Starting Solids and Constipation

I would definitely recommend starting some fruit! Pears are great. I used this website as a guide for introducing foods (with my Ped's approval!) http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/

Hi. I have a son that is almost 1 year old. I also stictly breastfed before going to solids and found this website had a lot of good advise on introducing solids to baby: http://wholesomebabyfood.com/solids.htm. Good luck!

My son had the same problem. My pediatrician suggested flaxseed oil, the cold pressed kind they sell at Whole Foods, to add to his cereal in the morning. I drizzle a tad in and it works like a charm. I also ate prunes myself to go through the breast milk. I still do the flaxseed oil with my son's cereal in the morning and it keeps him regular. As for the redness on his bottom, calendula works like a charm. Good luck.

I'm assuming you are still nursing/feeding him on demand?
Just because they are on "solids" does not mean you cut back on nursings/feedings.

For the 1st year of life, a baby's PRIMARY source of nutrition is from breastmilk/Formula...NOT solids. This is per my Pediatrician. So, still nurse him on demand... even though he is on solids.

Usually, you should nurse/offer him his bottle BEFORE solids...then wait about 1/2 hour, then give solids. Separately. Versus, if you give solids "before" nursings, then this is done to 'wean' a child off of it. But at this age, you should not want to do that.

At this age, a baby's digestive system is still developing, thus "solids" is just introductory... it's not about eating a full "meal" like an adult. Servings are just in terms of teaspoons or tablespoons.
Since he has just started on "solids"... his system is probably trying to adjust to it all. Thus, constipation.

How many times a day are you giving him solids???? 3 times a day, should be gradually worked up to. Not done in one sudden transition. Thus, if you are giving him solids 3 times a day... I would suggest perhaps, offering him solids only 1 time a day for now. Unless, he seems to need more. Offer him a little at a time. Do not expect him to sit down and chow down "jars" of food. And in conjunction with that... offer him some water. A LITTLE. For hydration and digestion. However, it is also said that giving too much water is not good either & can leach nutrients out of the baby... and that breastmilk is sufficient because it has water inherently in it.

Perhaps cutting back on the frequency of his solids, will lighten up his constipation. Know what I mean? Then meanwhile, nurse him on demand, and whenever he needs to.
-That may help his constipation, reducing it. And also reducing the chances of his poop getting impacted/harder.

As far as your question about if you are producing enough breastmilk... if he seems satisfied after nursing and you see him actually swallowing and he is latched on properly...then it's probably fine. You also can offer him water, "introducing" it at this point... but not using it to "replace" a breastfeeding nursing. Otherwise, your milk supply will diminish, or it will make him too full to nurse.

As far as his red bottoms... it can be due to his poop (poop is acidic). Or, it can be due to the Oatmeal. Oatmeal for some people is allergenic and can cause eczema in some. (My Mom gets eczema from eating anything with Oats in it, for example).

His red bottoms/rash can also be due to the new foods in his diet, and his body's PH level changing. Since he is a breastfed baby. My daughter was like that sometimes, and had very sensitive skin.

For some babies, peas can be irritating. So I've heard.
ALSO, do NOT give any spinach until after 9 months of age, because it contains certain enzymes in it which a younger baby cannot digest/tolerate yet.

As far as what foods to introduce to him... take it gradually. With both my kids, I gave them single-grain rice cereals first, then after a few weeks it was other single grain cereals/grains, then multi-grain cereals, then yellow vegetables, then after a few weeks green vegetables, then fruits,... then over a course of several months, THEN proteins. My kids as babies never had constipation problems this way... as I introduced foods and new foods and combination foods VERY gradually. It was only until about 12 months old that meat/proteins was then introduced. Our Pediatrician... use this approach and was conservative in food introduction. But it is easier on the baby's system. Maybe you can try that approach...

www.babycenter.com has a great reference about what to feed babies and when. AND what foods to avoid at certain ages.

Try not to switch around his foods too much, or introduce 'new' foods too quickly. Perhaps, he needs a longer lead-time in getting his system used to EACH food offered, first. THEN, try a different food. When my kids were that age, I was not yet combining foods. Your son is constipated... so this is your "cue" to listen to his body and scale-back/cut back on introducing all sorts of foods so quickly. The solution to give him more food or a different kinds of food to get rid of his constipation... is not really the only solution. It may in fact make the constipation worse.
And yes, prune juice, a little bit, or via a jar, does help in the interim.

