Tell me again why I shouldn´t worry about choking and BLW??! And other practicalities..

[MurderousMaveta]

Ok so I´m not properly weaning yet, ds is 24 weeks but starting to show interest so he´s had a suck on a couple of steamed carrot sticks and smeared some banana around but that´s about it. Now today he was gumming away on a carrot stick when a bit breaks off in his mouth (but a sizeable bit). In this situation (no reaction from baby, just carried on sucking the now broken off piece) do you

A. Freak out and pull the piece of his mouth?
B. Leave him and see what he will do?

I have read all the stuff that says while they may gag they probably won´t choke.. but how, without teeth, are they actually supposed to be able to work the pieces down small enough to swallow without choking? The carrot was soft but not so soft it went to mush in his hand..

Oh yeah and banana.. when cut into ´chips´ he either holds it so tight it smooshes or it just slips out the top of his fist, he can´t keep hold of it...

OHHH I've seen those feeder things and thought about them but wasn't sure if they were really BLW? I have started giving DD the dummy again as she loves putting things in and out of her mouth so seemed an easy option especially as you can clip it on so when your out and about it doesn't keep dropping to the floor

There was a long debate about feeders on the Yahoo Group and we pretty much decided against them. I can't remember the reasoning I'm afraid but it should be easy enough to find.

Well I chickened out of blw at the last minute, mainly due to the fact that a 7m old near us died after chocking on a piece of food and the hv went into overdrive.

We started with roughly mashed food, not pureed, and this went down fine. However I did give dd finger food pretty much straight away and we had several scary gagging incidents - dh always had to leave the room when she had finger food as he was too panicky!

Like many of you I would sit whilst my face portrayed calm and my voice encouragement, poised, ready to launch her out of her chair and slap her back, my heart racing as she munched off a big bit.

DD now 9m, loves feeding herself, she is very in control of what she eats and will have a go at anything. She is always much happier when eating a meal she can pick up her self and, tbh I always find that if I am helping her with a spoon she gets bored very easily.

Sorry I wanted to add that the little girl who choked had been left unattended, I realsie that was not thwe most encouraging ppint to make in my post - sorry!

Also, it is very clear when gagging becomes choking. I would try and let dd deal with the gagging as best as she could and she would mostly end up bringing the food back up and being able to chew it before swallowing properly. She never `gags anymore and I think that this is because she is used to the lumps and chunks and her gag reflex has moved back.
The other day she seemed to be choking on a rice cake and it was very different, she was panicing and trying to inhale quickly. I held her tilted forward and gave her a good slap and she coughed, it was fine.

I am happy with the way dd has weaned and it has been enjoyable, and managable for both of us so far.

I don't know if I'm just very laid back or not caring enough! I've never worried about the choking thing. DS3 is always sat up whil;e eating (i.e. not in a bouncy chair) and mostly I just leave him to get on with it (obviously I am in the room )

I have certainly found biggish chunks of carrot in his nappy so it's obviously goiung down ok

I hate it when he gags, we both just sit there watching waiting to pounce

I would be interested to know how the baby was weaned. From what I've heard babies are more likely to have problems with finger food when they started on puree because they struggle with the change over from puree to lumpy food. Was it Gill Rapley who said it's like the difference between tomato soup and ministrone?

Thanks for this thread. DD is only 4 months but we're already discussing how we'll approach weaning. DP is v keen we do BLW but - tho I like the philosophy - I am really scared of the choking thing, and of affecting DD's attitude to food if she picks up on my anxiety. Any thoughts on this? Also, be interested to hear more thoughts on those feeder things...

You need to remember there is a big difference between choking and gagging, choking is very rare. I know it's easier to say, but after you have seen a gag I think that you will feel a little more comfortable with them.

Don't worry about passing on anxieties to your daughter, if you get to the point where gagging is really stressful for you, chances are you will stop following BLW anyway.