Gagging vs. Choking in Babies: What to Do

When my little one transitioned from baby food to solids, I was always cautious about the quantity and size of the food I gave her. As parents, there's nothing more terrifying than seeing your baby struggle to breathe. Gagging and choking may look similar but require different responses.

The first time I faced these situations, I was unsure whether to intervene or wait. Understanding the difference and response is crucial during the weaning phase.

This guide will help you confidently handle these situations and identify other choking hazards, like toys and small objects, ensuring your baby's safety.

As babies get ready to eat solid foods, they naturally gag on things such as the textures of the foods, larger chunks of fruit or vegetables or when the food isn't completely mashed. It's a safety feature to ensure they don't swallow something closed up in their throat that might clog their airway.

The baby’s gag reflex is crucial as babies explore the world around them. Some common causes of gagging include:

• Learning to eat solids: As babies adjust to new textures, their gag reflex is usually more sensitive and close to the front of their mouths.
• Swallowing too much food: It may cause babies to gulp large portions or not properly chew food, resulting in infant gagging.
• Food with tricky textures: Sticky and thick foods, like peanut butter and some fruits, can cause babies to gag because they can’t swallow them.
• Exploring objects: While exploring their surroundings, the babies like to put objects in their mouths. But sometimes, something that tastes weird or has a different texture can make them gag.

While it may seem alarming, gagging is usually harmless but common once your baby learns to eat and explore by mouth.

Signs and Symptoms of Gagging in Babies

While your baby’s gagging can sound and look scary, it’s rarely a cause for alarm and is usually a natural and harmless part of development. Some common signs of gagging include:

• Loud coughing or gagging noises: Babies may make noises trying to push food out of the mouth.
• Facial redness or watery eyes: It can occur due to their effort to clear their throat.
• Pushing food out with their tongue: Your baby may not swallow, and the food might push the front of their mouth.
• Gagging motions with no sign of distress: If your baby looks calm and is still breathing, it’s likely only gagging, not choking.
• Excessive drooling: Increased saliva production is common during gagging as the body tries to protect the airway.

It is important to know that gagging is your baby’s defence mechanism to prevent airway blockage while learning to eat solid foods.

If something’s blocking your baby’s airway, making it hard or impossible for them to breathe, that’s choking. Choking is frightening and dangerous and needs immediate attention.

Some common causes of choking include:

• Small objects: Bringing things in the mouth is why babies love exploring their surroundings. They can accidentally choke if they swallow objects that fit in their mouth.
• Improperly cut food: Babies can choke on foods like grapes, hot dogs, or even chunks of hard fruits and vegetables that aren’t cut into very small pieces.
• Thick liquids: If your baby chokes, it's usually because they have drank too much milk, juice, or formula that is too thick or sipped too much milk or juice at once.
• Rapid feeding: Overfeeding or feeding too fast can cause a baby to swallow too much, which may cause them to choke.

It's natural for babies to explore by putting things or toys in their mouths, but they should always do so with supervision.

Signs and Symptoms of Choking in Babies

Choking can be a frightening experience, and it is very different from gagging. Choking blocks the airway, and your baby can’t breathe properly. Some common signs include:

• Silent struggle: A choking baby will sound different from a gagging baby, as a gagging baby will produce noises.
• Inability to breathe or cough: Sometimes, your baby may find it difficult to breathe or cough forcefully.
• Red or blue face: A baby's face may turn reddish when he is choking or bluer if the airway is obstructed enough to be completely blocked.
• Panicked or distressed appearance: If your baby doesn’t look off, but is having wide eyes or frantic movements, chances are they’re choking.

Choking is a serious situation that requires immediate action. It can happen accidentally as babies are exploring solid foods.

Gagging often resolves on its own, but you can help:

• Stay calm: Don't panic—your baby feels your reactions.
• Let them work through it. Naturally, the baby's gag reflex will push the food out.
• Avoid intervention: Don't pat their back ,it makes things worse.
• Encourage safe eating habits: Give small, soft or mashed pieces of food mealtimes or supervised. 

If your baby is choking, act quickly:

• Check their airway: Look for visible obstructions and remove them.
• Call for help: If your baby struggles to breathe, call emergency services immediately.
• Perform first aid: Never use your hands to dislodge the object. Perform chest thrusts or back blows to expel the object.

Continue reading to learn about the various techniques in detail.

Step-by-Step Guide to Infant Choking First Aid

When your baby is choking, you need to act fast and remain calm. Here’s a refined step-by-step guide to help clear their airway:

• Position your baby: Position your baby so  their head is lower than their chest and face down along your forearm. Hold their head and neck supported and their body safe.
• Deliver back blows: At this time your baby is around the shoulder blades, deliver up to five firm back blows with the heel of your hand. It can help dislodge the object that’s blocking its airway.
• Flip them over: If the object is not yet passed, and back blows don’t help, turn your baby over onto their back and support their head and neck.
• Perform chest thrusts: Push with two fingers down to the centre of your baby’s chest, just below the nipple line. Five quick, firm chest thrusts help to expel the object.
• Repeat as needed: At the same time, do five chest thrusts and five back blows until it is ejected or help arrives.

You must stay calm and act quickly because every second counts. Parenting comes with constant learning, and it’s okay to feel nervous. Trust your instincts and stay informed.

When babies start eating solid foods, gagging and choking are common. Babies will often gag as a healthy reflex to help them clear food safely from their mouths and learn how to eat different kinds of textures. That happens repeatedly when food goes too far back in their mouth before they are ready to swallow it.

But choking is a dangerous condition where the airway is obstructed, and something must be done immediately. So, you can help them learn to eat safely by giving them age-appropriate foods, supervising eating closely and letting babies taste different textures by themselves.