Too scared doing BLW!

[Justaworriedmum]

I have posted about this before but DD is 7.5 months and I’ve been giving her purées and making them more textured over time. She gagged quite a bit at first but now is better.

I am keen to give her finger food so made a raspberry pancake for her and cut it into a thick slice as the solid starts app recommended.

She bit off a chunk and did chew it but then went into a coughing fit and was gagging which terrified me! She had lots of chunks in her mouth which I thought surely if she swallowed one whole she could choke?

I didn’t fish them out I waited for her to chew and swallow but I feel so scared of her choking. I know gagging is normal but this really knocked my confidence.

Is it going to hold her back if u stick to purées and try again in a month or so?

I was impressed that she actually chewed! I’ve been trying to do this exaggerated in front of her when I eat so I suppose that’s good.

Please don't wait a month to give her finger foods again. She ate the raspberry pancake so obviously enjoyed it

Would it help to calm your nerves if you did a Paediatric First Aid Course?

Someone I know was very nervous of giving finger foods and at first woukd only offer them if there was another adult there like her DP or her DM. Do you think they might help you for the first couple of times?

Have you watched this video from the British Red Cross? That might help to calm your nerves too

Babies who don’t follow BLW can still eat independently.
by not doing it your not stunting them. Give purées, baby is still very young, slowly introduce soft manageable finger food when you feel ready. Panicking and feeling anxious isn’t helping you or baby so take the pressure off. Fed is best.

Can you tell I’m not a fan of BLW and think it’s pointless at this age?

Can you tell I’m not a fan of BLW and think it’s pointless at this age?

I read it as offering finger foods rather than wanting to swap baby over to fully Baby Led Weaning?

Start with roasted veg batons, banana, avocado etc all soft for gumming but able to be explored like finger food, best of both worlds.

The thing with blw gagging isn't choking. Gagging is totally normal as they manipulate food around their mouth. It doesn't make it any less terrifying until you get used it.

I wouldn't stress about BLW

My LO is 10 months he's only just starting to have BLW lunches of finger foods and has had proper porridge for breakfast since about 8.5 months, still on lumpy purees for dinner. The world is obsessed with babies growing up faster than they need to these days, same with children.

How many adults do you know that can't feed themselves solid foods... Don't stress, go at your own pace, listen to instinct and follow your babies lead. Your LO will get there, we all do

All babies are different. There’s nothing wrong with feeding purées if that’s what works for you and your child. Neither method is “better” in my opinion. My son is the same age and absolutely hates being spoon fed but feeds himself very well without coughing and gagging much at all. BLW is just what works for him but it won’t be the same for every baby. I was fed purées as a baby and have never had any issues with eating. Just do what works for you and don’t stress.

this. you don't have to do BLW although try and not panic give her time to chew but don't let 1 incident put you off. l

Gagging isn't choking. I know it sounds scary, but it is normal. My kids wouldn't let me spoon feed them, so it had to be blw, even if not necessarily by design. They get most of their calories from milk when they are first starting out anyway.

highly recommend Solid Starts, they really explain the mechanics of eating and really reassured me when I started weaning DS.

Sorry - I'm going to be that poster but - BLW is totally baby led. That doesn't mean giving some purées and then giving finger foods. It's all finger foods from day 1 with no pressure to eat at all.

Anyway, you don't have to do it if you don't want. You can continue giving her purées and spoon feeding. I tried BLW with dc1 but ended up with some purées. I didn't give many finger foods to dc2 till he was a bit older. He had tongue tie and gagged loads as well. No, he never choked, and yes first aid courses etc, but frankly it freaked me out enough for it to put me off.

I've actually noticed that he is way better at using cutlery than his older dsis who had loads of finger foods! I don't tend to eat much food with my hands so think my dcs liked mimicking me?

I do see the benefits of BLW for being a more intuitively eater though and I think dd is quite an intuitive eater. Took ages to learn how to use a knife and fork though.

Edit: misspelt frankly due to fat fingers

Chewing and manipulating food around the mouth strengthens muscles for talking so it is important to move on from puree foods..look for a first aid course to help anxiety and give one bit at a time to avoid her over filling her mouth.

I don’t get BLW, the name makes no sense- it’s still you choosing the foods to offer, spoon feeding isn’t force feeding and a baby will only eat if they want to.

That aside, with traditional weaning it’s normal to give finger foods alongside purees. Chewing is important for developing the mouth muscles for talking. Picking up things and bringing them to the mouth and using the pincer grip is good for the development of fine motor skills. Gagging is normal, they’re learning how to chew! It is not choking. Sounds like she really enjoyed the raspberry pancake, don’t be put off!