BLW query

[Queenkong]

Am just starting BLW with DS. So far, everything that goes in comes out again in lumps. I'm not panicking, know he'll get everything he needs from milk. But started thinking - I presume he won't ever swallow lumps (because no human does on purpose) but without teeth how will he eat anything unless it is so soft it turns to mush as soon as he bites it (banana, v soft veg etc). Do they manage to chew stuff up with their gums eventually? Can't get my head around how he'll handle meat, for example.

Gumming and sucking mostly, although DS could shred meat quite effectively with 2 bottom teeth and chip bits off apple etc.

I don't know how they do it, but my 8mo DD still doesn't have any teeth. She can eat and swallow strips of chicken easily. I also make a lot of burger patties because it's easier to handle without teeth.

Babies gums are really hard, unlike pensioners who've lost all their teeth, they do have teeth, they're just under the gums so the gum is hard and they can quite easily mash things up with their gums.

Adults generally do swallow lumps in any case - peas, sweet corn etc. isn't mushed to nothing before swallowing - only things too big to go down the throat are made smaller, you don't need to use the teeth to digest. Adult digestion tends to just take longer to destroy more of the lumps - it's not a problem.

I vomited throughout pregnancy I can confirm adults swallow lumps:( my ds has no teeth but is swallowing loads and gnaws on meat. They get the hang of it in their own time don't worry x

Just started it this week. It's hilarious. Not sure he is eating anything but it's all getting shoved in his mouth. He had falafel for tea! But oh the mess...

With meat DD chews the juices out of it and then I often have to fish it out her mouth because she doesnt have teeth. She manages pretty much anything that can be crushed. Spitting out the meat is fine, they get protein from the milk so you're really just aiming to get iron from the meat juices.

As Fred said, their gums are very hard, they can crush effectively, they just can't tear. I find bread works better than toast at this stage. DD often has smooth peanut butter on bread with a banana for breakfast.

DD didn't get her first tooth until 9 months but managed ok. They do swallow lumps though - soon you'll get the joy of identifying eg whole raisins in his nappy. Enjoy!

Dd seems to have a good little gnashing action going on - her 2 front teeth are only just visible, but she puts food to the side of her mouth, chomps down then turns her head, so a mouthful of food is ripped off! Amazing to watch.

She gums most things till they are really soft as far as I can tell, but there are still identifiable lumPs in the nappies!