What if I feed my baby a stick-shaped finger food and it breaks?
Baby Led Weaning Q&A
Written by Catherine Callahan, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, Speech-language Pathologist, Pediatric Feeding Therapist, and Certified Lactation Counselor
You are not alone in your worry. This is a very common question when following baby led weaning. We serve food in sticks starting at 6 months because they are easy for baby to pick up with their palmar grasp, and because bigger pieces are easier for baby to feel and control in their mouth. They are bigger and heavier, giving baby more feedback as they are learning to chew. However, if a stick breaks and baby is able to get it into their mouth, I’m here to tell you it’s okay. This piece continues to be safe for baby for two big reasons:
First, as we’ve instructed inside the 101 before one program, these sticks are soft and easily smashable. When baby gets a piece into their mouth, at 6 months old they use up and down munching with their jaw and mashing with their tongue to smash the solid into a soft puree. Whether the soft piece is in a stick or it’s in a broken piece, either way, baby will be able to mash it with that same chewing pattern.
Second, your baby is born with a protective gag reflex. When a smaller piece moves further back on the tongue unexpectedly, baby will gag and bring it forward. You can then cue baby to continue chewing the food, or spit it out. This gag is not choking; it’s a reflexive skill that keeps baby safe.
As a mom of three, and a feeding therapist who has watched many babies learning to eat, I understand how scary this can be to watch. However, I encourage you to sit with baby, practice, and watch as they learn to navigate big and small pieces in their mouth. Baby will learn to chew through chewing, so keep the practice going!
*Keep in mind that any foods given to your baby in sticks or pieces should be soft and easily squishable. Foods that are hard, round, or sticky should be modified or avoided.
Need more confidence following baby led weaning? We’re here to help!
Follow our 6-Steps to Starting Solids Success inside the 101 before one program, where we’ll show you exactly how to introduce 101 foods to your baby safely with Family meals from the start®
