https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 15:26:20 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-2159661 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 12:36:55 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2159661@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stratosphere: Glad to hear that your LO is doing a ton better! An update on my little guy...he's 2.5 and has zero gagging issues except when I'm brushing his teeth :happy: It just took him a little while longer to get used to the textures. He got used to puffs probably around a year. Avocado and banana were his favorite around 11 months...but it definitely took him a while to get used to those textures! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-2159652 Tue, 28 Apr 2015 12:31:38 +0000 stratosphere 2159652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just wanted to post an update, since I often search the forums for a topic/issue I'm experiencing and find it super useful when others update the threads with how they resolved.</p> <p>Well, LO is almost 9 months now and I can say that her severe gagging has almost disappeared. It turns out she was on her own timeline and just wasn't ready for solids at 6 (or even 7) months. Right around 8 months she suddenly was able to eat both purees and some BLW finger foods without gagging. It's like her gag reflex was on its own timeline and didn't go away (or move to the back of the tongue, as I understand is what actually happens) until 8 months, instead of before 6 months for most babies. So for others' reference, there is hope! Listen to your gut, and just follow your baby's cues. I wish I hadn't let our nanny stress me out so much about pushing solids "on time" at 6 months, and then try to scare me that 7 months was way behind. </p> <p>My LO is now a HEARTY eater, eating 3 solid varied meals a day at almost 9 months--from salmon chunks, cottage cheese and sweet potato spears to roasted beet puree to smashed blueberries and steamed broccoli florets, she LOVES food now. Such a relief!</p> <p>She does of course still gag up food once every few meals when she takes too big a bite, but of course that is a totally normal (and of course a SAFE response to prevent choking!) part of baby led weaning. I just wanted to update and let future mamas know that the super-sensitive gag reflex did indeed go away on its own, just a few months later than "average." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-2078953 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 17:13:54 +0000 stratosphere 2078953@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@spaniellove: @Anagram: Thanks so much for the tales of encouragement! LO is closing in on 7 months and still hasn't really swallowed any foods (puree or otherwise) and still gags on purees, but not quite as easily/quickly as before. I offer her a puree every few days to check in and so far she still doesn't seem ready. She did chew on/gum a toasted piece of bread roll at dinner at a friend's place the other night and no gagging (though she didn't eat any either--just gummed it into a mushy mess, at which point she lost interest and threw it). She cut her first tooth a week ago. We shall see when she really gets interested in food. It may be another month or more at this pace. Just for fun right now, right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-2055938 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 14:13:20 +0000 Anagram 2055938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stratosphere: My LO had a very sensitive gag reflex, and when purees didn't seem to be "working", I tried larger spears blw-style around 6-7 months and that was a major mistake--in hindsight, now I realize she just wasn't ready for solids, period (some babies take longer than others), and forcing larger spears on her gave us some very scary choking episodes. 3 times, I had to turn her upside down and do the back thrusts and twice she ended up throwing up everything to stop the choking. Awful. awful. </p> <p>Finally, I realized that my baby was on her own timeline and we took a break of a few weeks from all solids. I decided to wait till she showed interest. Finally, we started back with purees but she didn't really get INTO food till a week or two after her first birthday.</p> <p>Now she eats like a champ! Last night, she ate an entire fillet of salmon and half a cup of broccoli and kept asking for more--I had to cut her off! She's 18 months now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-2055880 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 13:46:50 +0000 spaniellove 2055880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stratosphere: Glad to hear she handled it in some way without gagging! And if you ever want to thicken it with Earth's Best rice or oatmeal I think that's iron fortified. FWIW, LO just turned 8 months and today he was eyeing my banana very hungrily so I let him try it though I was fearing the vomit. No gagging, nothing. He gnawed at it with no problems! So I guess they can eventually outgrow even severe gagging issues! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-2055763 Thu, 05 Feb 2015 13:08:23 +0000 stratosphere 2055763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: @spaniellove: Thanks so much! That is so helpful (and encouraging). I don't think my homemade purees were smoothe enough, so I stopped last night on the way home and got some Stage 1 Earth's Best purees, and then thinned (the peas) even further with breastmilk, and she actually took some in her mouth without gagging! First time ever with food in her mouth and no gagging. I don't think she swallowed any--she pretty much spit it back out--but I'm just happy she didn't gag/wretch. I think we'll just take it slow, not force the issue for now (despite my pediatrician's fear about her not getting enough iron...which is based solely on the fact that I'm breastfeeding and not on any test or symptom of anemia). Thanks so much ladies! