8 month old bf + solids DS constipated terribly, please help! (WARNING: TMI)

[RoRoMommy]

My DS has been on solids for about two months, and we've been doing baby led weaning (BLW) until about two weeks ago when we started regularly giving him pureed food and some rice cereal. Last week he had a hard lump of poo with blood on it, then another the next day. We stopped rice cereal and gave him spinach/peas, pear purees. He had a mushy poo, but not hard like the first two, and nothing for three days. Today he was pushing hard and crying, so when we went up to check, he had a little hard stool coming out and when I pulled on it, I managed to help him have a rather sizeable poo, but very hard. There was blood and he was very upset.

We went to the pharmacy and he recommended pear/apple juice (one ounce undiluted), and a spoonful of brown sugar with a bit of water. Little bear is asleep now, so I am taking this chance to see if any of you have had this experience with a bf baby starting solids, and what you did. We haven't given him water, but pharmacist recommended that as well (though he's still bf like every three hours around the clock).

HELP! Sorry for TMI.

I had the same thing with DD2 when she was about 7 months, I tried orange juice and water but she wasn't that keen. Eventually I had to take her to the GP as she hdan't pooed for a week, he gave her suppositories and lactulose. First suppository I put in did the trick (and then some) and she was fine after that.

Hi

DD got like this once as well and the GP told me to give her water with food as well as her BF in between. Helped within about 24 hours.

The blood is likely to be where he has strained but keep an eye on him and get it checked if there is no improvement soon.

why have you started with pureed food? maybe it's too much for him? go back to the blw? just a thought, if it was all ok when you did that. i would give a cup of water with meals at this stage too.

Ds had a very hard time doing poos about 9 months ish (maybe....he is 11 months now and it wasn't too long ago!). He would scream and scream and all I could do was take his nappy off and push his legs up so his knees were against his chest and he strained.

what seems to have solved it for us is making sure he is always offered water at meals and snacks and carefully monitoring the amount of fruit he has. Strangely, too much fruit seemed to make it worse so he would have fruit at snacks but only yoghurt for desserts.

We started pureed foods because he seemed hungry, and he really loves them. Suppose we should go back to more self-feeding, then? Will try more water, too. Poor bear.

Have you been giving him water with his meals?

I would go back to self feeding too.

Hi another vote for water here too, my 8 month old ds was similar but now has it in a sippy cup with every meal now and no more hard poos!!

For a quick fix get some suppositories from the doctor/pharmacy - there can be a bit of a back log sometimes and if you clear it out it can all go back to normal. DD was like it at a similar age, now 13 months still doesn't drink much water but BF and she is now fine

Have had similar with DS2, 7 months. He is also breastfed and we are doing BLW.
I give him water now when he eats, and this helps.
I think once they start eating solids you are advised to offer water with food, even if they feed regularly, just to help digestion.

DS is BLW and he has been constipated since July!! He screams every time he poos and strains for hours and hours before hand. We are at the end of our tether and have had to resort to lactulose and suppositories as the diet changes don't seem to be working. Dr says he has sluggish bowels. Erm thanks

My DD gets v constipated too. The only thing we have found that works is prune juice - she usually has at least 2 oz per day, diluted with water. To start with I mixed it with apple juice too to improve the flavour, but now she likes it without.