Chewing...Do I over think it?

Ok Everyone....

How much do you chew? I've been told that i'm over thinking it....I chew my food until it's the baby food consistency or slightly lumpy/bumpy just before that baby food consistency...and I chew and chew until the flavor is gone and there is no more goodness about it...I will end up spitting it out....especially if I don't feel it's chewed enough problem is...and this is where it gets gross...if I look at it or my husband looks at it...he says..you could have swallowed that....

so how much do you chew and when do you know it's enough?

Wow that really is a lot of chewing but that's good.  I've heard you're supposed to chew about 20-30 times to get the soft consistency that you're talking about.  Unfortunately, I've never mastered that one.  I chew just enough that I know there are no hard or large clumps. Normally I take small bites though because I know I don't chew enough.  When I eat something more dense like chicken, I might chew a little longer but not much.  Thank goodness I've never got anything stuck!

I agree wtih pinkshrimp. I chop my food up by hand and eat small pieces. I tend to return to old habits and will swallow to big of a piece every now and then if I don't. My pouch will remind me!!! Ouch!

HW263/SW255.2/CW213.4/GW140

I chew about 15-20 times before swallowing.  Just remember that anything too dry will not be a good thing...  I was very worried about a stricture when I started to eat real food again.  But I have learned that as long as I eat moist items and chew very well I will be good.

There are things that we have to relearn and eating has been one for me.  I need to learn what I do and don't like and what my pouch can and can't tolerate.

Good Luck!!
Chrissy

I don't chew nearly enough as I am suppose to.  I have never had anything "stuck", but I have chewed chicken till the flavor was gone, and it was gross :(  You know your pouch, if you feel that food is gross anymore because you chew it until it is tasteless, then test the waters a little and try to not chew it to death lol.  If you are spitting out your food on a regular basis, you are not getting the nutrients of that food you are eating ... that could become a problem in the long run.  I hope you find a happy medium :)