Tummy pain and night wakings with solids

[Liliben]

DDi is 6.5 months and we've been doing solids for just over 2 weeks. We started with a lunch for one week and then brec and lunch and for the last 2 days 3 meals. A typical day would be fruit and porridge for brekkie, veg (squash/carrot) for lunch and veg again for dinner. She also has some finger friot or veg on her tray (has been for about 3 weeks) that she plays with and sucks. She really enjoys mealtimes now and will eat up to 2 tbsp if I gave it to her. But ever since we've started her sleeping pattern during the night has been disrupted. (This also coincided with an ear infection which has now cleared). SHe was only BF once during the night but now she's waking obviously with tummy pain, passing wind and doing a poo, up to 4 times a night. Today, about an hour after lunch she was screaming in pain and she woke about an hour after BT with the same. She has mild reflux which has been controlled well and doesn't seem to bring up food. She isn't vomiting the milk she has after solids as much either. Is she eating too much or could it be something in particular causing the pain? Do I go back to 1 meal or just I food for all meals to figure it out? TBH I'd gladly stop this solids thing altogether but she seems to be enjoying it at the time!

[~inbalance~]

Hi there.  Was she by any chance on antibiotics for the ear infection?  Antibiotics are very very harsh on the tummy because they wipe out all of the beneficial bacteria in the gut.  Upset tummy and wind is inevitable after antibiotic use.  If she has been on them, I would suggest giving her probiotics to help get her back on track.  You can offer them by way of yogurt, if she can tolerate it, or you can probably find them in a health food store. 

If solids are stressing you out, it's ok to back off a little bit and keep it simple.  Try going back to basics and writing down what foods you introduce following by any symptoms you encounter.  Doing that may help you narrow down if a particular food is causing problems.

HTH 

[Liliben]

Yes she has been on antibiotics (last dose yesterday). I'd forgotten that they can upset a stomach especially if she hasn't had them before. I'll try the probiotics. Do all natural yoghurts contain them? I have been keeping a food diary but there's nothing in particular causing the pain, just eating in general. I assumed it was to do with food because she seemed in pain up to an hour after food. But she isn't having solid foods in the night and has been passing so much wind and having at least 2 poos during the night which she never did before. So I suppose it's more likely to be the antibiotics.

[~inbalance~]

As long as the yogurt says it contains live/active bacterial culture, then there are probiotics.  I'm pretty sure most of them do.  You will want to avoid any flavoured ones that contain sugar, in fact avoid all sugar altogether (if you aren't already) as it feeds thd bad bacteria in the gut.  I hope she feels better soon! 

[Liliben]

Thanks Martina. When you say, avoid sugar, does that include any naturally occuring sugars in fruit?

[~inbalance~]

Well, any sugars can act as a food for bacteria but mostly I mean avoid refined and added sugars.  I wouldn't worry about fruit sugars. 

[Liliben]

Thanks Martina.