Gagging on purees but not real solids?

[mommabritt]

Dd is going to be 9 months. She's been interested in food for a while now and I've shared tons of things with her off my plate which she happily gobbled up. But anything puréed makes her gag to no end and usually throw up. This includes applesauce, oatmeal (baby and real), mashed potato, soup.... etc.

With our older kids we did the traditional cereal, then stage 1, 2, 3 baby food process but youngest DS switched to table food after about 3 months of purees. And fwiw we are not intentionally following any blw, we're just trying to go with her flow.

I don't know what to do here. She wants the spoons and won't let me feed her anything but I don't know what to do about the gagging. It seems strange to me that she can handle grilled chicken and frozen peas but can't tolerate applesauce or oatmeal.

Advice or suggestions? Thanks!

[chello]

don't bother with purees then, go right to finger food. if she's handling it well, she's ready for it. My DS was like that, hated purees, so we didn't bother with them.

[mommabritt]

Thanks for the response mama. I'm not hesitating to give her the solids she wants, I'm wondering why she isn't tolerating spoonfed foods. We don't feed her baby food but I offer her bites of my other children's yogurt, applesauce, oatmeal and she gags like she's never eaten. Why is this?

[seacat]

Originally Posted by chello don't bother with purees then, go right to finger food. if she's handling it well, she's ready for it. My DS was like that, hated purees, so we didn't bother with them.

DS1 didn't do purees at all. Just cut things like bananas, steamed sweet potato, avocado, etc. in finger length sticks so its easier for her to pick up and munch. She could have a really strong gag reflex. Spoons tend to bring this out if they have it. DS2 isn't doing solids yet but we won't be doing spoons because I can barely get a paci in his mouth without him gagging. DS1had it too. Don't worry when she get feed herself she will enjoy yogurt, oatmeal, etc. but she'll be more comfortable because she's in control of the spoon. Maybe just bring it to her lips and let her put her mouth around the spoon.

[EmilytheStrange]

It does seem odd, yes.

But just a phase, I am sure. Discovering her gag reflex and all that.

Yogurt smoothies are awesome if she can use a straw. Otherwise, it would weird me out and if it continued, I'd bring it up at her 12month wellbaby. But otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much.

[mommabritt]

I will stick with the food sticks. The smoothie is a good idea, she definitely doesn't understand the straw yet (or a regular sippy). I will for sure bring it up at her next visit. She goes next week for her 9 month well child visit.

[madebytrudi]

I think some kids have problems with 'feeling' the pureed foods in their mouth. It's almost like it is too fine for them to properly manage and their tongue gets in the way, making them gag. I've had some kids like that. I usually ended up using my baby mill which 'ground' things thicker and not as watery as the store bought stuff.

[JeDeeLenae]

Bring it up to your pediatrician. My niece had this same issue and it was a form of oral dysphagia. She could eat Oreos and french fries, but would gag on other things, both solid and pureed. It took some work, but at almost 5 she can eat anything.

Sent from my SGH-T959V using DS Forum

[mommabritt]

Yeah I don't buy any store bought baby food. Mostly because it is so expensive but a lot because I refuse to buy the really chunked up stuff if she can just eat what we're eating.

Last night I made a stir fry. I gave her carrot strips and a broccoli floret and she loved it. I gave her a bite of vanilla pudding when we were having some and she didn't gag really just smacked her lips and it set there for so long I ended up swiping it out. So strange!

JeDeeLanae, Thanks for sharing. I'm glad to hear your niece is now eating well.

[AutumnRose]

She might not like the texture...I gag on pudding and yogurt, the texture makes my spine shiver...that and over cooked noodles