7 months 3 weeks old, any food with lumps = instant vomit, should I be worried?

[sycamore54321]

My combo fed baby started on the usual veg and fruit purees just before six months. All went well for the first month, eating increasing bitd of purée twice a day, with parsnips and fruit the preferred tastes. He had zero interest in finger foods so I gave up trying to mix with the baby led weaning approach and just stuck to the spooned purees.

As advised practically everywhere, we tried to introduce more textured consistencies from seven months. He never enjoyed these and we would usually give in and offer full puree after he rejected the first few spoons of the textured foods. These weren't even properly lumpy, just less thoroughly blended. I thought it would come with time. But now at almost eight months, the slightest texture will result not just in gaghing but full-on spew, pouring out his entire stomach contents, necessitating a full outfit change (soaks through bib, babygro and vest) as well as leaving puddles on his chair or thw floor. He may hold the lump in his mouth for a couple of minites first, with the mouth wide open but if he doesn't succeed in spitting it out, the spew is inevitable.

I'm starting to get really worried, not leadt because it seems impossible to blend the iron-rich or protein-tich foods like meats sufficiently to enable himto keep them down.

Does anyone have any advice? How long before I get worried and need to cons a doctor (where I live, a doctor's visit costs euro60 so I don't know if this problem is enough to visit the doctor or not). Does anyone have any experience? I've seen a few threads with babies gagging on lumps but this seems to me to be different, it's not a slightly choking gag, it's a full pouring out of vomit. Luckily it doesn't distress him too much but I'm getting anxious, both about nutrition and any possibility that this might indicate mouth issues affecting speech etc later on.

thanks for any help, from a worried first time mum.

Please don't be too worried. My DS was just like this and he had tongue tie and upper lip tie. Do you think this could be the issue? And if you really want, I'll tell you the very un-MN way we got him eating lumps

Thanks so much for your reply, any and all tips welcome, including or especially unMN ones! I don't think there is pronounced tongue tie, his tongue doesn't stick down in that heartshape when crying etc but I'm not an expert obviously - what were the signs you noticed? Who diagnosed it for you, was it a doctor?

Today I just reverted right back to fully fruit, veg and cereal pureed meals and was pleased he took those and kept them down.

I wonder if he is just immaturely developed in the mouth/digestion area? He has never shown any of the "ready to wean" signs like intense interest in our food at mealtimes, or bringing finger food to his mouth (although pretty much everything else he touches goes into the mouth!) He seems to be moderately enjoying the purees but I bet if he had his own choice, it would be milk all the way. He's growing well and otherwise thriving - almost crawling, sleeping relatively well, nappies are fine and he's generally a happy little fellow so perhaps he is just a little slower to develop in this area? He still can't sit up unsupported and he will tilt to one side in his high chair unless propped up so perhaps that is linked too?

Tongue tie can be notoriously hard to spot. I had countless hCPs tell me my DS hadn't got it. The signs are here, have a read and see what you think. Not sure where you are but maybe there is a local Lactation Consultant who specialises in tt.

Oh and the way we got him to take lumps. Chocolate. Ssshhh! You didn't hear it from me...

My DS2 has been incredibly slow to wean. I had the same problems as you, he wouldn't accept anything textured and would gag and throw everything up. I went back to smooth purees for quite a while then tried textured stuff again at about 10 mths and he was just suddenly fine with it and can now manage finger foods etc too! I think sometimes they just aren't as ready developmentally as other babies to deal with lumps but they get there in the end. Try not to worry, he might just need a bit more time.

Try not to worry. The fact with BLW is that they eat very little. You might see the babies eating all sorts on you tube videos. They actually just gummed the food and barely swallow any. And that's the enthusiastic babies. DD2 is 27 weeks and I would say she doesn't even swallow a spoonful worth each meal. (This is BLW btw). I don't expect her to eat any meaningful amounts for a while.

They take quite a while to learn to chew and swallow lumps. He is used to purees so he would be drinking down the lumps. (Neither of mine gags but I assume it's because BLW don't even attempt to swallow for ages).

So looking at that time scale your LO is eating quite a bit and just needs to take his time to learn to swallow.

And as for not mouth his food. I think he just sounds a bit slower developmental wise. DD2 has been putting toys into her mouth for a long time and only in the last week she puts food in her mouth. I think the reason is that food is much smaller and thus harder to pick up and aim at the mouth.

Just give him time. Provide lots of finger food for play and stop worry until much older.

My dd3 was exactly like this when she started on more lumpy textures or any type of finger food, she would completely vomit up her entire meal, sometimes a few minutes after finishing she would just throw up. My other 2 dc were never like that and i was quite concerned, as like you say it was full on vomiting. However I think it was just a sensitive gag reflex, within about a month she gradually stopped doing it, she is 13 months now and eats everything with no problem, despite only having 2 teeth!

Honestly, thank you all so much, it is really reassuring to know others have happily overcome this experience. I have read the very helpful tongue tie article, the only possible ones of the many signs would be the slight compression of nipples when he finished a breastfeed, and the very occasional milk blister on the lip several months ago - although I was almost certain that this was due to his bottle teat as it went away when we switched bottle type. None of the others about wind, poor sleep, colic etc applied even in the slightest - most of our relatives say they had never seen such a laidback baby! I will see if I can ask other parents locally whether there is a medical or dental expert locally who might be able to diagnose tongue tie if it is there.

I think though I will wait until he is a bit more mature in his sitting etc before I get seriously concerned. It is reassuring to me to see that other babies had the pools of vomit, as everywhere else I had read only mentioned gagging, usually noisily, whereas his response is silent and copious vomit.

Thanks all.

The chocolate tip made me smile; if he's inherited anything from me, I'm sure a love of chocolate will be top of the list! I might keep this as the nuclear option if things don't improve in a little while.

Any other experiences or advice equally welcome.