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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

BLW wobble...DS just choked

18 replies

LetThereBeCupcakes · 25/08/2013 21:21

My 7MO DS choked on a piece of pear tonight - proper, couldn't make a sound, bulging eyes, looked terrified choking. I've never been so scared in all my life and thank god when I got him out of his chair, leaned him forward and slapped him on the back the food came out. It's really made me question my decision to BLW though. I know eventually we'd have to go on to solids but perhaps we should go back to purees for a bit? Or does anybody have any suggestions as to how avoid a repeat of today? It was quite a dry pear - would that have made a difference.
Really quite shaken and DH is working away at the moment so I guess I just want somebody to hold my hand!

OP posts:
ExBrightonBell · 25/08/2013 23:50

Didn't want to leave you without a reply this evening... You must have been terrified, but it's fantastic that you were able to take the right action quickly and sort it out. Have you had a chance to talk it through with someone in rl?

I do think that you were just incredibly unlucky - I think choking incidents like this are not common at all. It might be worth sticking to things that are softer for a little while, until you feel you can relax about it again. It would be a shame if it put you off BLW completely.

MimsyBorogroves · 26/08/2013 00:16

You must have been terrified.

I posted a similar thread when DS2 was a similar age - he choked on a piece of bagel and I had to hit him far, far harder than I have every hit anything before. Sad I took him for a check up at the docs straight away because I was so worried - and I was told I'd done exactly the right thing. She told me that she too had been in a similar situation, and that the choice of hitting too hard over the alternative is by far the best option.

I carried on with BLW because DS2 wouldn't be fed at all - but I watched him like a poised hawk for months afterwards. He's had a few occasions where he's gagged but it's never happened again. You have my every sympathy - such a horrible experience.

changeforthebetter · 26/08/2013 00:44

big hug DD 1 was fed purees from 6months but you have to start introducing "bits" at.some point or they get too used to wish IYSWIM it she choked a bit on some cooked carrot. it was terrifying but she was ok. stay with your baby when he is eating anyway. do what feels right. dd2 refused outright to eat anything off a spoon and did fine with blw

changeforthebetter · 26/08/2013 00:45

"they get too used to mush" sorry fat fingers!

TravailsInHyperreality · 26/08/2013 00:54

I actually think this happens a lot. DS2, almost 7 mnths, also choked (on a piece of tomato) and it was terrifying. It's only been a few weeks and we've decided to continue with BLW, but I'm so stressed out everytime we eat. It's horrible. I've stopped enjoying mealtimes, which is sad because DS obviously loves food and is really adventurous.

I wish I could fix my confidence.

Sad

Sanctimummy · 26/08/2013 07:33

If you are thinking about 'going back' to purees, then you haven't been doing BLW as BLW is when you start them off on solid foods and skip purees altogether.

You did exactly the right thing and well done, I had a few hairy moments when BLW my DD and it really is a sweat inducing, heart racing moment. I held back as my DD was only gagging - not choking, and she managed to sort it out herself.

I did a baby/child first aid course before starting BLW as I wanted to be prepared and it helped my confidence immensely. Maybe you could do one and it may help you too?

gallicgirl · 26/08/2013 07:49

Check out babyledweaning.com for advice or support.

Infant first aid course will help your confidence.

Was it a hard pear? I think hard pears and apples tend to chip off so perhaps best waiting until baby is slightly older. My DD loved pear wedges pan fried in butter and cinnamon at that age. Makes them softer and easier to bite and chew.

exoticfruits · 26/08/2013 08:03

Do what you are comfortable with. Weaning is a very short time, the aim being to eat family meals- how you get there really doesn't matter.

Original poster
LetThereBeCupcakes · 26/08/2013 08:57

sanctimummy we did purees for 2 days but DS wouldn't touch them. He will now take things like yoghurt but only if we hand him the loaded spoon. I probably wasn't very accurate in saying we would bo 'back' to purees!

Thanks all, feeling a bit better today. I am a first wider so knew what to do. It's just a bit different when it's your own little one.

OP posts:
exoticfruits · 26/08/2013 09:41

It appears to be baby led if he won't touch purées. I don't see why babies can't have the full range like everyone else. I think it all comes from a mistaken belief that you can get a spoonful of something down a baby who doesn't want it!

