Help! Two questions about BLS.

Before DS turned 6 months, I posted in the general chatter thread that I was going to do BLS. Fast forward almost two months later, and DS is refusing his purees and I'm wishing I'd gone with my first instincts. He started off as a great little eater, but now ... I'm not sure if it's teething or whatever, but he just doesn't want to eat.

So, my first question is - is it okay to start BLS at DS's age (he's 9 days off turning 8 months)? Even after he's been on purees since starting solids?

Second question is this - can anyone please help me understand the gagging reflex? Part of the reason I decided not to do BLS to start with (aside from family and friends telling me I was mad for thinking of giving my 6 month old "real" food) is I have a serious anxiety about choking - myself and watching others. I've watched YouTube clips of BLS and read all about it (have Gill Rapley's book right here), but I just panic when I see it. This morning, after his porridge, I offered DS toast with avocado. He sucked on it and played with it - all good. Then he went bright red, his eyes went wide and he started "choking". I panicked. He was okay, but I felt sick and was shaking. So, what does normal gagging look like? Do they go red? Is it supposed to look like choking?! How long does it last for?

Thank you!

From what I understand choking is silent, gagging is usually not...

Just going with my first instinct I always thought if BLS was going to work you need to start with it. Because I think (I might be wrong) that the whole point of not doing spoonfeeding was so that you don't override the gag reflex. I would think that a baby that has never been spoonfed puree would be better at controlling their intake of food and more cautious about what they put in their mouth, so less chance of choking.
That said, I think by 8 months old, if they are sitting up unassisted and have good hand to mouth coordination they are still capable of finger food regardless of having been spoonfed purees ITMS. Because BLS or not, one day they will be transitioning to finger food anyway!! :)
And I understand it to be choking is silent and gagging isn't. Although I have no experience because even with BLS my DS never gagged!
Good luck with finger foods!

Babyled solids is known to most of us as "eating". We eat food, not purees! Purees were started in the days when parents were misguidedly coerced into attempting to feed babies who were only ever able to digest milk, who were actually too young for food. After a while most of us want to eat real food - and that is what your baby is trying to tell you - he'll have what you are having, thanks mum. In the old days we used to call "babyled weaning' "family foods"