Tummy trouble?

[eshea]

Hi -

We started solids with my LO several weeks ago.  She is almost 7 months and is BF.  We started with rice cereal mixed with breast milk, then a week later added sweet potatoes, and a week after that carrots.  We also started mixing the rice ceral with a little baby apple juice instead of milk.  I made my own purees for her.

She seems to enjoy eating, but has become super constipated.  Our pediatrician doesn't seem to think it's a problem, but he doesn't have to see how uncomfortable she is.  My LO has always been an infrequent pooper - but it is very obvious that this hurts.  I think it is causing distress in the evenings if she eats too late, and we've had some very terrible nights when she eats more ounces.

Typically she has an ounce of carrot or rice cereal for breakfast, and either one or two ounces of food at lunch.  We have avoided dinner because it seems to create so many problems.

I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong, or if she just has a very sensitive tummy?  I know babies work at their own paces, but I don't want her to be missing what she needs.  She still BF 5 times a day (we still have the DF) and seems to take a full feed.  Should she be pooping more often than once every 4 days now that she has had solids?  If so, what can I give her to help her out?  I hate to hear her so upset.

[lilysmommie]

Hi eshea,

I would definitely try a different cereal other than rice. Rice cereal is very constipating to some babies (I had to cut it out of my DD2's diet) and has almost no fibre at all.

I would try barley or oat cereal. You can also try a wholegrain cereal which has more fibre.

Any chance you have also recently moved your babe to a follow up formula? These have more iron that the regular ones and it constipates some babies. I had to put my daughter back on the regular formula.

There is a post about constipation here http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=54820.0 IT's a great resource.

Good luck!

lilysmommie

[eshea]

I actually just found the Laxative Foods post and am so happy to see some great suggestions!  It is pretty amazing that all the "first foods" really do cause issues, don't they?!

My LO hasn't had formula before since I still BF. 

Thanks for the suggestions!

Also - any thoughts on a multivitamin?  We were advised to start one and I didn't want to make her tummy feel even worse with another new additive.

[eshea]

Ok - we got her unplugged (thanks to some pears).  Now I"m wondering, do we start to gently return to the foods we've already introduced, but accompany them with pears?  So, can she still eat carrots at lunch now and then, but do I give her the pears as well?  Or do I just stick with pears for now and as we introduce more foods (hopefully less binding ones) then bring back the culprits?

This food stuff is tricky.

[Freya'sMum]

They're all so individual there isn't a set rule - your lo will not be deprived of anything if you skip carrots for a while (if you think that's the culprit), so I'd err on the side of caution and leave them for a bit, focus on foods that seem to suit dd's digestive system a bit more, but it really is up to you!

Ax

[L76]

Hi there

I had the same problem (prunes solved it for us!) but after a few weeks, she got used to the solids but I would agree, that baby cereal is horrible stuff! I call it cement!!!!

Would steer away from it and stick to natural veg purees and also fruit purees to keep her regular so to speak!

Try some other veg - butternut squash and sweet potato were favourites for my LO. Then go back to the carrot and you'll soon see if it was the culprit - and at least you have the fix now - a bit of pear to solve it!

xxx

[lilysmommie]

I also find that peas and green beans works great to unstop them too. My LO hates Green Beans so I mix it with applesauce and she loves it.

[eshea]

Thanks - things seem to be going much better now. 

She only has about 3-4 oz of solid food a day (breakfast and lunch, although I think we'll try dinner again and see how she does - it used to make for a bad night when she had solids past 1pm).  I'm wondering when it might be time to cut the dream feed.  She is almost seven months and still breast feeds 4 times during the day plus the DF at night.  How will I know when it's time to cut the last nursing?

[L76]

We didn't intentionally drop the dream feed with my LO - one night we gave her dinner - just yoghurt to start with and that night, fell asleep on the sofa. When we woke up it was nearly midnight and usually she woke at 10ish for her DF herself. So we decided to go to bed and not do it - just to see what happened. Next thing, it was nearly 7am !!!!

So not only had she dropped the DF she'd also dropped her NF - all because of some yoghurt!!! Brilliant!

Not to say that that will work for everyone of course - guess we were just lucky.

I would say once you introduce dinner, perhaps experiment one night - be prepared to get up twice if you still do a NF as you may find that she wakes at 12 and then again in the night!

Perhaps do it for several nights to see if she can go without it - does she wake in the night too? What time? If so, probably best to get rid of the NW first before the DF. Personally, I'd rather do a DF than a NF anyday!

x