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-2054746 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 20:18:23 +0000 spaniellove 2054746@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stratosphere: Come to think of it, I would definitely not do what your pediatrician recommends! We had a few EI therapists working on the issue because LO was projectile vomiting daily (and the problem ended up being partly reflux) and they were insistent that we not have anything with texture touch his face or mouth. No teethers with texture, no sudden wiping of the face. What might have helped was getting a Num Num self-feeding spoon and letting LO feed himself purees so he felt in control...kind of like your ped's idea but without things that could break off, and more controlled. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-2054724 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 20:04:17 +0000 spaniellove 2054724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stratosphere: We had to stop doing BLW or anything with chunks of any kind because LO had the worst gag reflex. He had to do very very smooth purees...in fact our ped wanted only stage 1 foods. After a while I started to thicken them (decided to forget about disliking the idea of rice cereal) and then eventually moved to stage 2 pouches and now he likes those thickened a lot and can have puffs and crackers. It takes a long time, and I still wouldn't give anything that can break off! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-2054714 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 19:57:53 +0000 lawbee11 2054714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stratosphere: We had a similar issue. I never did BLW because I was too paranoid about her choking, but she didn't eat purées consistently until around 8 months (we started trying at 6 months). She had a very sensitive gag reflex and would gag and spit up with anything other than breastmilk. I think the only thing that helped was time and her growing out of it. From 8-12 months she ate purées well but any solid food would cause her to spit up (even puffs, yogurt melts, etc). It was SO stressful. Finally around 12.5-13 months she started successfully eating table food. She's 18 months now and almost exclusively eats what we eat. It's so much better! So there's definitely hope for your LO! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-2054711 Wed, 04 Feb 2015 19:53:02 +0000 stratosphere 2054711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Bringing this thread back up in case anyone has an update? My LO is still very young (6+ months) but appears to have a super sensitive gag reflex as well. I can't even feed her purees--she gags at anything that isn't liquid! At our 6 month appointment our pediatrician recommended just going to finger foods ("spears" of banana or roasted sweet potato) on the theory that some babies gag less when they've handled the texture with their hands first. She said to keep trying almost every day, as she wanted her to get iron in her (she is breastfed). Well, the BLW approach (as much as I really want it to) hasn't worked to help the issue at all. And the gagging has been full-on vomiting (of all her milk meal--she hasn't managed to ever get any food in her tummy). </p> <p>I'm just looking for encouragement that folks have had babies grow out of this. And any tips on what you think may have helped de-sensitize the gag reflex!</p> <p>My pediatrician told us to just keep trying and trying, but I'm thinking maybe LO just isn't ready for any solids yet and we should take a break for a week or two and revisit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926338 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:43:14 +0000 Weagle 926338@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't worry too much about it. My LO was fine with finger foods, but not chunky purées, really early. Several friends' kids would only eat purées until really close to the 1 year mark or later. They can totally eat my LO under the table, and are growing and developing just fine. I don't think it's detrimental at this point for your LO to only be eating purées. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926331 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:41:37 +0000 2PeasinaPod 926331@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone...it definitely helps to know that there are babies out there who are gaggers! I was starting to feel as if I was doing something wrong with him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926321 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:39:29 +0000 mrskc 926321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: I think HellobeeBoston's son is still gagging a lot! He's an oct 2012 baby. I wouldn't worry about it right now. Just keep giving purees and keep offering chunkier stuff and I bet he'll eventually stop gagging so much. Every baby is different! