Baby-Led Weaning method, how to prevent the baby from choking
One of the fears of feeding our baby with the Baby-Led Weaning method is that they can choke on food, is it possible that it happens?
A while ago, we explained what the Baby-Led Weaning method was . In case you do not remember, it is a method with which your babies can go directly from breastfeeding, or from the bottle, to eating solid foods . These foods must be prepared in a specific way so that they can be consumed by the little ones; Apart from this, the Baby-Led Weaning or BLW is a method that makes the life of the parents much more comfortable , at least as a general rule.
And it allows you to forget about all those purees , whether they are homemade or prepared, without the ones you previously thought you couldn’t even live without. Now not only can you, but you will do it like a charm. As we already explained, there are a few keys to follow so that the BLW works perfectly , and among them, one of the most important is that it must be the baby who takes the food and introduces it into his mouth by himself . Make this clear to all your family and friends, as well as in the nursery: no one should put food in the baby’s mouth. He should be the one to decide what foods to eat and when.
Along with the fear that the little one will go hungry, another of the great fears of parents is that they will choke on some food . It is scary to see how, all of a sudden, the baby goes from taking the breast or the bottle to introducing solid foods. However, the real risk of choking with the Baby-Led Weaning is quite low, as you will see.
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THE RISKS OF BABY-LED WEANING
The risk of BLW is not really that the baby chokes, but that the parents are so afraid that they will not let him be free at mealtime. Let’s face it: your baby can choke on broccoli, cooked potato, mashed potatoes, or even something he finds on the floor. A thousand things can happen, and you cannot live with that constant fear that your baby will choke, because that is not the way to live.
That fear will probably never go away, since, after all, it is something innate in any father and mother. It is logical to be afraid, it is understandable, and it is okay to be afraid . What we must not allow is that it is that fear that conditions us and makes us change our decisions. Remember: the baby can choke on purees in the same way that he can choke with the BLW method, so do not fear, and opt for what you prefer and it works best for you. If you want to try this feeding method, let it not be fear that grips you.
DO NOT FORCE THE BABY TO EAT IF HE DOES NOT WANT WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM
Knowing how to carry out the Heimlich maneuver is not something that only parents who decide to try the BLW method should do, but rather all parents (all people) should know it well , since it can save a life at any time.
SOME EXTRA TIPS TO HELP YOU
In addition to knowing how to perform the Heimlich maneuver, you can also take into account some tips that will help you a lot when it comes to preventing your baby from choking . First and foremost: stay by his side always, at all times, while he is eating. Do not get lost, do not leave the room, because a specific carelessness can end very badly in these cases. Remember that the BLW method requires considerable effort on the part of parents, especially at first; And it is that it is not only a rather “dirty” method (you will quickly discover that your children like to play with food), but also sacrificed. But you will have your reward.
If your child is crying, do not sit him down to eat, or force him to eat between sobs . When crying, he may inadvertently inhale the food and may end up choking on the food in question. The same happens if you notice that he is sleepy ; he can get eaten while he sleeps, and that could cause him to choke without you being able to prevent it. Nothing happens if he cries and does not want to eat on time, or if he is very sleepy; you can eat a little later. It will alter your routine, yes, but they are babies: that’s what they do.
If the baby does not feel like eating, do not force him to eat . He may not be hungry, he may not particularly like that food (that happens to you, too, remember), or he may already be completely satiated. And nothing happens! Do not force it, because children are wiser than we think. Try other foods, or let him eat less that day, but never try to force him. In the BLW method, as we have already pointed out, his thing is that it is the child who marks himself.
As a tip: do not use reclining highchairs , opt for straighter chairs for the baby to eat. Of course, the baby must know how to stay upright by himself to eat solid foods; if not, it means that it is not ready yet.
It may happen to you sometime, that your baby chokes on food. Breathe, count to three to see if he is capable of solving it himself (this is what usually happens, as a general rule) and, if you see that he is not capable, perform the Heimlich maneuver . If this does not work, call 112. Anyway, you should know that these cases are the least, not to say that they are non-existent.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.
