constipation when starting weaning -advice needed!

[alibo]

ds, 6 months has just started weaning using gina ford book, has taken well so far to baby rice, pear, carrot, apple, and about to try sweet potatoe today at lunchtime. Seems to be struggling to poo properly, but not in any pain, doing small amounts of "plasticine" type poos. Did a small one yesterday afternoon, and yesterday thrutched throughout his 6pm bottle just to pass a small amount. Is farting a bit as well, and had a small "mark" of poo on nappy this morning, still not been so far. Should I decrease his baby rice in the evening and just give more fruit ie pea, doesn't seem satisfied on fruit alone? He refuses to drink extra water, except for a few sips from a cup, and spat out when I tried to add a bit of baby apple juice to the water. Any ideas anyone?

Sorry "pea" should say pear !!

If he's not in pain I wouldn't worry. Fewer nappies to change! (am I the laziest mum or what? ). But maybe put a bit of extra water in his veg so he gets extra fluid that way - I used to have to do that with dd.

My friend also told me that carrot can cause constipation - don't know why, but she's had to stop giving it to her dd.

Drop the baby rice. It has virtually no nutrition in it anyway. Sweet potato is a very good replacemtn for it. Apples can also be constipating.

Baby rice was dreadful for my two - constipated them instantly for the first few months of weaning.

BTW don't bother peeling, chopping and steaming sweet potato. Just shove it in the oven, as it is, and bake it for about 45m until it is softish to the touch, a bit softer than a jacket potato say. Then scoop straight out of the skin, no need even to mash.

Back on the constipation again!! After I wrote this thread, ds started going again, and the poo wasn't hard at all. Now yesterday he didn't do one all day or last night, but did a fair bit of grunting and farting whilst feeding. Don't know whether to carry on as is, or change what I am giving him. He is still at stage of trying different veg one at a time, so yesterday had sweet potato with courgette, and baby rice and pear for supper, but used more pear than normal. Pear alone doesn't fill him, and not sure about giving two lots of sweet potato. Still also struggling to get any extra water down him, except some mixed into his lunch. Anyone else using gina ford book? she doesn't suggest any alternatives for constipaton etc.

Alibo my ds was the same to start with and was also constipated on and off for a few weeks but then settled down. Sweet potato used to go through him well when he was struggling although never seemed to be in any pain. i stopped the baby rice nearly straight away and used lots of veg purees and i found that helped. I have a annabel Karmel book and she says that apples and pears can slow things down if baby has loose stools so perhaps best to avoid them for now. Although not using baby rice much I did used to make nectarine/blueberry/peach puree with a couple tablespoons of baby rice my ds loved this and it also helped him to go!!

I used to worry when I found malteser sized poo in ds nappy but it never worried him and things soon settled down! I cant see problem in giving 2 lots of sweet potato I did and it had no adverse reaction. Hope others can give you more advice, good luck.

You have to remember also that his bowels need to get used to pushing out 'solids', and that he needs to get used to the sensation. The fact that his poo is pellety and that he seems to be straining may not mean that his constipated, nor, at this stage, is there any significance to him not pooing every day. As long as the pellets aren't dry, and he doesn't seem to be distressed then don't consider it as constipation. Farting, especially when accompanied by a mark such as you describe, often indicates that a poo is brewing up and will arrive soon.

You can give as much sweet potato as you like. It is a very good food (for adults as well as infants! ) and is far better all round than baby rice.