Is this normal?

[flutterbynight]

I've just been taking the first forays into weaning with my almost 6 month old DS - he's had a few bits of veg which he just held and didn't eat but the last couple of days has enthusiastically been feeding himself mashed up peach and baby rice when I load up the spoon for him. So far so good.

However, after each feed he has had a little chesty cough (slightly rattly), perhaps for about half an hour to an hour after the food and then it goes away again. He doesn't seem bothered by it but I'm just a bit worried that it may mean the puree is going down the wrong way? Would I be able to tell when he's taking it from the spoon if this is the case? He hasn't gagged or anything like that. Hoping someone can provide me with some reassurance, or, if it sounds problematic, let me know how I can improve things.

TIA.

I think it might indeed be going down the wrong way. I'd try moving over to finger food, he can regulate the amount that goes in more easily and is less likely to inhale his food. The worry I'd have is that the food in his lungs might cause a chest infection, maybe have a word with your HV

Thanks JJJ, bit of a mummy fail there then. Will keep an eye on him re chest infection, fingers crossed he's not inhaled much

Not really a failure, eating is a new skill that you are both getting used to

Thank you for the reassurance, it's easy to forget that I'm as new to this as him and still finding my way!

Has he got any reflux or wheezing/noisy breathing at any other time?

ellangirl he sometimes snores but isn't generally a wheezy baby. He spits up a lot, though that has settled down recently.

I just ask because it's possible he has a floppy larynx. It can't be bad though or he would have more symptoms. A friends baby had it and it only showed when he started weaning. He suddenly got a lot of chest infections because of it. Anyway, it's probably nothing but I would check with your GP or HV anyway.

Thanks for the info, I will keep an eye/ear out. I spoke to a HV yesterday who didn't think it sounded problematic - she said we would know straightaway if something had gone down the wrong way and that it was most likely his over-sensitive gag reflex and/or some puree at the back of his throat. Do you know if there are any other symptoms to look out for with a floppy larynx? A quick search online didn't yield too many results about what to look for.

I don't know too much. Only that my friends baby started aspirating solids (had been fine bf) and therefore started to get chest infections. Think he had trouble swallowing sometimes too. He grew out of it, just meant weaning had to go very slowly. My friends HV and GP didn't know about it/ identify problem, only pediatrician at hospital diagnosed it.

Ah, okay, definitely something to keep an eye on then. Thanks again for alerting me to the possibility.

DD2 had similar symptoms when she started having formula. I was pretty convinced that she was aspirating her milk but hv's and drs weren't concerned. She would cough horribly after feeding and during the night. She had a nasty chest infection at 6 months. Somewhere along the way, she has grown out of whatever the problem was, as she no longer coughs in the same way, although is still a cougher. Funnily enough, she never suffered with solids or breast milk, only formula. But she didn't have purees so don't know if that might be the differenc. I sympathise because
I was worried sick for months about her nasty cough. Bless him - hope it is just him getting used to solids, and all is ok.

I'm glad it's not just us - it's a bit disconcerting when asking all my friends with babies whether they had the same experience and always being told "no"! Though obviously I'm pleased things have been more straightforward for them

It's encouraging to hear that your DD grew out of it themobstersknife, and that it wasn't an issue with solids - fingers crossed it will be the same here if we move over to finger foods as jjj suggested. Really hoping we can avoid him getting any sort of chest infection, sounds horrible I'm glad your DD is okay now and thanks for making me feel less of an odd one out!