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926303 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:33:46 +0000 lemondrop 926303@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That was pretty normal for us through 10 months, especially with scrambled eggs. It made me a nervous wreck, but the pediatrician said he had to learn how to eat different textures. Practice, practice, practice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926278 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:27:25 +0000 Mrs. Bee 926278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: well charlie had a ton of teeth and he still had issues, so the teeth might definitely play a factor! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926274 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:26:34 +0000 2PeasinaPod 926274@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Bee: Not really. The puffs he'll tolerate a little more...he'll let those roll around in his mouth a bit but spits them out. So at least he doesn't gag at those, but still doesn't really eat them with ease. </p> <p>I'm going to keep trying! It's been about a week since the avocado pieces/chunks/puree incident, so I'm going to try again with a ripe banana tonight! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926234 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:18:47 +0000 Mrs. Bee 926234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: every kid is different. olive took to chunky foods much better/earlier and didn't have a sensitive gag reflex. charlie gagged all the time and regularly threw up too. he was the only kid still eating purees and soups when everyone was eating real food. i was just about to go see a specialist -- i talked to one on my parenting listserv from nyu -- but then it just got better. she told me that it can start out as physical, but it can become behavioral.</p> <p>your lo is still very young though! i wouldn't worry about it yet. boys also tend to have more sensory issues than girls. can he eat things like puffs, cheerios, mum mums etc without a problem? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926212 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:15:29 +0000 2PeasinaPod 926212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: &amp; @regberadaisy: Thank you both! I forgot to add that S also still doesn't have any teeth yet...so that might also play a role. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926202 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:14:10 +0000 2PeasinaPod 926202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Bee: Thank goodness! I'm part of the October 2012 mama's FB group and I keep seeing pictures of everyone's LOs eating all these crazy finger foods, and S is older than all of them since he's a Sept 2012 baby! The second the food hits his tongue it's gag central!</p> <p>The good thing is, he'll eat pretty much anything pureed. So I know he likes the taste of it all...it's just the gagging that worried me. I keep taking about a week break and try again with the same result, but I'm hoping he eventually gets better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926200 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:13:31 +0000 regberadaisy 926200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've read that some kids gag reflux are located much more up front than others. So I wouldn't worry as much - easier said than done! ;) Maybe just go back to purees for now and start trying chunkier purees in another week? If he still gags then go back to purees and try again in another week?</p> <p>GL! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926189 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:12:22 +0000 MsLipGloss 926189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: My 10 month old gags . . . that, combined with the fact that she doesn't have any teeth yet, has made solids challenging! LO will, however, eat puffs with reckless abandon! But she won't eat banana, she gagged *and then threw up* when I tried to give her small avocado pieces, she had a skin reaction to scrambled eggs (thank jeebus she didn't eat any!) . . . . *augh* I totally understand your frustration! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926171 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:10:19 +0000 Mrs. Bee 926171@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>charlie had a strong gag reflex and threw up a lot when he started chunky solids. he was still eating soupy/puree like textures well past 1 year. i think some kids have a stronger gag reflex, or they have sensory issues. if it persists, you can meet with a swallowing specialist (they exist), because it can become a problem.</p> <p>i wouldn't worry right now though. your lo is very young! and now charlie can eat anything and hasn't had a sensitive gag reflex in 2 years. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/strugglinglo-still-gagging-at-texture#post-926157 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:08:04 +0000 2PeasinaPod 926157@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>S is 9.5 months old now, and he still won't eat anything that has any sort of texture to it. I've tried cutting up bananas and avocados in teeny tiny pieces. Gags.</p> <p>Then I tried mashing an avocado so that it's just a tad chunky. Gags. I added more water and mashed it more. Gags. Finally, I made it a puree, and he's fine again. I've broken puffs into fours and he gags at even those itty bitty pieces that melt in his mouth.</p> <p>Anyone else have a LO who struggled with tiny pieces? The pediatrician said he's fine and that some babies have a worse gag reflex than others, but I'm starting to feel like the only one with a baby who gags at everything that isn't pureed! </p>