Baby keeps food in mouth

[AAAAT]

Hi everyone

just wondering if anyone knows any trick to make baby swallow food. My baby keeps food in his mouth and does not swallow it. I still don’t know what food flavours are his favourite. He never opens his mouth for spoon. Refuses bottle refuses solids. He is hard work. He is nearly 7 months and chocks on food with bits in them.

wondering if anyone else has same problem and if anything worked for them.

regards

When you say solids do you mean spoon-fed purees or finger foods. Some babies hate to be spoon-fed and much prefer to do it themselves. Obviously with finger food you will find more goes on them and the floor than in their tummy but at 7 months that’s not a problem. They will increase the amount actually getting in their mouth with time and it’s all about learning how to eat and trying new things.
If he won’t open his mouth then I would leave trying to feed him and take some of the pressure off.
Offer food by putting it in front of them, having your own meal and eating something yourself. That way you’re showing how it’s done and if they eat some then great and if they just wave it about and gum it that’s ok for now too. Maybe even get a seat that they can have food given to them safely on the floor. Sometimes the environment and sitting at a table in a high chair can be too much pressure.
also when you say choking do you mean gagging? Gagging is very very normal especially early on in the weaning journey. It’s scary but very normal and the risk of babies actually choking is minimal. I would look at the Solid Starts website. It shows you how to cut food appropriately to minimise choking. You can even still serve purees and thicker more traditional baby foods (we do both) and just let them explore and eat it with their hands. Yes its messy which I absolutely hate!! But all part of the learning experience.
Finally, some babies can have an overactive gag reflex yes. I have a friend with a 10.5 month old who can still only handle purees as even the smallest lump he gags and then vomits. If this is the case with your baby, I would mention it to the doctor and see if you can get a referral to an Infant Feeding specialist to discuss what’s best.
Ultimately some babies just love their food and eat absolutely everything right from the start and others barely a mouthful and prefer their milk but they all get there with time and I know of a few people who’s babies barely ate and then around 11-12 months old something clicked and they got into food and started eating.

It's called pocketing and is beyond frustrating. My preschooler still does this and I want to scream. Maybe the purées you're giving him are too thick/he hasn't mastered chewing/isn't ready for food yet? Give him finger foods and see how he gets on with those- toast, apples bananas, chopped grapes, etc. remember food is meant to be fun at this age. They still get their main nutrition from milk.

I've commented on your other post.

Just wanted to add that my DS could only tolerate completely smooth purées until 12 months and it turned out to be Tongue Tie.

Do any of those symptoms sound familiar?

Try Googling pouching or pocketing and follow the tips.

It’s a primeval thing to feed your child. 99.9/100 humans don’t starve themselves. It’s difficult to relax and let go of adult ways of eating. But do try. It will all pass eventually.

He is nearly seven months but he is not able to sit by himself or pick up food from the tray. If I give him finger food in his hand than he would eat it but still on hard bits he would start gagging( and would vomit). I am so scared to give him food with bits as when he gags he vomits everything out and whatever little he has in his tummy comes out.
he has not started to roll yet either.
I do understand some babies take time to eat solids and that’s absolutely fine but my lo refuses milk too. Only time I can feed him while he is in deep sleep and sometimes not even in his deep sleep he would drink.
he had tongue tie and we had his devision done privately but that did not go so well there happened to be some reattachment. 😭
I have been referred by GP to dietitian and paediatrician but referrals are taking too long.

Isn't the general advice with baby led weaning that they're not ready until they can sit up by themselves? So presumably that means he's not ready for anything other than purée.
Do you mean he doesn't even want to have milk? I'm a bit confused by your post, but that sounds far more serious than any issues with solids.
It sounds like you need a paediatrician urgently

@PritiPatelsMaker I never knew about tongue tie until this baby was born. So far worse experience of my life.

Getting the TT redivided should help.

Can I ask what milk he is on too please @AAAAT? Just asking as bottle refusal and feeding in sleep can be a sign of Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA).

I never knew about tongue tie until this baby was born. So far worse experience of my life.

I'd never heard of it until joining MN. It can be traumatic can't it x

@lookingformyleopard

he refused to take milk at age of 3.5 months and every time I go to doctors or HV they would say keep trying you are doing great job. Took me ages to get referral from GP. When he was five months GP said I can give him purées.I knew he was not ready for solids but I had no choice, I had to start him on solids as he was not taking enough milk.

@PritiPatelsMaker
i have tried different formula
but I don’t think he has cows milks protein allergy as I gave him kendamil for 2,3 months.
currently he is on hipp organic.

@lookingformyleopard
I wish I get appointment 😭😭

Offering a handhold and the only thing I can say is that no child will starve themselves. I know that does not help

How is he for weight? Is he gaining weight?

Spit up and vomit always looks like more volume than it actually is. Don’t take that as a measure. If he’s gaining weight, then clearly he’s taking in more than he’s expending.

If he’s not drinking milk, and isn’t eating purées or solids, what is he surviving on?

Don't forget that until the age of 1 (and I know many babies for whom it was a lot later - up to the age of 2.5 even), milk is their main source of nutrition and calories.

It will happen, but it may not be a straight and smooth path with this baby.

If he's on Hipp Organic, have you tried him on Hipp Comfort formula? There's a chance he might take that?

@Suemademedoit
how is he surviving?
I have to force feed him( I know I should not but he would go hours and hours hungry and won’t ask for food)

Also I sit hours and hours to give him milk while he is sleeping. Some times he drinks it when drowsy sometimes that does not work.
i only go out if it is absolutely necessary ortherwise I stay home because if I miss his nap time there is no chance I can make him drink milk.

there has been days when he had his last feed at 6:30pm and would not take anything after that and in the morning won’t ask for milk or food( he wakes up between 7am to 8am ).

he has poor weight gain.
he was born on 25th percentile, at the moment he is following 9th percentile. Last time when I weight him he was little bit below 9th percentile.

@PritiPatelsMaker
isn’t that for constipation?

isn’t that for constipation?

No it's not babies who are struggling with their regular milk so it might be worth a try.

Is the HV/GP doing regular weight checks whilst you wait for the referrals?

@PritiPatelsMaker
I do go to get him weight but tbh no one cares if I don’t go to weight him, no one would contact and ask.

I'd stick with the finger food. That way he can do things at this own pace.

Don't worry about tagging and spitting back up. It's normal and how he learns not to choke and how much to swallow.

Don't worry if he doesn't eat much. It can take months with finger food.

I do go to get him weight but tbh no one cares if I don’t go to weight him, no one would contact and ask.

Frustrating isn't it but I think that as Mum's we have to stick up for our LO's, even when nobody is listening in RL