7.5 DS gagging every time he eats, yours too?

[isras1]

First off, my almost 8 month old DS is healthy, happy and attaining milestones on time. Good weight, appetite and sleep patterns. 

With that said, he isn't eating solids for us. We began at 6.5, when his tongue thrust reflex disappeared  and was showing signs of interest in our food. We decided to try baby led weaning and offered banana and avocado (in the mesh bag thingy), apple and acorn squash. He seems to have a very sensitive gag reflex; of which, I understand that is more forward when they are young and slowly descends as they get older. He enjoys playing with the food and has good dexterity (pincer grasp) when bringing food to his mouth but once it reaches the back of his mouth (tongue) he gags (grimaces and sometimes shivers, as if he had a bite of lemon). 

Any other momma's have their children do this? I'm thinking he is not ready yet but am still offering food every other day, so as to practice and discover foods.

TIA

[Buzzer Beater]

We just went to the OT/FT yesterday with our ten month old for this very reason. Our ped was concerned (alarmist? but we knew it was coming) because Georgia has a bad latch (still), had a late tongue thrust, doesn't make any consonant sounds, and gags on anything thicker than purees. The OT spent some time with her, checking all of her skills, her social interactions, watching her eat, and thinks that she's within a normal range on feeding. (She's way ahead on some things, behind orally.) The OT asked us to come back at a year if we hadn't made any progress. She's very pro-breastfeeding, and since GG is healthy and happy we aren't going to worry about it for now.

But the gag and puke at dinner is disconcerting. We just keep trying.

ps Our ped wanted us to make an appt at the Denver Children's feeding clinic... um yeah. Twelve hour drive. It was nice to check it all out with a pro tho.

[Fly Girl]

My DD2 did this. We also started trying solids at 6.5 months. I first tried some pureed squash and she gagged until she puked. Then I tried the mesh feeder, big chunks of soft food, small chunks, some mostly breastmilk with a little oatmeal on a spoon. She just gagged and sometimes puked on everything. I finally decided to stop worrying about it and gave her food to play with whenever we sat down as a family to eat. And she slowly got the hang of it. She is now 9.5 months and eats everything we put in front of her and I can't remember the last time she gagged. She loves feeding herself and still mostly refuses everything we try to feed her on a spoon. She's a little independent eater.

Our ped also wanted to send her to the feeding clinic at 7 months when she wasn't eating anything at all. I thought that was crazy! I figured she would eat when she was ready and she did.

[isras1]

Thanks momma's for your replies. Funny, this morning I gave my DS steamed carrot sticks and he handled it better. Some gagging but he did swallow some, maybe he just didn't like what we were giving him. Fingers crossed

[mom2happy]

It really sounds to me like your baby is not ready for solids. I would just play around with foods and not count on or be concerned with much making it down the hatch.

My older two didn't eat solids until 12-13 months and had NO problems. I was worried about my first not wanting much and gagging, but thankfully our ped. said "Look at this baby, she is fine and gaining weight- nothing to worry about. Wait until she is comfortable eating and REALLY wants to.

Just because they put things into their mouths doesn't mean they have an interest in food. They put EVERYTHING into their mouths.

My new baby has just begun an interest and she is almost 11 months.