Gagging/choking
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If you have Facebook please join the group 'Weaning the BLW way'. I was exactly the same with the fear of my son eating and everything I learnt from that group helped me so so much to stay calm. I was still anxious and didn't dare take my eyes off him for a little while but soon learnt to trust the knowledge I'd gained and my son. I'd also recommend looking up choking first aid or taking a class or something. Learning what to do if the worst did happen helped me feel more in control, as long as I watched him I could relax somewhat knowing what to do. But once you learn what to cut certain ways and why to do it and what's safe and what's not etc you'll feel much more comfortable
I’ve found some videos depicting the difference. I find the most comfort in knowing if they’re making noise, it’s generally ok… if they’re turning blue they need some help as they’re choking and struggling to get sufficient air
Take a mini first aid course, this is what helped me and gave me the confidence
It's quite rare for them to choke. A rule of thumb the health visitor told me was that if you hear it it's fine, if its silent then that's the bad one! Also apparently not to pat them while they gag. I'm taking a baby first aid class tomorrow and will start weaning after that. Maybe that's also something you can look into?
Hey, so my little guy finally figured out how to take smaller bites. It was just like learning to walk or crawl – one day, bam! Around 7 or 8 months, he went through this phase where he'd just shovel food in, so we had to cut everything up for him. I guess he just got used to smaller portions. Don't panic when you see it happening because they can suddenly swallow if scared. BLW scared me, to be honest, but just start small I guess and do what you are comfortable with.
I agree with Vanessa about doing a cpr & choking course to ease your anxiety a little. Also get the solid starts app, it’s great for telling you how to serve different food depending on baby’s age
Use the app Solid Starts (you can use the free version) I also followed someone on IG that was wonderful at explaining BLW. Her IG is CassidyandKids
First of all, gagging is normal and shows they’re figuring it out! I would find a CPR class to get extra peace of mind (I’m required to be certified for my job and I feel so much more confident knowing what to do). Second, get the Solid Starts app! It tells you how to cut and serve basically any food for what’s appropriate for their age. Helped TONS. It’s all about how you prep it!
I think it’s very important to understand the difference between gagging and choking. It’s okay when they gag, it’s a reflex and helps them learn to eat. It is also very normal for them to gag as well. They will chew/bite off big pieces as they are learning and trying to map their mouths. I would suggest to maybe give foods you can cut into stick sizes instead to help baby to map their mouth better and learn the chewing motion. Gagging is normal though. They risk choking more if they’re having super tiny pieces as it can lodge into their throats. That’s why we cut blueberries and such.