7mths lumpy food??? Help

[Lou832012]

Any advise my daughter is now 7months old and trying to move from puréed dinners onto the more lumpy stuff, but the tinyest of lumps she retches and won't eat it, and I mean the bits are tiny, I can't remember how I moved my eldest onto lumper food as there's a 10 year age gap so feel like I'm starting over again! But I do remember my eldest chocking twice so I panic when trying to feed her new things, has anyone else's little one been like this or any advise on how to get her to eat it? Thanks x

All weaning babies gag - they have to to learn how to chew. Gagging is what stimulates the brain to stimulate the chewing response. I think you'll just need to keep giving textured foods and sweat it out until she's acclimatised to them, gradually increasing the textures as she improves, which she will do so quite quickly. She won't choke on very small lumps and since current advice is to give finger foods from 6 months, risk of actual choking (as opposed to just gagging) is very low at that age, as long as they're well positioned while eating.

We're doing BLW with 6mo DS, so no purées to speak of at all, and he's coping well now (as am I ) after some epic gagging and even vomiting at the start.

Oh, and how to get her to eat - offer her finger foods so she can regulate what she tries putting in her mouth, rather than spoon-feeding her. Just lay out a selection of nibbles in front of her and let her go for it

you could try thickening her purees to start with to get her used to moving the food around in her mouth. Things like mashed potato, mashed sweet potato etc. Make them up as normal and then thin them out with a little milk and gradually use less. Then try adding lumps to the meal.

also, try giving her finger food and see what she does with it. Overcooked brocolli is good for this. It will bascially fall apart in her mouth so it is a good starting point. if she likes that try giving her some toast fingers or roasted root veg (if you par boil them first they come up lovely and soft and sweet). Fruit toast can be quite good to tempt a reluctant baby.

Good luck and dont worry. There is a difference between gagging and actual choking. Choking is very very rare. Gagging is good. it means her protective reflexs are working. :-)

I would try giving her some finger food. My LO (7.5 months), was taking purees and finger foods at 6 months, then I slowly moved onto lumpier things.
I'd mash something really well, and then water it down a bit too. Gradually used less and less water/milk, and now he'll eat just about anything.

I also found that putting something like pasta in a tomato sauce straight onto the table and just let him go for it. Pasta is quite good, as it falls apart quite well if you overcook it, so it's very soft. Makes a mess though, so feed baby in just a nappy or with a long-sleeve bib and don't attempt to clear anything up until they're in bed! Also, I would just leave him with the food, not spoon anything in. I'd actually leave the table, let him concentrate on the food without any pressure to eat.

If baby does gag, DON'T PANIC! She'll pick up on your worry. Just give it a couple of seconds to cough it up, and if you think she really is choking (no sound coming out, face going a funny colour), pick her up, right hand on her chest, facing the floor, stomach along your forearm, and give a few back slaps. Stay calm!!!
The first few times I fed mine lumpy stuff, I propped him up with cushions, rather than strapping him into the highchair, so if he was choking it was easy to pick him up. He's never choked, and only gagged 2 or 3 times.

Thanks for the advise everyone will give it all ago got a right little miss who nos how to play mum I think :) x