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If you’re wanting to start baby led weaning but trying your best to handle the anxiety that can come along with it, this is exactly how I got through it and the resources and tips that helped me most.
Feeling anxiety around choking with baby led weaning? I promise you are NOT alone. I absolutely felt it too in those first few meals and weeks. That said, there were a few things that helped me a ton, that hopefully can help you too!
Also, this is going to read like an ad for Solid Starts lol but I swear it isn’t. They were just an incredibly helpful resource for us that I recommend to anyone and everyone who is wondering how to get started with baby led weaning, how to handle anxiety, how to cut food safely, etc. They are so helpful and have a TONNNN of free info!
Infant CPR Videos
Before we started I made sure to watch infant CPR videos so I would know what to do in case of emergency. I also made sure my husband watched too! I had purchased a bundle from Solid Starts, and one of the pdfs contained info on infant CPR. No need to purchase though, you can search for infant CPR on YouTube and a ton of videos will come up!
I know it’s scary to even think about, but it is important to know what to do in case of emergency.
For me personally, it helped knowing what to do.
LifeVac
Along the same lines of knowing what to do in case of emergency, we keep a LifeVac on hand, which is a rescue device to be used in the case of choking. Having that nearby gives peace of mind for sure!
Choking vs Gagging
It is so important to know the difference! The more I learned about gagging and how it’s the body’s natural reflex to protect itself from choking, the more comfortable I felt. I know watching your baby gag is not comfortable to do. It is hard to watch them struggle! It’s hard not to panic. I just tried to remind myself that his body was doing things exactly right. He was handling food the exact way his body was supposed to!
I would watch him take a bite, gag, and I could see the piece of food work its way from the back of his mouth to the front. From there either he would chew more or spit out if it was too big. The more I watched him, the more I learned to trust him and his body to handle things.
It took time to be comfortable watching him gag and not going into immediate panic. To be honest, even now at 10 months in, it still sends a jolt of anxiety through me. But with time, it has happened less and less and less. And I always just remind myself that his body is doing things exactly right!
This post from Solid Starts goes into detail on choking vs gagging, and has videos of what gagging looks like with babies. I found videos of gagging helpful to watch in the beginning to know what I should look for, what was normal, etc. Highly recommend giving this post a read and/or watching the videos if you’re comfortable doing so!
Nearby Support
The first few meals I did by myself because my husband was working. I did easy foods that were super super soft and I felt comfortable feeding him. The first food that truly made me nervous was banana. I could NOT bring myself to do it alone, so I had my husband watch the infant CPR video and sit with us.
My son took a huge bite and I was panicking!! I was calming saying out loud to my husband “I am having a really hard time not freaking out right now……😱 ” lol. But I knew how important staying calm was for my son. We watched and waited and he handled it like a champ! My husband was helpful in reminding me of that in the moment I needed it!
Practice Practice Practice
Staying calm during meal time was truly a skill I had to practice. Honestly, I was totally fine going the puree route, but my son very clearly wanted to hold food himself. I knew it was his preference so I tried really hard to practice staying calm for him. With time, I could very easily see how his body handled things the way it was supposed to, and I learned to trust him.
Preparing Foods Safely
Another thing that helped me feel more comfortable was knowing how to prepare foods in the safest way possible for my son. Another plug for Solid Starts – they have an app that is just such an incredible resource. I paid $10 for a year, but just recently realized that there is a free version of the app. The difference is if it’s free you don’t have access to the recipes or ability to log your baby trying foods – so up to you on if you want those features.
The free version (and paid version) offer the ability to search a huge database and see exactly how to prepare a food for your baby. From apples to zucchini, you’ll know the best way to cook and serve food for your little one. Such incredible peace of mind!
Still Not Feeling Comfortable?
That’s okay. Having a calm and enjoyable experience during meals for you and baby is important! Imo, it’s more important than the route you choose!
There is nothing wrong with starting with purees if that’s what you feel most comfortable with!!! Plenty of people start with purees. I did purees with a ton of kids I nannied and they all turned into wonderful little eaters. Work on adding texture slowly, and you and baby will both get there in no time.
Sending lots of love, and always here to chat if you have any questions (DM me on IG!)
