the rest.  He ended up eating, 1/4 pear (offered 1/4 raw and 1/4 steamed - he didn't like the raw at all) and a stick of watermelon.  He actually drank some water out of a regular cup too, which was quite impressive to us both.

Thanks for all the help ladies

[Zoey]

Oh and I still cut my 6 yr olds grapes in half...

[creations]

Sounds like a great start.  Well done you!  There were a couple of times when we first started out that I had the scary butterflies inside too and just made sure I hid it from DS so he didn't feel anything was wrong or scary.
I've found it got easier to relax after a short while.

[amayzie]

yeah- they gag enough stuff out- or just swallow it!!! great work zoey!!

[eshea]

Ali, my guy is 9 mths.  Sick the past two days, so only cold applesauce seems to make him happy.