JiltedJohnsJulie · 26/08/2013 13:29

Think you have been incredibly unlucky. Agree with doing a Paed first aid course, check out your local children's centre, British Red Cross and St Johns Ambulance, although this is just a suggestion for your confidence, you did exactly the right thing.

I'm not going to argue about blw as I just dont think its helpful. What I will say is that when babies were weaned earlier, most were having a fair amount of finger food by 6 months. Also, if you do offer just purees, it doesn't rule out choking, lots of babies choke on purees too.

Can understand you not wanting to offer pear for a while. How did you offer it? I used to peel and quarter although some people prefer to offer it whole as the skin can help Lo to grip the fruit. Apples I just gave whole.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 26/08/2013 13:30

Just seen your last post. Had to Smile at I'm I first wider so I knew what to do.

DanceLikeJohnTravoltaNow · 26/08/2013 13:37

It's horrible isn't it?

I watched DD like a hawk after 4 or 5 choking incidents, not just gagging, silent eyes bulging type as you described.

Mostly it was toast or banana and because she was biting off more than she could chew. She was very toothy at the front from a young age and I wonder if that has anything to do with it.

It's only now at 18 months, that I can relax a bit more.

I cut everything into teeny weeny pieces until a few weeks ago, but I never got my confidence back fully when she was younger.

Well done on keeping calm and sorting it out.

Original poster
LetThereBeCupcakes · 26/08/2013 17:47

jilted - oops, fat fingers and a touch screen. I gave him the pear as slices. I left the skin on as with things like plums he holds the skin and sucks off the flesh, dropping the skin when he's finished. The pears were hard when DH had bought them so they'd been left to ripen, but I think they dried out a bit which was perhaps the problem. He doesn't have any teeth yet.

I've been a total wuss today and only given him mashed stuff. By dinner time he grabbed the bowl off me, stuck his head in it and sucked the savory mince out. He really doesn't like spoons.

OP posts:
u32ng · 26/08/2013 19:39

How scary! I really feel for you & understand that you are a bit jittery now. You handled it very well. My sister once choked on a boiled sweet & was basically picked up by the feet by my 6'3" cousin & slapped until it shot out.

DS has had numerous incidents of choking on his milk & that stab of fear is the most awful I have ever known. I too am doing BLW and choking is also something I worry about. I agree with previous poster that maybe the pear needed to be juicier? Or really it was maybe just bad luck. As long as you are doing everything to minimise the choking (e.g. Sitting upright) then try to focus on the fact that lots of people choose to wean this way & if it's what you want to continue doing then bear that in mind to help you back to being relaxed about it.

u32ng · 26/08/2013 19:43

Sorry should've clarified there that lots of people choose to wean with BLW and make it without issue. Hopefully therefore that will be the first and last choke you ever have to deal with.

plummyjam · 27/08/2013 21:51

I've been doing BLW for about a month. No incidents so far but as a rule I have generally just been giving quite soft foods - ie stuff that can be compressed easily between tongue and palate.

Examples would be ripe peaches, nectarine, melon, mango,(any ripe soft fruit basically), toast with plenty of butter and a yoghurty spread on, veg like broccoli, potatoes, green beans. Yoghurt and breakfast cereals like weetabix. We've also done pasta and meat but I've cut it up fine and given it on a spoon.

I've avoided anything hard like carrot, apple and unripe fruit. I find banana a bit slippy in the hand and mouth so tend to mash it and mix it with yoghurt.

Actually the only dodgy moment so far was after giving pear with the skin on - about half an hour later I noticed some pear skin in the roof of DD's mouth. I was so worried it might have blocked her airway off whilst she was napping if I hadn't noticed it!

Sounds like a scary experience but you acted quickly. I hope it doesn't put you off BLW - as others have said, babies can still choke on purees and it sounds like your baby is at the age when finger foods would traditionally be introduced anyway. Good luck!

JiltedJohnsJulie · 28/08/2013 08:49

Agree that you have just been extremely unlucky. My dd was a total spoon refuser too so we had to do blw and she loved pears. Hope you got a photo of the post face in bowl incident Grin

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