Weaning and bowel movements!

[LittleDonkin]

Hi all my DD is 7 months old. She is on 3 meals a day and is FF except when/if she wakes in the night I BF her.

Should she be having a bowel movement every day? When I was EBF her which I was until about 7 weeks ago she could go almost 2 weeks without one but I thought FF babies had more frequent movements but she is going 3-4 days between poos. Also with her getting purees I expected her to go more often. When she does have a bowel movement she gets very distressed crying in pain and passing hard stools. I give her water at every meal and offer it between them as well.

I think it's a stage they go through as their gut gets used to different foods. With ds2, we gave him stewed fruits and (v watered down) fresh orange juice. Stop with stuff like bananas and things with too much fibre for a bit too. Once she's a bit 'looser' (sorry ) she'll be more regular. Least that's what happened with ds2.

My DS is FF and has had awful constipation since birth. The doctor told me FF babies go less often than BF babies! I think starting to wean does tend to solidify them a bit. If it's really distressing her, might be worth popping to your doctor(GP) and asking if there's anything they can give her to help her while her gut adjusts - just stress that it's really distressing her, she's crying and obviously in pain etc. DS started on lactulose, it's a sugar molecule that helps to soften stools. It just passes straight through them, so they don't absorb any of it (I felt a bit guilty about dosing DS up with medicine until doc explained it's not really medicine!). If you do go down that route, make sure you give her as much water as you can as well, and it'll work better. Hope she's feeling better soon!

My DS is the same age as your LO OP and has been having the same problem. Dr prescribed lactulose too and it does work really. It is horrible seeing them in so much pain when they try and go isn't it. We have also reverted to almost all finger food and cut out all carbs and banana as they seem to bung him up the most.

HOpe your DD gets going better soon x