Is choking a risk with the Rapley method?

From 6 months old, your child can start eating solid foods. But what is the best method to transition your child from breastfeeding/formula to solid foods? A well-known method is the Rapley method. The principle here is to teach your child to handle solid foods in a playful manner. No jars of pureed food, but a piece of carrot straight from the hand. Some parents find it exciting, others swear by it. What do you need to know about the Rapley method?

Discovering food
Letting your child decide what, when, and how much to eat: that is the Rapley method in a nutshell. The name Rapley comes from researcher Gill Rapley. She investigated whether babies would spontaneously transition to solid foods if given the chance. The conclusion was that not only did they do so, but it was much easier because the baby had control. The founder of Kennisinstituut Borstvoeding.com, Stefan Kleintjes (lactation expert and pediatric dietitian), created the Dutch version of the Rapley method: the Kleintjes method.

No pieces, no pureeing...
Solid foods the size of a fist – think cooked broccoli stalks and bread crusts – are not cut or pureed but simply eaten by hand. It is recommended to start after 6 months; before that time, a baby gets sufficient nutrients from breastfeeding or formula. From 6 months, the intestines are sufficiently developed to digest small amounts of food.

Learning to eat through trial and error
Eating independently, without being fed. This doesn’t happen automatically. Initially, your child will make a mess, struggle to bring food to their mouth, and not chew well. Some children progress faster than others, but this is all part of the process. According to Stefan Kleintjes, it is best not to intervene. He states inan article on Borstvoeding.com: "The best thing is to let your child discover it all by themselves. Just as with learning to walk or talk. A baby who can explore food at their own pace, independently, will occasionally gag, but they will also learn a lot and gradually become better and more effective at eating on their own."

Isn't that dangerous?
Many parents fear that their child will choke if they decide what and how much to eat. According to Kleintjes, the risk of choking is actually higher with pureed food. He says: "To eat pureed food, it must be sucked to the back. Food that ends up at the back of the mouth can lead to choking. Feeding pureed food with a spoon thus carries a choking risk. Especially pureed food that contains pieces." He believes you should give your child time to explore the food. Your child grabs the food, starts to suck on it, and slowly tries to chew. This starts uncontrolled, but gradually they learn how to get the food into their mouth and chew. Only then do they learn to swallow.

Risk of choking
If your child doesn't yet know how to swallow, you might expect this to cause problems. However, according to Kleintjes, you need not worry: "A baby under one year has a strong gag reflex: it starts at the front of the mouth and gradually moves back as the baby practices eating solid foods. The gag reflex protects your child from choking. If the food gets too close to the throat and coordination is not yet optimal, the child will gag the food out. Then they start again." In short: your baby learns to eat through trial and error.

Is the Rapley method right for you?
Although there is little scientific research on the Rapley method, proponents say there are many benefits. Your child eats what the family eats, the Rapley method contributes to motor skill development, and there is less risk of obesity because your child learns to decide how much to eat. Your child will also clearly learn to recognize flavors, promoting a healthy eating pattern later in life. But beware: these results are not scientifically proven.

7 tips
At EHBO Bureau, we teach our students to always cut food – especially soft, compressible foods like sausages and grapes – into quarters to prevent choking. Do you still want to try the Rapley method? Then keep the following in mind:

1. Only start the Rapley method when your baby is 6 months old
2. Always stay with your child when they are eating
3. Ensure your child is sitting upright while eating
4. Provide food the size of a baby’s fist
5. Do not give round/cylindrical foods like whole grapes or cherry tomatoes (these can get stuck and cause choking)
6. Also choose products high in iron and zinc (such as meat or whole grain products)
7. Be patient

Want to know more about the pros and cons of solid foods for your child? Inthis articleyou can read all about it.

Sources:

www.borstvoeding.com

www.consumentenbond.nl

www.oudersvannu.nl