What's with the "squirreling"?

[We Three]

Hi again ladies...
    Been trying (still) table foods with 9 month old dd......now I'm having this problem with her "squirreling" as my SIL calls it. Today I gave her some macaroni (elbows, cut in half because I'm a bit crazy) and for the first time she actually took them! She seemed to love it, but then choked very badly...she "looked" like she had been chewing them, but after the choking there they all were...squirreled away in her cheeks. She did the same thing the other day with cut-up grapes.  Do I keep giving her table foods and risk her choking and me having cardiac arrest? Will this stop soon? Or does this mean she's just not ready? The only thing so far that she doesn't squirrel is cheerios....everything else she seems to hide in the corners of her mouth, but then takes more in. I tried giving her one at a time, but she still keeps hiding them out, then fusses because she wants more.   

[RyansMum]

Can you check her mouth each time before you give her another piece?? Would she let you do that?

I know that babies tend to do a lot of experimenting and that could be what this is but obviously you don't want to think or feel that she is going to choke each time!

What is she like with lumpy meals?

[We Three]

Thanks Ryan's mum...it's been a while...I hope Ryan is well.     Well, she doesn't seem to like the lumpier foods...she won't eat the "stage 3" baby foods, and seems to gag on anything I've offered her that is home-made (potatoes, soup)  I definitley tried giving her mouth a sweep before giving her another piece of food, but no matter what it is still in there. I show her "Look....chew, chew, chew!" and do it myself....she just yells that she wants more. So do I take the piece out of her mouth and give her a fresh one? Is she just not ready? SIL says not to stop giving the table food for a week, which is what I want to do.

[RyansMum]

Hiya, Ryan is good thanks!

Well I thought I would look at my weaning book to see if any help could be found in there but I am not sure any of it will be of real use to you.

Basically it says there is a unique window of opportunity between 9 and 12 months and babies should be given a wide range of foods, tastes and textures, however, it also says that this is the time they will exert their independence and refuse food.  It says to just take the food away and try it again another day and to repeat this. Howabout things that are soft like bananas and well cooked eggs?

I think I would take the piece out and give her another.  Perhaps she is teething and likes the feel of the chew but then when its mashed doesn't know what to do with it and therefore asks for a new piece?

[ryan's mum]

Refluxers are known to have texture aversions and it may just take time .Ryan was like a hamster too and stored the food. When his reflux was bad he would refuse solids all together and we had to go back to purees a few times and slowly introduce lumpier textures again . I would empty the mouth before giving more and only give tiny pieces of a food to see if she will thouroughly chew it and swallow .We have a very picky eater here still and there are still some foods that he will only chew and then spit out but we still offer them.

[RyansMum]

Ah see didn't think of reflux!