@sky

I get where you're coming from, but from personal experience, my kids would be dead if I waited for them to turn blue, that's why I caution parents when things like these are posted. My kids will silently choke while bright red for over a minute before turning blue (my toddler runs off and hides randomly, eating things he knows he shouldn't eat). My toddler now asks for help when he starts to choke, the baby obviously doesn't understand not to eat EVERYTHING his brother hands him (includes wrappers from the garbage, dog food, chips and other non baby friendly foods).

Actually, they turn blue fairly quickly. It's when they are blue and UNRESPONSIVE that they are in true danger. That's how you know there is a serious oxygen depravation going on that can result in brain damage.

I'm a flight attendant (i.e. trained first responder to medical emergency and well trained to the dangers of oxygen depravation incase of loss of cabin pressure etc...).

In an adult or older child you always ask if they are choking before giving aid as you can actually cause choking by giving aid while a person is going through natural physiological responses to remove the offending object from the airway. A baby can't indicate verbally or respond with a nod to the question "Are you choking?" so at the first sign of silence and blueness you flip baby over, place head lower than the trunk, and perform back blows. If that doesn't work and child is still blue and now UNRESPONSIVE call for emergency services and begin infant CPR.

I will add this. Don't wait for your baby to turn blue before you respond to choking. Blue means they've lost too much oxygen, blue means not enough oxygen is circulating.. that is a major issue.

Thank you!

Oh, one more!

If you give pasta try fusilli or penne because of the stick shaped principle again. Red Lentil pasta is very nutritious too, btw. Great for getting iron into babies!!

I took a class on baby led feeding and they recommended steaming veggies until they are firm enough to grasp but soft enough to mash between your thumb and forefinger (ideal for chewing gums or tongues to mash against the roof of the mouth). Then cut them into stick shapes (like the size and length of your finger) because that's easiest for them to pick up and hold themselves or for you to feed to them. A great food to start with is bananas because they are already a perfect texture and easily break into stick shaped quarters if you stick your finger into the pointy ends.

Remember baby may just play with food and not actually take it to mouth straight away. I started my guy at 6months and he just now started to feed himself. The thing about finger shaped food is that it's like a handle. Baby can eat the part sticking out from his fist or bite off some from the part you offer to baby. The cool thing is, once the gagging (scary phase) of solid feeding is over, they tend to bite off mouthfuls that are a safe amount and what they feel they can handle.

If you give meat, do the similar. Cut to stick shape and try stewing it. Bring it to a boil and then gently simmer to barely bubbling for an hour (a stew boiled is a stew spoiled, as my grandmother says, meat goes tough) but gently simmered keeps it soft enough to gum. If it does go tough you can still let baby suck on strips of tough meat for the meat juice as that's where all the nutrients are.

Tricky foods are lettuce (cut that into strips and roll them up so baby can take bites)

Grapes (cut in half but lengthwise!)

Oh, one last thing, if you do the feeding let baby lunge for the food himself so he can determine his safe amount of a mouthful. Resist the temptation to push food into his mouth for him. Good luck! Pm me if you ever have any more questions!