Strong Gag Reflex - What to do?

[Lucysmom]

Hi -

My dd is behind with solids but I am just happy that she is finally eating now (she is almost 10 months).  To date, she eats purees and cereal and the cereal is not completely smooth (so she is used to some texture but not a lot).  I want to start giving her finger foods but she gags on everything.  This morning I was thrilled that she was gumming a cracker and got a piece in her mouth.  She then proceeded to gag and then vomit.  So what do I do?  Keep trying with the idea that she will grow out of this gag reflex?  Or am I traumatizing her?  She put the cracker in her mouth herself mind you.  Are there other finger foods I should try that might be better considering her gag reflex?  She is on soy formula and I am keeping her away from milk products as I think she may be intolerant.  Any thoughts/ideas would be MOST appreciated!  Thanks!

[DJs mummy]

Sorry, I have no advice personally but just HAD to reply and say your DD is adorable .  I just LOVE your avatar.  Hope others have lots of great advice to help you out.

[evelyn]

sorry melissa but i just HAVE to ditto the pp!!  Iv seen your avatar before and remarked to myself how beautiful she is, but its only now i know how young she is...wow that hair, she is such a cutie!!

[ryan's mum]

when we started with finger foods we gave cheerios , Ryan would play with them on his tray and then put them in his mouth , they dissolve really quickly , also we gave baby biscuits that go really soggy . we had a champ at gagging too ! we went to lumpy food but after a few months he started to gag again like he had never had lumpy food , we had to go back to purees and start over .

[Mom2X&F&V]

Just a quick reply. I also had gagging, I know it was not the same, but she vomited a lot so I tried giving finger foods before every meal with no food to vomit. First thing in the morning cheerios, before lunch cookies and before dinner soft cheese and bread or banana. It took a lot, but at least she didnīt vomit. I started with just one piece a day. HTH.

[Lucysmom]

Thanks Hazel and Evelyn for your compliments on my dd! I think she is a cutey but I am biassed of course!

Ryan's mum - when you gave lumpy foods what did you give?  Bit of a stupid question but I'd like to know....

That is a good tip to give finger foods first so there is not so much to vomit.  I think I will buy some cookies and plain crackers and maybe some Cheerios.  I don't think the Cheerios will work though because she will not put it in her mouth.  Right now she will hold onto a cracker on put it in her mouth, gum it, and then take it out.  I think it would freak her out to have a Cheerio put in her mouth.  I don't know....it's so hard to know what to do!!!!

Thanks so much for your advice and compliments!!!

[ryan's mum]

i went from pureed veg and potatoes to just mashing it with a fork . i would also put pieces of veg and fruit on his tray for him to experiment with. we would also make his gereal lumpier.

[LŠuren]

Melissa
Just like Ryan mum we have gone from puree to mash, I have also started introducing pasta and rice into his diet. I find that when I blen these down it still has a lumpy texture.

His favorites at the moment are; Cheesy peasy rice, cheesy pasta, popeye pasta - although I said above I don't puree - these stll need pureed, but atill come out with small lumps.  I tried them the first time last week, the first few times he gagged and was sick, but now he is happy with them.

[Lucysmom]

Thanks Ryan's mum and Lauren!

So here is my plan.  I have not been making Lucy's baby food but I think what I will do is continue to buy the store-bought organic purees and then add lumpier stuff to them.  So some options would be steamed apple, steamed pear, cooked sweet potato, banana, mango, avocado, and pasta/rice (I would have to combine this with the puree and then blend it down considerably).  She probably would be ok with a small amount of couscous and crumbled up cracker.  Does this sound like a good idea? 

I can't believe how challenging food is with Lucy.  It is demoralizing and frustrating at times (like today ).  I feel like I should be making her food but I can't imagine going through all the trouble of making her a meal from scratch just to have her refuse to eat it.  I know it is very immature of me but I don't want to resent her, KWIM?  I already get annoyed when I have to throw out the cereal I made as she won't eat it.  I just think of the starving children around the world while I am tossing out perfectly good food.

I am rambling here.....Any thoughts/advice about my plan for adding texture would be great.

[LŠuren]

Melissa
That soubds like a plan, I bought cous cous last week but haven't tried it.  You can try cous cous mixed with boiling water, tomato puree and random herbs.

Try banana and a pinch cinnamom - I warm up banana in microwave, mush with fork and cool.

I don't blame you for not making your own if she won't take it. DS eats everything in sight, even brocolli, (yuck  )

Good luck

[ryan's mum]

Melissa is Lucy a former refluxer or a refluxer still , this makes introducing solids a bit more challenging .

[Paulsmama]

My son has a strong gag reflex as well.  To get him to learn to chew we gave him pizza crusts to gnaw on -- chewy but he couldn't bite off a piece.  If he did manage to get a chunk off it was usually huge and easy for us to take out right away.  After a while of doing this he could mash up small soft pieces of finger food or Gerber fruit/veggie puffs.  He is now 1 year and STILL has difficulty eating really lumpy food off of a spoon (like mashed banana), though he is fine with the same food not mashed if he feeds himself.  So we just do thicker purees from a spoon and finger foods.  Good luck.  I know the vomiting can be very discouraging.

[Lucysmom]

Ryan's mum - As far as I know, Lucy is not a refluxer.  However, we went to a specialist about her feeding issues and the specialist feels that she might be a refluxer.  I kind of said I disagreed based on what I knew about reflux.  But maybe she does have reflux?  We are going back to the specialist even though it is soooo very expensive.  But I just feel so despondent about this so I think I need to have someone else guide me in how to help her. Having a "I am such a bad mommy" day, sorry.     Must be PMS.

[LŠuren]

Melissa you are NOT a bad mommy    (..just bad for thinking your are  )
xx

[ryan's mum]

you are not a bad mommy , you are trying everything you can , you are asking for advice . you are doing the best for your daughter and trying to find out what's going on , to me that is not a bad mommy ! she will get there , she's just doing it in her own time

[Mom2X&F&V]

Melissa. You should definetely give her cookies it is a good way to start. Try no matter what the results are everyday a different one do not give up. You should try first smashed fruit in purees and then bites. My dd doesnīt look like a refluxer, but when I went to a specialist she send me reflux medicine for her until her first birthday. You do not have anything to loose.

PS: I have been trying to PM to you, but it seems your inbox is full as I am not able to. You should save some or delete some. REad the PM message info at the lounge... 
 

[Lucysmom]

Thanks so much for your kind words and reassurance.  Unfortunately we had quite a bad episode at dinner so I think I will back off of finger foods for a bit.  Since it was really nice out, I took Lucy's high chair out onto the deck.  I thought we'd have a lovely dinner outside with the birdies.  She refused her normal puree dinner.  Not even a bite.  So I gave her a cookie and she barely put it in her mouth.  I then dipped some puffed rice cereal wheels in water and gave them to her.  She played with them but did not eat them.  Then she accidentally got a piece in her mouth and she started gagging.  Then she spat up.  Then she full out vomitted all over everything.  And then she vomitted all over everything again.  Good thing I happened to be feeding her outside.  I just felt terrible for her.  I have an appointment on Monday with the specialist and I guess we'll look into reflux.  But I think this issue is a separate one with not wanting any texture in her mouth. 

I should get to bed but just had to share this with you all.  You have been so kind and I thank you sooooo very much.

Daniela - I deleted some messages. Let me know if you still have trouble.  Sorry about that.

[Mom2X&F&V]

Sorry to hear about that. It is hard when they do not eat and vomit. Teething maybe? Calm and lots of patience.
Melissa: Yes, I am still having trouble with PM.