What do you think?

[Laurans]

So my 7.5 month old is experimenting with lumpy textures and finger foods, sometimes he gags and twice has started to choke! (A few back slaps and all was fine) I know the difference between gagging and choking etc

This morning had a horrible experience, he had his porridge and fruit purée and later as I was changing him his mouth filled to the brim with sick and it was coming out his nose. He was choking, no sound coming out, flailing arms etc, I whipped him up, slapped his back etc he had obviously inhaled some and was very upset after the event...

So what worries me is what would have happened if I wasn't there? I'm hoping someone will tell me he would have rolled over and cleared it himself, afterall he's 7.5 months and rolls well, younger babies must be sick sometimes and somehow are alright!!!

Was telling my mum (who obviously cares and is just trying to be helpful) she was saying should have monitor on for his naps etc.....we live in an apartment and I don't use a monitor as can hear him if he cries etc

My questions are...
Do you think he would have rolled over himself if I wasn't there?
Do you use a monitor and would it really solve this worry as with real choking they can't cry/cough anyway?
Any experiences you have had/reassurance u can offer?

Thanks for reading this long post!

 

[_Meep_]

One would like to think he would roll, but there's really no way to say. Obvious a baby's basic intelligence doesn't yet extend to making a conscious decision such as 'If I lie on my front, I can cough this out', but they DO have a very strong survival instinct, so hopefully this is what he would have done, even if just through wriggling around in a panic. Try not to torture yourself over it - you WERE there and he is fine.

My daughter threw up many times in her sleep as a young baby and is still with us, if it's any consolation at all.

We do use a monitor. I was very paranoid in the beginning about SIDS, so used one my similarly paranoid parents bought when I was a baby. It had a movement sensor pad that went under her mattress, connected to a console that ticked with each breath and sounded an alarm if it didn't detect breathing or movement for a certain amount of time (20 seconds). When we moved her to her own room we bought a modern Angelcare one which has a wireless unit that you can use downstairs, carry around, etc. It ticks and alarms like the original and we are still using it, mainly out of habit.

It has never gone off.

Since she was six months or so, my LO seemed more comfortable sleeping on her front, so we have let her do this, with the reassurance of the monitor. She stopped spitting up long ago, but it certainly helped to know that if she was sick, it would likely flow straight out of her mouth as she was lying on her front. If you don't feel comfortable with this idea or your son doesn't like it though, maybe you could elevate the head end of his cot a bit if you think that might help? People often do this with reflux babies.

Finally, I know this wasn't one of the questions, but since you say your LO has choked a couple of times, I was wondering if perhaps he just isn't quite ready for lumpier textured foods yet? There's no harm in taking a break and trying again in a few weeks to see if he takes to it better. He's still very young and they all learn at different paces. When weaning our daughter (spoon-fed), we very much stuck to the age guidelines on the front of the packets, moving her through the stages as she hit each age bracket, and to be honest I don't think she was ready at all! She never properly choked on anything, but she just seemed to mostly swallow everything without making much effort to chew it first with her gums and teeth. In fact, she only started to properly chew about two months ago and she's sixteen months now! She was a tongue-masher for the longest time, but is doing brilliantly now.

Maybe your LO is trying to swallow before he has mashed the food sufficiently with his tongue/teeth/gums. This is pretty normal at his age. Things that really helped my daughter get the hang of it were foods like toast sticks, melty biscuits, puffs, etc. Things she had to bite pieces off herself - the biting action really seemed to help her chewing reflex kick in. But since she was having foods that dissolved easily in the mouth, there was no real risk of choking.

These days, I feel confident giving her chunks of all manner of foods because I know she can handle it, but it was a terrifying process at first and I was constantly trying to limit the amount she was biting off/putting in her mouth, which I think held her back somewhat. They need to be able to feel the food to learn what they can and can't manage. Once I relaxed a bit, it got much easier.

Sorry, my post has been even longer! Hope some of it is helpful.

 

[too_scared]

I have a phobia of this. Extreme phobia. I finally plucked up the courage to ask for help. My doctor told me in his 20 years of practice he never had a baby choke on vomit and die. It's a good thing to hear. It doesn't help my phobia but it's good to hear.

 

[SarahBear]

Little babies will turn their heads so even if he didn't roll, he'd likely at LEAST turn his head. It may be that he didn't turn his head because the vomit was still coming up and perhaps he would have turned his head when this process was done? Just an ideas as to why he didn't yet turn his head or roll. I don't use a monitor and I don't think it would solve anything because choking is silent.