Nearly 8 months - still struggling to swallow anything with texture

[Tweakster]

Finn is nearly 8 mths and we are really struggling the weaning process.  He has no interest in solids, purees forget it, lately he just chews the spoon and smiles.  But I have been giving him things like sweet potato sticks, toast, rice cakes, mum mum biscuits etc. to get him used to the solid food in his mouth.  He has taken to putting it to his mouth and breaks a bit off but mushes it around and then pushes it back out.  He really doesn't like to swallow anything.  If it does reach the back of his throat he gets upset panics and gags/chokes.  It usually comes back out again, it's just luck if anything makes it into his stomach.

Does this mechanism just kick in at some point?  We have an occupational therapist visits for feeding issues (re: reflux) but she's not back until the end of the month and I am wondering if there is anything else I need to be doing?  I am trying to bump up the offerings to 3x per day now to see if that will expedite.  Or is that too overwhelming?

[Brodster'sMommy]

Sounds like my LO used to be! He wouldn't take any chunky foods (had to be totally pureed) or any kind of toast, breads, cheerios, etc until now - and he's 1 year old! I contacted my doctor when he was 10 months because I was so worried. I told my doc that every time I would try to give DS something like puffs or chunky solids, he would choke! My doctor told me that it was nothing to worry about and to give DS time. I continued to offer those foods every so often, but it took DS until he was about 11.5 months to finally eat chunky foods. And now he's eating everything. Maybe he didn't have an interest in those foods until now? Or didn't like the texture? But now he's eating toast, puffs, cheerios and even taking bites of my sandwiches or bagels and swallowing them! I'm shocked. But it all happened when he was ready. I would be patient. Keep offering the foods but if your LO gags or chokes, then stop and try again a few days later. I wouldn't push it just in case he starts to hate solids b/c of it. I wouldn't worry

[MummyToBen]

Hi 

Just wondering if you'd thought of checking out the baby led weaning thread as there's lots of ideas for finger foods etc which Finn might find better?  If you are finding he is waking from hunger then maybe you could focu your efforts on getting him to eat foods that are really high in calories....veggies are great but they are what we tend to eat when (if??!) we are dieting, and so not exactly rammed with calories.  Try stuff like greek yoghurt, home made hummus (because of the salt), cream cheese, normal cheese, anything you can think of that has got lots of good calories from fat and protein, and spread on toast and cut into fingers, on the end of bread sticks (and keep loading it up as they eat it off) or just straight from their hands if necessary!!  I make cheesy sauces and put them on pasta shapes that Ben picks up and eats, or homemade lasagne that they can just grab handfuls of. 

Of course, try and introduce veggies and fruit when you can, but it sounds like calories is what is needed at the moment, so it might just be doing one step at a time. 

For reflux, I've always figured that the less sloppy and wet a food is, the easier it will be to stay down.  This is one of the reasons we did 'Baby led weaning' (not keen on the term, myself), as it is more solid stuff rather than just mush. 

Also, the gag reflex in children is much more sensitive than in adults - basically as a protection mechanism to stop them from choking as they are more indescriminate about what they put in their mouths  (so often when we think our child is 'choking' it is actually the gag refluex just working well as ity is just pushing something out of the mouth that would be too big for the child to swallow).  Of course, if your child turns blue, goes silent, stops breathing etc then that's NOT good!  But, generally the coughing and pushing food out in a dramatic way(!) looks really bad, but is actually fine.  Google it if it helps!

hth, Claire x

[MummyToBen]

If he is gagging, the best thing you can do is stand back and watch. Chances are very good that he will gag, maybe even vomit a tiny bit, and then go back to eating his mum mum. Gagging and even puking is nothing to worry about, it is his little body taking care of itself. A choke is very different, and much less likely. In a choke he would be gagging to no effect and stop breathing. In that case, you need to lean him forward and give him a hard slap in the back between the shoulder blades to dislodge the food. Don't reach into his mouth to get stuff out, you'll risk pushing it further down his throat.

Hi again, I just read this post from Anna in the thread "scared of finger foods"...seems to sum up some of what I was trying to say 

[Tweakster]

Hi there, I was holding off giving him cheese, but now I can't remember why...?  lol

Isn't there something about waiting to give cow's milk or something?  But at this point I think heck why not try anything.

Those are great ideas, thanks.

[MummyToBen]

Hmm, I know the guidelines are different in every country  but in the UK cheese is fine from 6 months.  It is pretty high in salt and saturated fat so you don't want to give *loads* but I would think that if you are thinking he needs to be eating calorie dense foods then it is probably a good one for now and you could cut down later on as he starts eating different things.  Why don't you google 'calorie dense foods' (can you tell I'm a googe fiend??!!) and see what is recommended where you are?

Oh, one other thing is jut learning what foods make your lo gag the least and then using them as 'base' foods for other stuff. For example, I used to find that bread made Ben gag all the time, but toast didn't (well, not as much).  So for ages I would just spread different things on toast as I knew he would manage it better.

Claire x

[Tweakster]

Thanks again.  Yes yesterday I gave him proper steamed butternut squash and it's a bit stringy - he put it in his mouth and was very angry lol  Needless to say he didn't eat any of it. 

I'll try some cheese, we have some and he's not eating formula today due to teething so it might help.

[Canwi]

You don't need to watch calorie intake on LO's until around 2yrs of age.  They need all the fats they can get to help with weight gain and neurological development.

[~Sarah~]

Just wanted  to jump in and follow along.   DS is going through the same thing, except he will eat purees, sort of.  If it is a flavor he has not had yet, he still gags and throws up.  I just wait a few days and try again.  He is getting better though so I am hopeful.  He will eat the puffs and cheerios and mum mum now, but if the piece gets too big again he will gag.
I have tried cheese and sometimes it works and sometimes not.  I take cottage cheese and even smush it more and that will sometimes work.
I think he will just work it out eventually.

You mentioned about cheese...here in the states it is ok to give them milk products, ie. cheese, yogurt etc., but you are to wait for staright cows milk until a year.  The processing of the milk breaks down the proteins that make straight milk hard for them to digest.

I think you mentioned your LO was teething?  My DS would not touch ANY solids while he was teething, not even his favorite banana puree!  Maybe it will get better when the teeth come in.

Good Luck

[Canwi]

Wendy, you may find Finn is funny about textures related to his reflux.  Can't say I know why, but I have heard of other reflux mothers finding the same thing.