Weaning Q&A With Lucy Upton

Welcome to the final instalment of our mini Q&A clinic with Specialist Paediatric Dietitian Lucy Upton. Lucy regularly consults in the public and private sectors and has extensive experience supporting families through weaning in her specialist feeding clinics. During the 6-week series, Lucy has been answering some of the most common questions parents ask as they begin weaning, along with a few surprising ones!

If you missed the first five weeks, you can catch up here:

Week 1: Give Weaning Woes the F.I.N.G.E.R

Week 4: Travel Tips: Babies & Bottled Water

Week 5: The 'No, Thank You Plate' Method

This week, we’re talking about iPads at the dinner table, feeding safety, and the crucial difference between gagging and choking. It’s the question parents ask most often, so let’s dive straight in with Lucy:

How do I tell the difference between gagging & choking?

These two weaning buzzwords are often confused, but understanding the difference is critical not only for your baby’s safety but also for their development. Let’s start with gagging.

Gagging is a normal physiological response when food hits a certain part of the mouth or throat. To begin with, the gag reflex is quite far forward in your baby’s mouth. Think of it as a natural safety mechanism that protects your baby until they have more experience in dealing with and handling food. Over time, the gag reflex will regress and move towards the back of the mouth.

This means that at the beginning of weaning, it is normal to see quite a lot of gagging. Your baby will push or thrust food out of their mouth as they learn to eat. This can be quite noisy and often accompanied by eye-watering and a change in the colour of their skin to red or even purple.

Resist the temptation to intervene or overreact to gagging. Never put your fingers in their mouth, as you may push the food further towards the back of their throat, increasing the chances of choking. Trust that they can work it out, try to stay calm, and reassure them.

Choking is completely different. It occurs when food blocks or partially blocks your baby’s airway, restricting breathing. This is always an emergency scenario requiring intervention and medical assistance. Please call 999.

Signs your baby is choking include:

Often they will lose or change colour and go grey, ashen or blue. This can be harder to detect in babies with darker skin, but their gums, inside their lips, or their fingernails may begin to look blue
They may be silent. This is why it is crucial not to leave your baby unattended at mealtimes
They will often look very startled and wide-eyed
They may attempt to cough or heave to dislodge the blocked item

Remember: Loud and red, let them go ahead. Quiet and blue, they need help from you.

I don’t feed my baby in the highchair. I chase them with a spoon. Is this ok?

This question is more common than you might think. The source of this feeding behaviour is almost always a concern over how much a baby or child eats. Most parents I speak to in clinic who chase their baby around with a spoon are doing so because they feel their little one has left the table without eating much.

As a dietitian, I encourage you to stop chasing your baby around with a spoon outside the highchair. First and foremost, it’s a safety concern. The safest place for your baby to eat is in the highchair or at the table, where they are correctly aligned and supported.

Aside from the safety aspect, you’re dragging out the process of offering your child food throughout the day. Suddenly, there is no clear start, middle, or end to mealtime, which blurs lines and creates confusion.

I normally advise parents in this scenario to revise their expectations about their children’s eating. The reality is that a baby or small child will have a shorter attention span and not sit at the table for long periods. It surprises many parents to hear that a mealtime sitting may only last between five and fifteen minutes.

Focus on setting clear cues about mealtimes, such as washing hands before the start and being clear about the end of the mealtime, reinforcing with simple language. Remember that each mealtime is an opportunity to eat and learn; there will be another opportunity very soon.

Can I share food from my plate during weaning?

In principle, yes, but there are some things to bear in mind to keep them safe and also to keep their development on track:

Ideally, your baby should have some of their own food too, preferably on their own plate or highchair tray rather than sharing directly from the same plate. This nurtures feeding independence and gives them some autonomy around eating.

If they are eating from your plate, the foods need to be appropriate for their age and stage of weaning. You’ll need to be on high alert for choking risks, but also avoid foods like those high in salt or sugar.

Sharing similar plates of food is a wonderful way to bond at mealtimes and allows you to model eating behaviour.

Is it okay to give my child an iPad at mealtimes?

This is often divisive, but as a specialist paediatric dietitian, I would advise refraining from screen time during meals, and here are just some of the reasons why:

Delays to Social and Language Development

Mealtime is a rich opportunity for babies to engage in face-to-face interactions, hear language, and observe family dynamics — all crucial for development.

Disrupts Mindful Eating

Screens can distract babies from learning to recognise hunger and fullness cues, which can lead to overeating or picky eating habits later on.

Missed Motor Skill Practice

Handling food, self-feeding, and interacting with utensils are skills that get sidelined if a baby is zoned into a screen.

Associates Eating with Entertainment

This can set up long-term habits where eating is tied to watching something, potentially contributing to emotional or distracted eating patterns.

Is it ok to delay introducing allergens? I’m too nervous about my baby having a reaction.

The approach to introducing allergens has changed over the last few years, and it’s actually advised to introduce allergens sooner rather than later.

When I tell parents that their babies are less likely to develop food allergies if exposed to them sooner, they are usually quite surprised and more motivated to take the plunge.

For most babies, once weaning starts at six months, you can prioritise the introduction of allergenic foods from the get-go. Don’t delay, as this can leave the door open for allergies to develop. Get allergenic foods in early and offer them frequently in their diet.

For babies who are at higher risk of food allergies (eczema, those with existing cow’s milk protein allergy), there is also evidence that early introduction of certain allergens like egg and peanut can be introduced between four and six months - but only under the advice of a medical professional.

For more from Lucy, check out her latest book ‘The Ultimate Guide to Children's Nutrition: How to nurture happy, healthy eaters in the first five years’.

Weaning Q&A With Lucy Upton - Part 6