Foods for helping them learn how to gum/chew?

[Paulsmama]

Hi all, I could really use some suggestions on foods for my 9 mo DS to help him learn to gum/chew his food (two teeth).  Right now he only eats purees, though I thicken them quite a bit with cereal, he is just swallowing.  In the past week we've tried mashed avocado and mashed egg yolk, thinned with water but still a bit lumpy, and he has choked, gagged and vomited right away.  Then the rest of the day I have to make his food runnier or he won't eat it.

I've given him some large pieces of hard bread to gnaw on, if he manages to tear a little piece off he pushes it out with his tongue.  I've given him some very ripe pear pieces -- same thing.  When he had veggie/fruit puffs he just swallowed them and we had a bad result on the other side, so I'm waiting a bit to retry those.  If you have any suggestions on what we can do to help him learn to mash up his food in his mouth, I would really appreciate it.  The vomiting is no fun for either of us!

[cwolff]

Hmm...obviously he has a very strong gag reflex.  It probably scares him too when he gags, and that's why he refuses it again.  First, I would call his doctor and rule out that there is no medical cause for the gagging.  Once that is either ruled in or out, I would ask him/her for suggestions.  My only thought would be to keep at it, because he will get it eventually.  But that is of course if there is nothing medically preventing him from swallowing the food.  And you said that the fruit/veggie puffs upset his stomach?  Check the ingredients on those and keep an eye out for something that he could be allergic to.  Good luck, and I wish I could offer more insight.