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Weaning

Just started weaning is it normal for LO to have wind and to gag?

41 replies

sharond101 · 10/11/2012 23:10

DS is 25weeks old. He has always been a windy baby and had colic and takes gaviscon for silent reflux. Since starting weaning a week or so ago he has had a few days where he has been pretty windy and I wonder if it's his body getting used to the solid food and if it will just go away in time as it adapts to digesting more than just milk? He refuses baby rice so he has been getting some ready brek in the morning and a little pureed veg at lunch and dinner (carrots, potato or brocolli.)

Yesterday I cut a finger slice of a piece of toast for him. He sat sucking it for a while and then started to splutter and cough. Is this what is refered to as gagging and is this improved by practice or is he just not ready for this yet?

OP posts:
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amazingmumof6 · 11/11/2012 01:15

broccoli would give him wind! Smile

stick to purees, no finger food till 8-10 months!
he's not even learnt to eat/swallow properly, so finger food is massive choking hazard at this stage!

I recommend a brilliant book called "What should I feed my baby?" by Suzannah Olivier, which I've used for my 5 boys, now it's my baby girl's turn....

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Davinaaddict · 11/11/2012 01:41

At 25 weeks, he's only a week shy of the recommended 6 months for BLW, so actually I don't see an issue with giving him finger food, as long as he's showing all the signs he's ready for it. Both my DC's weaned a week or so early of the 6 months mark, but mainly because the little buggers were stealing it from my plate Grin

There is likely to be some gagging along the way, although choking is less likely as their gag reflex is very far forward at this stage. Just make sure that he's sat up properly if giving him finger food, and he'll soon learn not to push things in too far Smile

It's definitely more scary for the parent though - mine tend to gag a bit, clear it, then pick up another huge fistful to shovel in Grin As long as you're on hand to give a sharp tap on the back if required, I'm sure he'll be fine. No need to wait until 8-10 months for finger food, if you don't want to.

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AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 11/11/2012 01:48

there's no need to wait until 8-10 months for finger food and it sounds to me like he did fine with the toast (you're right, the gagging will stop with practice). however, the fact that he's got reflux might be a bit of a bugger, though, there do seem to be foods to avoid. www.babyledweaning.com/features/999-2/ hve a look at this bit on blw and reflux, it does make things slightly different.

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amazingmumof6 · 11/11/2012 02:07

davina eating finger foods after only 1 week of weaning - that's not very good advice, sorry, I don't agree with you!

it should be purees-lumpy foods-then chunky/finger foods! how quickly that evolves/changes is down to individual progress, but you shouldn't skip the in- between stages!
haven't you heard of taking baby steps? Smile couldn't be more appropriate!

Also, apart from the unwelcome possibility of scaring them and putting them off food (even if temporarily) the stomach/digestion needs to adjust too!
they maybe able to swallow bigger bits at 6 months, but will end up pooing chunks out and won't get the nutrients they need to develop/grow/be healthy.
they could end up being constipated too

I really recommend to take it slowly first and build it up

BLW is crazy and dangerous and isn't recommended by health visitors or gps and it generally doesn't work anyway!

there's the odd case, but why oh why do people feel they need to dismiss reason in exchange for fashion?

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PinkPepper · 11/11/2012 02:32

Blw - or just starting with finger foods is recommended by HVs. Mine does. The weaning video they show does somewhat.
It reccomends waiting till 6 months and at 6 months babies can have 'finger foods' so no need for puree

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PinkPepper · 11/11/2012 02:37
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amazingmumof6 · 11/11/2012 02:47

your hv should be reprimanded if not fired

stupid fashion, no common sense

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PinkPepper · 11/11/2012 02:51

It's not my HV personally. It's the NHS guidelines. But whatever.

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PinkPepper · 11/11/2012 02:52

And I didn't call it blw neither did the OP. it's just offering finger foods.

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amazingmumof6 · 11/11/2012 03:40

pinkpepper

I talked to my hv about it, it's all the rage.
she sees hundreds of babies and although I can't remember how many people she said tried BLW, but she only knew about 10 who tried and were able to do it. She did not recommend it to anyone and very much disagrees with those who do.

All I'm saying is just because a baby (or anyone for that matter) is capable of doing something it doesn't necessarily mean it's good for them!

should in the same way be smoking, drugs, teenage pregnancy, overeating be fashionable? or DUI? or murder? surely one is capable but is it sensible/good/useful/healthy/lawful/moral?

I'm not berating you, I just hate the mentality of fashion-above-common-sense Angry

If I was a 6 months old I'd prefer my mummy to be sensible

and BTW my kids have their food likes and dislikes, of course, but none of them had any feeding/eating related problems, ever,
...but what do I know? don't listen to me, I'm only in the middle of weaning my 6th child, I have know knowledge or experience

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LadyWidmerpool · 11/11/2012 03:56

[b]amazing[b] BLW is perfectly safe if the recommended precautions are followed. Please don't scaremonger. You clearly haven't read Gill Rapley's book which describes how the gag reflex is further forward in babies in order to protect them from choking. The HVs in my area promote BLW as a safe approach to weaning and hold weaning events where they show a BLW video. Just because you have weaned six children in one way doesn't mean other approaches aren't safe.

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amazingmumof6 · 11/11/2012 04:26

I'm not scaremongering, just saying if it ain't broken don't fix it.

what's wrong with purees?

I tell you what's wrong, it takes time and effort to make them and time and effort to feed it to babies.

what's wrong with Mother led weaning? next there will be people advocating that babies should change their own nappies or bathe themselves or buy their own clothes...

