Sorry - strange/gross question....

[LRWG]

Hubby has asked me a question I have no clue how to answer.

DD had steamed carrot sticks the other day for the first time (am trying BLW). She sucked on but I didn't really think she'd eaten much if any. However, her nappy had the evidence in the form of orangey carrotty lumps (sorry - TMI). I know it's not a problem and was kind of expecting it but when I told DH (oh, to have a romantic non-poo related conversation - sigh) he asked why her digestive system hadn't mushed it all down and absorbed it. Must admit I was stumped for an answer and wittered something along the lines of, "it's still learning what to do".

Does anyone have a more grown-up answer I can astound him with please?

You were right, really. It happens because their digestive system is still immature and can't break down the food as effectively as it will later on.

Just wait until she eats raisins ...

No proper idea, but at a guess I'd say that your DDs gut is still very short/stomach very small compared to an adults, so it wasn't 'in the system' long enough to be broken down and absorbed? Not sure how easily digested carrots are tbh! I know sweetcorn goes through whole if it isn't chewed because the jackety bit can't be digested so it proytects the good bit, but that's not much help

Hopefully an intelligent MNer will be along in a minute.

See! Xposted with one!

Thanks guys - I'm not as dumb as I thought then

Carrots are often not digested completely - and you were right about her digestive tract still not being able to fully digest things! It gets there bit by bit which is why weaning is a gradual process... the digestive tract needs to grow its own bacteria to munch up the food and turn it into useful sugars for the blood.

Completely normal and nothing to worry about!

Emma