Wow, sounds very familiar... Initially, I had hoped that our new baby girl Roisin would be breastfed and baby led weaned - but feeding problems arising at around 6 weeks would mean extra challenges for both these intentions. Her main symptom was screaming during feeds - not "just" fussing, but top-of-the-lungs screaming (she always had to be fed at home). Other posters' stories led us to suspect silent reflux (no vomiting), and it was eventually diagnosed and treatment commenced - but sadly, help came too late to rescue breastfeeding (thankfully I was able to feed her expressed breastmilk from a bottle for some time). She also had an overactive gag reflex, dysphagia (difficulty co-ordinating swallowing/breathing, so lots of choking during feeds), torticolitis (due to being cramped in utero, for which we tried cranial osteopathy with some success) and severe tongue tie (tongue tied down on both sides). Even though she responded well initially to Gaviscon then later Ranitidine and thickened feeds, Roisin was in and out of hospital with feeding strikes and two bouts of gastroenteritis (just what she needed!). We were advised by her paediatric team to wean her early at 4 months. I was disappointed because I knew this would mean mush, but ultimately her well-being was the priority. She had a pretty serious milk aversion, and I was terrified she would end up on a G tube. Weaning didn't start well. She just wasn't interested until she was well over 6 months, which was disheartening as I'd read many stories of reflux babies "not looking back" once they started food. But I kept offering her simple foods, mostly blended vegetables, sometimes commercial pots. I never tried baby rice. Yoghurt helped replace the milk she wasn't taking. Then one day when she was around 8 months she grabbed and ate a whole banana - I almost fainted! If she could do that, then she could certainly take some lumpier textures and easy to break down finger foods. We progressed to finely milled porridge oats, then to blended family meals with overcooked tiny pasta, and then thick soup with flaked Quinoa. Providing the "sauce" was thick enough to lubricate the lumps, and the lumps were fairly small, she did OK. Good finger foods were banana, cheese (left out of the fridge for a bit so it was softer) and overcooked pasta. She also enjoyed chewing on a large (for her) piece of lean steak - only the smallest bits would break away. By 9 months we had weaned her off Ranitidine, and by 10 months she was eating with gusto. She seemed to overcome all her problems at once - her neck straightened, her tongue tie detached naturally, and she even started taking more milk again. She also started nursing normally, no need for thickener. It's been a complete mystery to us how despite her feeding issues, Roisin has always thrived and is the most robust little girl imagineable. She started a good 4 months behind her brother with weaning, but once she decided to eat, she progressed at a fairly normal rate. Now at 15 months, she helps feed herself her porridge and evening meal, has a sandwich for lunch, and finger food throughout the day (e.g. oatcakes, steamed carrot sticks, halved grapes, even thinly sliced apple). She loves cheese on toast, but has gone off banana (note banana is normally a food to avoid for reflux babies because of its acidity, as are many fruits). Generally, she isn't fussy and will eat just about anything, she loves meat. The only time we notice she is a little gaggy is after illness (this is common for refluxers). Thanks Aitch for the wonderful resource that this blog is. Anecdotes have been as valuable (more valuable at times) as medical advice in navigating the early wilderness of weaning Roisin. If there's one thing BLW has taught me, it has been to have faith in The Gag Reflex, and that developmental readiness WILL come (OK, that's two things :-)