Weaning is making us miserable and exhausted

[Willothewhip]

My DD is almost 7 months. She is really interested in food and likes to eat. Our problem is that everything, and I mean everything (including baby rice), gives her terrible wind which has us awake between midnight and 4am every night. This has been going on since we first started weaning at 6 months.

It got so bad last week that we've taken a break from solids altogether for a couple of days. I'm now dreading going back to them as things instantly improved.

We have been giving her porridge with cow's milk (the adult cereal as that's what we have too) for breakfast and some sort of puréed fruit for lunch and no dinner. She has been exclusively breastfed and is gaining weight fine. I'm now wondering whether her gut is still too immature, but at 7 months I'd have thought it should be OK. She is teething and we have been using Anbesol gel sometimes but it's definitely wind that is causing most upset.

I'd be grateful for any advice and would be delighted to hear from anyone who's solved this problem as it really is making us all miserable.

Have you tried eliminating food types from her diet? Eg dairy, sesame, gluten etc? Only asking because excessive wind could be caused by an allergy/intolerance perhaps. If you haven't done already try just giving veg fruit & meat for a few days and see what happens.

Really feel for you, perhaps have a chat with your HV if no improvement

talk to your gp/hv, don't just exclude foods at random. Also consider how you'd feel on a diet of porridge and mushed-up fruit. Out would send mine and ds's guts silly. Maybe some potato or meat at lunch would be easier found?

A friend of mine had similar issues and was tested by GP referral for allergies (which came back positive) and another friend struggled similarly and came back negative - the child outgrew it and was probably still getting used to food. Worth speaking to your HV and GP about if the pain is obviously food related and is very bad.

Agree, please don't exclude food from your or her diet without talking to your GP first.

allergy uk have some useful information.

At the moment though I'd just offer solids once a day, maybe breakfast or lunch.

For the wind, have you tried some baby massage before bed? Wearing her in a sling might help too and my dd always did lots of trumps in her tummy tub before bed

Will she settle in the night if you feed her?

Absolutely no harm in keeping her off solids a little longer. And when you go back to it, for get the cereals and the rices, try steamed veg or soft fruits. Cereals can contain all sorts and be pretty gummy.

Worth seeing your gp though as intolerances could be a possibility.

Maybe you should stop giving the cow's milk for a bit - I thought they weren't meant to have it till 12 months anyway?

Cows milk is fine in cooking from 6 months, just not as a main drink until 1 yr.

(NHS advice on dairy for babies)

Thanks so much for your advice and sympathy. After a good few days of exclusive bf we seem to finally be turning a corner with solids. We're taking it very gently: one meal a day (lunch) consisting of only two teaspoons of pear purée. Last night was not wind free but was significantly better in that she was't crying with pain. I will definitely be seeking professional medical help if this gentle approach doesn't work.

Agree that cows milk is fine in cooking and on cereals from 6 months.

Does anything you eat affect her! Usually if they have intolerances it has shown up already by the baby being unsettled. I'd keep a food diary for a couple of weeks, one for you and one for her and see if you can spot anything. It might also be worth asking the GP for some allergy testing.

Has she been checked for tongue tie too? Its usual for you not to have problems with tongue tie until weaning but not unheard of. Perhaps your local Bfing Support Group can check for tt and discuss weaning with you?

Well looks like I spoke too soon....

Baby porridge was vomited everywhere this morning in a posh baby clothes shop.... and I've now spoken to my GP by phone who thinks it's likely that she has a cow's milk intolerance (different from an allergy as it doesn't provoke a response from the immune system apparently). We're going to continue with fruit and veg purées and slowly add other proteins in with a further review planned for mid Sept. I think we may finally be getting to the root of the problem.

Jilted she's always thrown quite a bit of milk up after a feed but not really been that gassy. I'm now wondering whether the vomiting may be cow's milk related. She was checked for TT in hospital when she arrived and nothing was spotted but perhaps worth raising again with the GP when I see her. Thanks for the suggestions.

If it is CMPI you might find this FB group useful. I think this Kellymom article explains CMPI very well too