to ask for your help with weaning?

[Farfromtheusual]

Sorry to post here but traffic and all that.

DS is 7.5 months old. We started weaning a couple of weeks before he was 5 months old. He was suffering with bad reflux, which was under control with meds. The doctor suggested coming off the meds and trying to wean him a little early instead. He took to it really well to start with, the sickness dramatically reduced and I felt like things were going really well. He only has a bottle morning and night now and is having 3 'meals' a day.

Now when I say 'melas'...he is still on stage 1 puréed stuff. Mostly fruit and veg and some very smooth puréed meals. I have tried him wth toast, biscotti, rusks, fruity puff thingys, baby rice cakes etc because MIL made a sneery comment about him not eating 'proper food' yet (she doesn't believe/listen to anything I say). But he just gags, chokes, coughs and splutters and then throws up his entire stomach contents. He literally cannot even have any stage 2 stuff that is only slightly textured/lumpy. Even if I do his porridge too thick, he gags/chokes and is sick. I haven't forced it and am trying to let him go at his own pace. I've tried him with something thicker/lumpier, left him for a bit, and then tried a week or so later to see if he's any better with it but it's the same story.

I think he must have a really sensitive gag reflex or something because even if he puts something too far in his mouth he gags etc.

I was just wondering if anyone had an advice on how to move things along a bit? I know it's still early days but I'm sick of the comments from MIL that he should be eating proper solid food by now, of that I should of skipped purées and just done BLW from the beginning 🙄

[Comealongpond89]

It sounds like you're doing everything right OP. He might have a sensitive gag reflex but as long as he's happy with pureed stuff I don't think you should worry yet. Just keep offering slightly lumpier food and he will get used to it. Also putting finger foods in front of him to play with and suck on will help him get used to different textures.

And ignore MIL. Every baby is different and it doesn't matter when they eat 'proper' food as long as they're having something. Don't worry too much you're doing fine

[Vinorosso74]

We did BLW with my DD and she wasn't eating full meals at 7.5 months! More like 8/8.5 months.
He could have a sensitive gag reflex, remember it is much further forward in a baby.
One suggestion, the finger foods you're offering are the sort of things which can stick to the roof of the mouth. Try some cooked vegetable sticks-carrot, butternut squash, potato and broccoli. Keep them chunky for him. Pasta and noodles are good too. Don't be afraid to let him play with it either (hope you don't mind mess or have a dog).

[Flowersinyourhair]

Are you making your own food or using jars? I ask this because on the v rare occasions when we gave dd1 jars she used to throw the food back up. Home cooked puréed food never made her sick.

[SmileEachDay]

Gag reflex is fine. It's there for a reason.

You need to develop a nod and smile reflex with your MIL. I bf mine and did "baby led weaning". Most of it ended up on the floor.

[Amockingjayhey]

My DC had terrible reflux.

We were told by a couple of paediatricians that very smooth food is fine- yoghurt or very smooth puree

However anything that is smooth and lumpy is not good. So the food that you're describing your DS can't cope with. Kids with reflux often can't cope with smooth and lumpy in one mouthful. It's too confusing and they refuse it or throw it up.

The advice given to us which worked was either totally smooth stuff with no lumps whatsoever or whole foods. So think BLW.
Then as he gets older give him normal food that we eat so pasta and chunky sauce etc just not a smooth base with little lumps.

It's worked great for us although i never thought I'd get to the day where DCs would eat!

Good luck!
Feel free to PM me for anything else even just moral support

[BellyBean]

Do you still see a professional for the reflux? My niece had a really extreme gag reflex and my sis was advised to make a game of touching inside her mouth multiple times a day to reduce the sensitivity of the reflex.

I don't know the details and wouldn't recommend trying without speaking to someone proper, but might be worth looking into?