Feeding Challenges

Baby gags on food what is normal

Baby gags on food what is normal

Why babies gag when learning to eat Gagging is a protective pharyngeal reflex. It is triggered when food, liquid, or another object stimulates sensitive areas toward the back of the mouth and throat. The reflex helps move material forward or out of the mouth before it can enter the airway. In young babies, the gag […]

Repeated Food Exposure After Baby Refuses a Food

Repeated Food Exposure After Baby Refuses a Food

A refusal is information, not a final decision Infant food acceptance is influenced by more than flavor. Babies are learning how to manage new oral sensations, coordinate chewing or gum-based mashing, move food through the mouth, and swallow. A food that seems simple to an adult may be difficult because it is fibrous, sticky, grainy, […]

Baby refuses solid food what to do

Baby refuses solid food what to do

Why a baby may refuse solid food Refusal does not automatically mean that something is wrong. Solids are a developmental transition from a familiar, liquid feeding pattern to a complex sensory and motor task. A baby must coordinate posture, lip closure, tongue movement, chewing or mashing, and swallowing while also processing unfamiliar tastes and textures. […]