Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Weaning

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

Flip

Original poster

BLW worried about choking?

14 replies

FinalFurlong · 03/08/2008 21:38

my DD turns 6 months next week, I tried to offer her a bit of pureed veg and fruit this week but she is not very interested. On the other hand she will happily suck/play with a carrot stick or piece of fruit. However I am rather worried about her choking as she has two bottom teeth through and tends to bite big chunks off and I panic and try and fish them out of her mouth thinking she will choke.
She is always sitting upright when I feed her, am I just being over cautious and should I just let her get on with it?
TIA

OP posts:

cafebistro · 03/08/2008 21:45

Im in the same position as you. My dd is the same age and i have not done BLW for that exact reason. Apparently from what i've read,99% of the time the baby copes fine with the food and can dislodge it and cope with any choking episodes. But it still scares the hell out of me!

Habbibu · 03/08/2008 21:45

It's always a good idea to know what to do if a child chokes, so it's sensible to be watchful. However, a baby's gag reflex is usually pretty strong to start off with (with occasional charming addition of projectile vomiting) - mostly if you see anything, it'll be gagging - looks unpleasant, but doesn't seem to bother the baby. Aitch's blog wbabyledweaning.blogware.com/blog/TheGaggingThing has a section on this. Bear in mind that the NHS recommends finger foods from 6 mo anyway.

Habbibu · 03/08/2008 21:46

Gah. babyledweaning.blogware.com/blog/TheGaggingThing

pinata · 03/08/2008 22:10

don't worry - yes, there might be a bit of choking, but it passes. as habbibu says, it looks worse than it is and the first time it happens you'll panic. you'll continue to panic but it gets less - eg. 8mo DD today choked on a chickpea. first time in ages - i still panicked a bit but just waited for it to dislodge, which it did in seconds

i read up on what to do if it doesn;t dislodge, but their gag reflex at 6m is strong

Original poster

FinalFurlong · 03/08/2008 22:13

nice to know i am not the only worrier about this.
thanks for the link, also its re-assuring to know the NHS recommends finger foods.

OP posts:

IAteRosemaryConleyForBreakfast · 03/08/2008 22:19

Things I'd suggest bearing in mind before you start:

Learn how to deal with choking - if you have this knowledge you will be more confident about everything.

Don't feed your child anything - if they can pick it up and put it into their mouths themselves, chances are they will be developmentally able to cope with it. If you start poking peas into a 6 month old's mouth then IMO you're asking for trouble.

Trust the gagging thing - it's not the same as choking. You will have many episodes of semi-masticated dried apricots flying across your kitchen before your baby is weaned This is normal.

By giving your child food in its natural form (ie unpureed) they are learning about tastes and textures for themselves in the way nature intended. IMO giving puree
is depriving the child of (or simply delaying) the opportunity to learn how to cope with food in their mouth.

Cavebabies managed just fine.

Original poster

FinalFurlong · 03/08/2008 22:30

will look into what exactly you do if they choke (i am sure i read somewhere its best to put them over your knees and pat their backs if they really start to turn blue?)
Really want to do BLW as DD seem much more interested in food when its just placed infront of her, rather that when i am trying to feed her from a spoon.
I always let her pick up the food herself, which she is very good at doing.
Any ideas what i can do with the freezer full of veg and fruit puree i made and will probably never use?

OP posts:

Habbibu · 03/08/2008 22:36

Choking advice

Habbibu · 03/08/2008 22:37

Stir fruit puree into plain yoghurt - get baby eat it with fingers, or eat it yourself.

IAteRosemaryConleyForBreakfast · 03/08/2008 22:52

at Habibbu - yeah, you eat it, see how you like it!

Purees are fine, make lovely addition to meals, help bind dry stuff together to make it grabbable etc. May veg soup or something.

Have fun!

PS Tonight DS was eating venison and crudites [rpoud]

IAteRosemaryConleyForBreakfast · 03/08/2008 22:53

Translation: [proud]

Sorry, Strongbow [urgh, ladette]

Habbibu · 03/08/2008 22:56

No, meant eat the yoghurt...! Actually, granola with natural yoghurt and fruit puree is v. nice.

Original poster

FinalFurlong · 03/08/2008 23:08

mmmm, getting hungry now!

OP posts:

ExterminAitch · 03/08/2008 23:29

i went to an infant resus course at the hosp before weaning dd. i think it's perfectly sensible to be worried aobut choking, i was. the course really helped. one of my mates is a paediatric A&E consultant and has never seen a choking fatality in his entire career as well, that also helped to put things into perspective.

Flip