Choking vs. Gagging During Baby Led Weaning 

It's important to know the difference.

July 26, 2022

Baby led weaning bib by Bibbrella

While choking isn’t any more or less likely to happen during baby led weaning, you might find that your little one is occasionally gagging as they try new foods. Does this mean that BLW is dangerous? Not quite. But that doesn’t mean parents who are considering baby led weaning can ignore knowing the difference between choking and gagging. Parents who are aware of the differences will be better equipped to identify and handle any emergencies should they happen while eating.

Why Is My Baby Gagging While Eating?

Gagging occurs when the gag reflex is triggered, which can happen quite easily for children who are new to eating. As you might imagine, babies don’t naturally know how much to eat or how much to fit in their mouth. It’s a skill that’s learned with the help of the gag reflex. Think of gagging as being similar to falling when learning to walk. Falling over isn’t fun, but it’s a natural and inevitable part of the process. And just as you might have your child wear thicker clothing to protect them while they learn to walk, a full-length bib will come in handy when accidents happen.  

What’s the Difference Between Choking and Gagging?

Most of us might assume that gagging and choking are the same thing. But gagging is actually a normal part of eating, while choking is potentially fatal. Gagging is simply the result of stimulating the gag reflex, and choking means that there’s something blocking the airways and preventing breathing. It's also natural for children to drool or spit out their food if they gag. Sound messy? A full-coverage bib will keep messes contained while your babe gets a handle on eating properly! 

How Can You Tell If Your Child Is Choking? 

So, what are some of the ways you can tell if a baby is choking? 

Trouble coughing: If it looks like a child is trying to cough but isn’t making any noise, this may signal that their airways are blocked and that they’re not able to get any air. Coughing doesn’t mean that a baby isn’t choking at all, however, as coughing can still happen if their airway is only partially obstructed. In this case, it may look like a kid is having trouble coughing.

No noise or high pitched noise: When the airways are completely obstructed, our throats aren’t able to make noise. On the other hand, a high pitched noise might mean that there is a very small amount of air still getting into the airway.

Turning blue or purple: If your baby’s skin or lips start to turn blue or purple, this is a clear sign that they could be choking and not getting enough oxygen. If you think your child is choking, call 911 immediately while you administer first aid. 

It’s important to make sure that a baby is able to sit upright with zero help before starting baby led weaning. This minimizes chances of choking, which is more likely if a child is unable to sit up all on their own. For more on preventing choking, check out Baby Leading 101!