Constipation when weaning

[acquiescence]

My baby is 6 months and has been having some food for the last 3 weeks. We have been doing blw with a few purees added in. He started swallowing food from the blw straight away.

He has been constipated from about 2 weeks ago, he had pain going and small firm stools. This then settled and he went back to paste like poos. For the last 7 days now he has appeared to be constipated- from a week ago he has had 2 days nothing, 3 days small firm but not hard poo only, last 2 days nothing. I spoke to the GP and he was prescribed lactulose 3 days ago.

I have upped his water, cut back on food, tried to increase Breast feeding, given prunes, apricots, fresh orange in water. He has no wheat or dairy, no bananas, carrots or baby rice or porridge (he was having bananas and normal porridge previously). I don't know what else to do and am planning to call GP again tomoro.

Has anyone else had experience with this sort of constipation when weaning? He doesn't seem too u comfortable but his tummy is really big. Thanks.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

It could just be that his gut isn't mature enough yet. Could you stop the weaning for 2 or 3 days to give him a chance to get back to normal?

[fiyawataa]

I'm having the same problem but been trying to wean for 2.5 months. Started with blw then moved onto a mix of pure/mash and blw. However, my bub has been constipated from the start basically! Had to give lactulose too and a massive long hard one was released haha. So after that I decided to give purée pear and prunes only seeing as it's easiest to digest. But still not managing to digest that easily and I've only given that once a day. Doctor suggested wheatabix but still nothing. My health visitor is going nuts telling me he should be on 3 meals a day and said to buy hummus and pita and she'll come round and watch me feed him and that he shouldn't be having any purée by 8 months. She frustrates me as I don't feel she listens and wants to only go by the book. Also I don't think he's even ready for these foods since he can't even digest pear! What do you guys think?

[fiyawataa]

Oh and he's 8.5 months now

[Artandco]

At 6 months he's probably been eating too much before he's ready if he's already been eating 3 weeks.

At 6 months they can eat anything but should only be eating a little, and milk still 90% intake.

I would go back to that, so day it something like:

Wake- milk
Breakfast - some pear
Mid morning milk
Lunch - a bit of avocado
Mid afternoon milk
Dinner - a little bit of what your having.
Evening milk

They should only be having very small portions of food. Ie porridge would be a small teaspoon of oats with 5 times the amount of milk.

[acquiescence]

I have basically done what you guys have suggested and cut the weaning right back over the last week. He is having a maximum of a few mouthfuls of veg or fruit once or twice a day. We are seeing GP today. I think I did too much Too soon. He is a big baby, was 2 weeks late and has been quite advanced developmentally with sitting up etc. I guess that doesn't necessarily mean his gut was ready. He remains very hungry and is furious he can't have more food.

Fiyawataa how do you know he isn't digesting the foods, is he constipated still? How often does he go?

[SmallBee]

We had this with my DD and lactose really helped, but it takes a week or two to puck in. In the meantime lots of pear,s prune etc etc. You should expect a very hard poo that is blocking everything and then hopefully it will get better.

[SmallBee]

Puck? Kick!

[fiyawataa]

Yeah he is still constipated even though we've just been given pear since the big poop. What do you guys think of wheatabix? Yay or nay?

[acquiescence]

Not sure about weetabix or not as wheat can be binding, but then your little one is a bit older so should be able to tolerate wheat.

Thank for the Ella's prunes tip- we have tried it!

Went to the GP today who basically said not to worry, his tummy felt fine and healthy and he said the poo I described sounded normal and some babies just don't go that frequently! Going To keep up the slowed down approach for the next few weeks and keep the lactulose as well.

[JuxtapositionRecords]

I had this and just stopped with the food totally and poo went back to normal. Started weaning a couple of weeks later and took it very slowly (including a bit of boiled prune at breakfast everyday) and it was fine.

[JuxtapositionRecords]

fiy weetabix helped mine when constipated but I know others who it had the opposite effect - sorry not helpful I know!

[orangebird69]

Apples can cause constipation too. My ds became constipated this week after a month of decent weaning poos. Ellas prunes didn't do the trick either. I cooked some conference pears and whizzed them to a puree. Success 2 hours later! And try and get as much water into them as ppssivle.

[acquiescence]

Will try some whizzed up pears, thanks. I have also stopped apples and carrots. Who knew?

[Artandco]

Oh do you know blueberries give them black poo if they eat too many!