constipation in 6monthold breastfed baby just started on solids- help please!

[nowwearefour]

just started to wean 6 month old previously exclusively breastfed baby (still breastfed) and she seems constipated (no poo since sunday when i started solids- usually goes once per day). what can/should i be doing about this? her sleep is suffering i think coz she is uncomfortable???

[puppydavies]

if you're happy to spoonfeed purees then prunes (boiled until soft then whizzed) work a treat. also always offer water w/solids. i stick w fruits n veges and nothing to starchy early on for this reason.

[nowwearefour]

thanks will go and get some prunes this pm and offer some water too

and lay off the starch (though not too sure what isnt starchy!) is sweet potato starchy?

[yomellamoHelly]

Had this with ds2 (now 10 months). I stopped giving solids and went back to 100% bf then tried again a few weeks later (quite a few times actually). Have to say this went on for ages, but he is now on breakfast and 2 veggie meals a day. Now have the constipation problem when I give him meat (at which point we revert to bf again for a couple of days only now.
It's a long process and makes weaning ds1 seem like a walk in the park.
I'm sure some people will suggest prune juice etc, but that's what felt right for us.

[puppydavies]

depending on how much she's taking i'd also agree w/backing off some on quantities. i do this sneakily by offering things i know she's not so keen on i.e. veg.

starchy = rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, peas, bananas

not starchy = apples, pears, peaches, carrot, swede, mango, cabbage etc.

[nowwearefour]

thanks all very useful
i will certainly back off on quantities and offer perhaps nothing for a few days til things cleared then non starchy

maybe prune it if things dont come out soon to get things moving then lay off so it doesnt happen again

[lemonaid]

If you are giving purees then you can also mix a (small!) quantitiy of prunes or apricots in just to keep things ticking over. E.g. apple with a spoonful of prune stirred in, pear with a spoonful of apricot, etc.

[TinkerbellesMum]

It's not uncommon for babies poo to change when they start solids without them being constipated and once a week for a breastfed baby isn't unreasonable - just stand back when they explode!

It's also common for babies sleep to become unsettled after starting solids.

What is she eating?

[nowwearefour]

hi
she eating veggies (have tried sweet potato, carrot, parsnip and broccoli but realise at least 2 of those prob too starchy) plus apple and today a small amount of apricot. plus some quinoa as i think is easily digestible. nothing too drastic...thought might give avocado a try at some point too

the whole thing a total nightmare plus with a toddler too i am not really coping too well- no sleep last night at all really and she not sleeping in the day today either

[katpotat]

Same thing with my wee one, giving her a spoonful of prunes a day.....still waiting for the poo though! I agree it's a nightmare, not getting much sleep here either, luckily I only have one for the moment! My HV just says persevere!!

[nowwearefour]

Thanks katpotat. It is nice to know others are experiencing the same even if we dont really know how to fix it! did your littl'un sleep well previously?

[katpotat]

Yes she was only waking for one feed in the night, now I never know how much sleep I am going to get, look like a zombie at the momentPrunes still not worked yet either

[nowwearefour]

know the feeling re sleep. nightmare eh.....

[nappyaddict]

the following things are good for constipation:

lentils, chickpeas, raspberries, prunes, blackberries, spinach, pears, broccoli, strawberries, carrots, potatoes, apples, apricots, cranberries, asparagus, dates, figs, grapes, mangos, olives, papayas, pineapple, rhubarb, soybeans, turnips, watercress, raisins, plums, honey, cauliflower, beets, cabbage, peas, coconut, sweet potato.

[phdlifeneedsanewlife]

ds is coming up to a week with no poo. he's been eating sweet potato, squash, baby corn, mmm can't think what else (brain not function due to too many germs)

will give him broccoli and carrot for lunch

have been over-cooking everything though to avoid The Screeching

lots of things on nappyaddict's list not suitable for 6-7m dc's just starting solids, I think!?

[Jacanne]

DD1 had this at 4 months (I know, too early but the advice was different then) and we did pureed pear for a week, along with teaspoons of freshly squeezed orange juice. It did seem to help. Then we slowed everything right down and cut back on the solids.

[nappyaddict]

the only thing not suitable is honey.

that along with pate, nuts and unpasteurised cheese are the only things not suitable before 1 (unless either parent has allergies)

[phdlifeneedsanewlife]

hmm nappyaddict that's interesting, the dutch food-introduction schedule on aitch's blog says strawberries and blackberries not til 12m, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans 8-10m, raisins 12m, etc. Do you have contradictory advice from somewhere else, or did you just find that's what worked for you?

And, sorry if I'm being thick here (great big head cold snotting up my brain), but didn't someone further up the thread say sweet potato contributed to constipation, being v starchy?

[nappyaddict]

I was just going by what is the standard advice given out by the food standards agency.

"Honey
Don't give honey to your baby until he or she is a year old. Very occasionally, honey can contain a type of bacteria that can produce toxins in a baby's intestines. This can cause serious illness (infant botulism). After a baby is a year old, the intestine matures and the bacteria can't grow.

But remember that honey is also a sugar, which means it can cause the same problems as sugar.

Other foods to avoid up to six months
There are also certain foods that can cause an allergic reaction in some babies. So it's a good idea not to give your baby any of these foods before he or she is six months old:

• Wheat-based foods and other foods containing gluten - including bread, wheat flour, breakfast cereals and rusks. If someone in your family can't eat foods containing gluten (because they have Coeliac disease), talk to your GP before giving any wheat, rye or barley-based foods to your baby.
  
• Nuts and seeds - including peanuts, peanut butter and other nut spreads. Peanuts can be given from six months old, if you always crush or flake them. Don't give whole peanuts or any type of whole nuts to children under five years old because they could cause choking.
  
• Eggs
  
• Fish and shellfish"
  
  It can all be found on this website

[mandymac]

Have you tried any gentle baby massage on her tummy - I would google to find the correct technique. I did find that this really helped DD, also gently bringing her knees up to her chest with her legs bent.
My breastfed DD was the same when I started weaning, but it improved fairly quickly - within a few weeks iirc.

[nappyaddict]

actually just looked in the birth to 5 book and you can give unpasteurised (sp?) cheese from 6 months.

[Fireflytoo]

Baby massage: Warm sesame oil is good...massage very gently from her right hip round the top of tummy, down to left hip and across. Then do the following excercises: Hold her ankles and cross them, then gently bring legs up in the air, do some bicycles right up to tummy with knees. My dds both loved these...

Good luck

[nowwearefour]

my baby seems (maybe) to be settling down- doing a poo daily for 3 days now. sleeping is improving too. I am giving pureed apricot and varying the vegetables each day. i guess their gut just gets used to it- some more quickly than others. if nothing is happening just stay off the food altogether for a day or two. i did this and it worked although there was a mighty lack of sleep and a mighty lot of screaming before i could get to her in the night and when put down in the cot during the day....it has worked though and she is definitely more interested in the food each day...

[sykang]

thanks!!!!

[fukisan111]

hey all! my LO is currently having constipation problem.. he is now also hate to go toilet because he is afraid of painfulness due to not poopoo for 4 days already! the stools will become harden. any solution to cure such constipation problem? i am so worry

[bernertchim]

My LO used to face with constipation. I tried many ways but still not working. My friend that have give birth to 2 kids suggests add more fiber foods to my LO's diet
Moreover, i insert the glycerin suppository and wiggle his belly but DUH.. so i decided to send my LO to hospital
He's now recovered. Thanks God!!