I actually know a lot about gag reflex and Moro reflex and child psychology and child development and a lot of other child related things. I knew about them before I had kids

some people are not prepared to peel, chop, cook, mash, puree, freeze, defrost/rewarm the food, then sit through at least 15 mins of spooning it in. Most are.

BLW in my eyes is just another excuse for lazy parents who can't be bothered to do their job of being a parent properly.

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ElphabaTheGreen · 11/11/2012 06:27

I've started BLW - my DS is also 25 weeks and the gagging was (is) making me very nervous, so I tried spooning in some purée. He gagged. After 6 months of milk, I do think the gag reflex has to desensitise/acclimatise to different textures a bit, and I don't think it's the case that a baby's swallow hasn't developed yet. A liquid takes a great deal more coordination and control of the swallowing muscles than some solids - it's why you sometimes have to ask a nurse if a patient is allowed to have a drink when you visit them in hospital, especially if they've had something like a stroke which can affect the swallow.

That said, it's still giving me the heebie jeebies and I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has started BLW and decided to change back to the more traditional method.

PS I'm not lazy amazing. I cook all meals from scratch and would do the same for my baby. But I think BLW has some interesting points (encouraging a variety of textures from the start, fostering curiosity and adventurousness in eating, and, developmentally, focussing on biting and chewing before swallowing) and because it is an approach supported by the NHS I thought it was, and still is, well worth a try.

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OneLittleToddlingTerror · 11/11/2012 07:04

Mine never gagged with finger foods, and point blank refused purees, amazing. She was eating same food as the toddlers and preschoolers at 7mo. I work full time and still have home cooked food everyday. Hardly lazy parent.

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OneLittleToddlingTerror · 11/11/2012 07:05

At 7mo at nursery I mean. They were very impressed with her self feeding skills.

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JimbosJetSet · 11/11/2012 07:06

We did BLW when DD turned six months. As recommended by HV, NHS guidelines and after I had done my research. It worked very well and I found the weaning process enjoyable and not stressful, which was a different experience to many of my friends who took the purée route.

Comparing it to smoking and murder is beyond bizarre. And doing the same thing with six kids does not make it the correct way, or indeed the only way, or the mother an expert on weaning Hmm

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AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 11/11/2012 09:37

i've got a feeling your HV knows well enough just to reflect back whatever you've just said, amazing. Grin

however, if you feel like having an HV who is up to date in her learning, suggest she googles the latest review of the considerable research into blw, a paper called 'how feasible is blw as an approach to infant feeding?' by the dept of human nutrition in otago uni, nz. it's great, and confirms most of what you just said is... well... nonsense, really.

but of course regarding the 'if it ain't broke' line, you'll be able to provide us with acres of research demonstrating that purees really are the best way to wean children.

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AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 11/11/2012 09:39

oh and i am DEFINITELY lazy. why make two meals when you can make one? start as you mean to go on, i say...

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Wrigglebum · 11/11/2012 20:31

And why shouldn't a baby have curry amazing? My six month old has had homemade curried sweet potato cakes and homemade chicken curry (chewed on the chicken and ate the sauce and rice from a spoon). He couldn't get enough of either.

I cook all meals from scratch, but blw allows me to make one meal we can all eat. Does that make me more lazy than someone doing traditional weaning who relies on pre-made jars and pouches (not everyone who does traditional weaning prepares it all themselves you know)?

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Wrigglebum · 11/11/2012 20:40

And re the gagging- a few weeks in and DS2 rarely gags now. Ds1 was weaned the traditional way with purées and as soon as even the tiniest lump was introduced he was gagging for England for weeks and weeks. He refused all but completely smooth food and even now at 3 he is really fussy about texture (and still expects to be spoon fed but that's another story).

Are you American amazing? Your use of DUI seems to suggest it and I know Americans are a bit more conservative on weaning than Brits.

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amazingmumof6 · 11/11/2012 23:09

not American, watch lots of CSI though!

again my biggest problem is that it seems that people use it for their own convenience (I called it lazy, call it what you will) rather than focusing on what benefits the child.

Elphaba you said it yourself you are not sure and it makes you nervous.

it makes me nervous just hearing about that my friends niece is given chunks of apple at 7 months! apples, carrots and some other "hard" foods are a choking hazard even for toddlers. it's a fact, not my opinion.

softer foods can be mashed and left lumpy and yes an 8-month old can chomp through a piece of cooked broccoli (my son did that) and your 10 month old might get hold of a burger and take the biggest bite and be fine (my other son did that) and that is good, normal and to be encouraged.

BUT the transition from liquid (breast milk or formula) to chunks should be gradual. what's the hurry to skip the in-between steps?


" a liquid takes a great deal of coordination for babies" utter nonsense, but you accept it because it sounds scientific enough

breast milk is a liquid, last time I checked..

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AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 11/11/2012 23:32

oh i see... so it's all second-hand gossip about a 'friend's niece'? is this really what you're basing such a rabidly 'anti' opinion? no-one's advocating raw apples or hard carrot, they're a choking hazard, whichever way you look at it.

did you consider reading the paper i mentioned? or are you sticking with the friend of a friend method of data collection?

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AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 11/11/2012 23:34

oh, and re 'the transition from blah to blah should be gradual etc'... any actual research to back that up? other than your own children, because as you know the plural of anecdote is not data.

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amazingmumof6 · 12/11/2012 01:16

you don't research for common sens and logic

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amazingmumof6 · 12/11/2012 01:17

but it would be great if I could spell words correctly! Grin

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