Starting BLW and gagging/vomiting

[DIYandEatCake]

Ds is 5.5mo and I've just started giving him bits of food - he's been sitting unsupported for about a month, has good hand dexterity and is very interested in food. So far he's done well with wedges of nectarine and apricot (sucking at them and getting quite a bit of the flesh off) but banana and sweet potato have made him gag and vomit a small amount, as he's bitten off pieces and then not been able to deal with them. It's 3 years since I did BLW with my eldest and I've forgotten a lot... How much gagging is normal, is it a sign he's not ready for food yet? Or will he work out chewing/swallowing relatively quickly? Or should I stick with the soft fruit for now?

The amount of gagging will vary I guess, depending on the individual child. It's not a problem at all, as it is how the child learns to chew and swallow.

If your ds was thrusting food out with his tongue then maybe you could wait a while, for that reflex to go, but if it's just gagging then I would carry on. You could offer slightly softer things for a while if that's your instinct.

Thanks for your reply, I've forgotten so much in 3 years! Just a few days in ds has started to get the hang of swallowing - still looks a little surprised sometimes but the gagging is really reducing quickly. Now we just have the shouts of frustration and rage every time he drops something...!