Help, ds2 seems unable to tolerate, er, food!

[ImNotAnsweringIt]

he is 23 weeks and very ready to start solids now. Been ebf until now. I tried baby rice mixed with bm initially (about 1-2 teaspoons) and both nights following he was awake for hours, really uncomfortable, breaking wind and moaning/crying. When I realised it could the food I stopped for a few days and have now started on fruit purees (so far pear, steamed melon and mango). I am getting, I think, the same problem. I say 'I think' because he is such a bad sleeper anyway, it could be coincidence.

Any advice please, please? HV said try infacol but I somehow don't feel this is the answer, though could be wrong.

He needed colief as a newborn so has always had a sensitive digestive system.

why are you so sure he's ready if he's having problems? Why not wait a bit longer until his body is older and more developed?

Thanks for your reply. I can see he is ready, all the usual signs and hv agrees. It is just the after effects that are a problem!

ImNot I think I agree with Fred. If he is having so much trouble digesting the food then it may be a sign that his digestive system isn't quite ready.

I know he seems ready, but unless he is actively taking food from your plate or screaming the house down when you eat I would leave it a couple of weeks a try again. They change so quickly at that age a couple of weeks might make all the difference.

One last thing, is there a particular reason you want to start with purees? If he has been ebf there is no reason why he has to have purees, he can just have what you eat, provided you eat healthily of course .

My DD was "ready" at about 22/23 weeks - sitting up/picking up food etc so I started weaning her then after a stupid HV scared me to death saying if I didn't start now she'd never eat!

She got terrible stomach ache and constipation so while she had all the signs of readiness and was very eager, her body wasn't ready for it.

I just stopped and waited a little while and then went really slowly and it was so much better.

There's really no harm in waiting a little while and then trying again.

DD is 9 mo now and eats anything and everything, she's still a little sensitive but so much more able to cope with food.

Enjoy the last few weeks of EBF before you have to worry about food!

Oh and mango upset DD's stomach to begin with, but she loves it now, so maybe stick with the pear if you carry on, nice and gentle on the tummy.

Thank you everyone, really great advice. He is, I think, ready in mind then, but not in body (gut)! He takes food if he can (finger food or purees on spoon) and shouts very loudly at mealtimes if he isn't given something to chew/suck/throw/eat. Should have said in op, he has had other thing too, such as banana and steamed carrot sticks.

I shall up the milk intake and wait, thank you.