Solids have been a disaster, need ideas please!

[marensmama]

My DD2 is now almost 8 months old.  She has some health troubles (reflux, kidney trouble) so I have been slow to get her started with solids because I really felt that if anyone would have food allergies/intolerances, it would be her.  She has been SO ready for solids, she actually cries through our meals unless we give her some water or something to gnaw on while we eat.  Poor baby 

Two weeks ago, I gave her rice cereal for the first time.  She had a bad reaction to it (vomiting, blood & mucus in diaper) but was advised by my GP (paed out of town) to try rice again, one week later, in smaller amounts.  So I did that, but she was obviously in some discomfort and her reflux flared up.  I switched to oats and she was better but not back to normal.  Then I realized that the Baby MumMum crackers I was giving her at our meal times had rice in them (DUH!).  Once I cut those out she seemed herself again.  So we were just feeding 1/2 tsp of oats every day for breakie but she really wants to feed herself and unless it's watered down, 1/2 of oats doesn't mix up to much that she could feed herself.  I introduced her to cereal because I was concerned about her becoming anemic and needing the extra iron (although she's not anemic and is aside from the kidney stones and reflux , a thriving young girl) Since she seemed OK with oats I also gave her some banana to feed herself and she was quite please with herself, eating it up as fast as she could grab it.  I did that for two days, but she didn't have a bowel movement in those 2 days (when she did it was still really runny though, so she wasn't constipated).

To complicate things further, we've had to wean her from her swaddle (actually we went cold turkey) 4 days ago and she's able to settle herself quite well now.  She has one NW for a feed between 3 and 5 am, but now she also has an EW at 5:30, has been like that for the last 4 mornings.  I don't know if it's related to a food sensitivity or the swaddle, but I didn't feed her any solids today to see if that would help.  I've posted on the general sleep board for help with routine but then I realized maybe it was a solids issue. 

So, to make a long story even longer I'm wondering what do I do now?  I feel like whatever I feed her is not agreeing with her, and I want to do BLW, but I worry about the iron levels issue (she's EBF) so that's why I opted for cereal.  What other foods can I try feeding her (or rather, she'll feed herself since she's quite capable) that are not bad for refluxers or highly allergenic or cause gassiness, and yet be high in iron?  Meat?  How does one prepare meat for a baby to feed themselves?

If this needs to be moved to the food allergies board, I apologize in advance.  I don't know that any allergies actually exist, she just seems sensitive to things.

[tylersmommy]

My 2nd LO was ebf and refused to eat any kind of baby cereal. She ended up getting most of her iron intake from feeding herself iron-fortified "adult" cereals, like cheerios and just about any other kind of cereal out there. We didn't do meat either and her iron levels were fine at both her 9 mo and 1 yr checkups. You can always get iron supplement drops from the dr if you're really concerned.

Other foods that are good iron sources...egg yolk. You can scramble it or make egg yolk french toast and cut it into strips for finger food. It's usually the white of the egg that's an allergen, not the yolk. Tofu can be cut into cubes. Beans are good too, but can make a senstive tummy gassy. And, of course, meat, but I can't be much help there since we skipped it. Most fruits and veggies do contain some iron too. Also, vitamin C enhances iron absorption, so if you serve them together you can help her body get as much iron as possible.

[deb]

Other cereals you might try are barley and millet. I've seen barley in the ready-to-mix flakes at the grocery, I hink Gerber makes them, but millet you may have to buy and cook and puree yourself, but it's a GREAT starter cereal.

You can also add some prunes to the cereal or some prune juice to a drink to help counteract the bananas if they're binding her up.

Keep us posted! 

[Freya'sMum]

Try the Famous Sausage Recipe in Recipes section for a self-feeding way to introduce meat for babies with no teeth

Ax

[marensmama]

Hey Alison, how did you know she has no teeth?   Thanks for the input.

Thank you Deb and Melissa too.  We saw a dietitian today at the health unit.  She said reflux babes often don't do well on cereals and to try meat or meat alternatives first and then cooked veggies and fruits.  I've got some homework to do now!  I need recipes and ideas, this LO wants to eat!!

[Freya'sMum]

Lucky guess they're really yummy those sausages, make enough for you too!

Ax

[kate585]

Not to hijack, but where is this Recipes board?  I've seen others reference it and have looked but haven't found it. Thanks!

[Freya'sMum]

Hello Kate585,

If you head to the main FSF page, you will see 2 sub-forums at the top a FAQ and a Recipes section aka Child Boards (not sure why )

Ax

[*Nicola*]

Nicole,

I really have no ideas but just wanted to give you some (((hugs))).  That sounds really tough, poor baby x

[marensmama]

Thank Nicola