ALSO, maybe the oatmeal, although is fine, is perhaps too "bulky" in fiber... and it's getting him constipated for his little baby system.

I would ease back on the foods offered and food quantities/frequency of solids... maybe until his constipation gets better. For some babies, constipation makes them fussy too...and uncomfortable.

Next, ask your Pediatrician... and check his red-bottoms/rash with the Doctor, just to make sure. Especially if it does not clear up.

Well sorry for rambling, just some thoughts,
All the best,
Susan

Please don't worry about what's sweet and what's not...introducing foods is about learning and developing a taste for things.

I second the Prune Juice! His tummy is learning/adapting to new stuff and this should be done in 3-4 days periods and not new stuff at every meal. This can/will lead to upset tummy and often constipation.

Please be sure to steer away from OTC remedies...discuss this with your son's Pedi first before giving anything that is not natural.

I had the same problem and someone recommended unfiltered apple juice (it is the cloudy- natural one). It worked pretty well for my son. Hope that helps!

He doesn not just need solid foods, it sounds like just the opposite - if he is constipated then he needs more liquids. In this case, more breastfeeding, breastmilk is extremely hydrating! The solids that the baby eats before their first birthday are simply for learning to taste new things and experience textures in their mouth, not for nutritional value. One tablespoon per food is enough, not a bowl full, not even an entire jar full. There are days (most days actually) when my eight month old only sits in her high chair once (during dinner) and only gets about three peas and two bites of carrot, one piece of chicken and an ounce of water in her little tummy - then she's done! Slow down on the solids, stick to the oatmeal for your grain (rice plugs my kids up too), and there's no harm in giving fruits to your baby, yes they're sweet, but they're part of the fun of learning about food :) Last of all, breastfeed breastfeed breastfeed. There are more calories per ounce in breastmilk than in solid food anyway, and your baby's brain needs the fat to properly make connections for learning - it is SO important! Soon enough he will be two, and eating everything off your plate and the nursing days will be over.

Babies this young cannot digest grains properly. Stick with breastmilk and fruits/veggies for a couple more months. Try sweet potatoes if you don't want to give him pears.

you should switch from rice to oatmeal..i used suppositories on my son when it got bad..doc said it's safe and fine..u can get the kind for children. My son is now 3 and once in a "blue moon" i'll use one. Try baby food w/ apricots and plum..also try California Baby diaper rash cream works great.

Our little guy had the same problem when we started him on rice cereal. His pediatrician had us give him 2 oz of prune juice in the morning, and 2 in the evening, along with 2 oz of water after he eats his rice. The prune juice was VERY effective. We only had to give it to him twice before things got moving again. Then we had to stop b/c it was too effective. But he's been fine since. (we also diluted the juice a bit, 1/2 oz of water a 1 1/2 oz of juice). Hope you can find a workable solution for your little guy; I know they are very uncomfortable when this happens!

My kids both got constipated on the rice cereal, too. Some of the veggies constipated them too, including peas and sweet potatos. Tried EVERYTHING with my youngest and STILL had to give him a suppository to make him go and when he did it was torture for both of us. :-( Finally found flaxseed oil with Omega 3 - AWESOME. Titrated up to 3 capsules (squeezed into whatever he was eating) once a day and that FINALLY worked. Eventually was able to titrate down and now we don't use anything and he can/will/wants to eat everything.

Try giving him 2oz of water either in a bottle or sippy cup 2x a day. I had the same problem with my son. Good Luck.

Sweet potatoes are wonderful poopoo makers! My dd struggles with constipation as well. I put a tiny bit of juice in each of her bottles, she is 15 months old. I notice if I give her sweet potatoes once a day she poops regularly and when I stop she gets constipated. Hope it works for you. You can chop them up and steam or boil them, but I find if you wrap it in foil and cook in the oven for 50 minutes or so it keeps more flavor and sweetness. The peel just comes right off. Good luck

I would recommend prunes. They work well for my daughter.

maybe next food you should try is prunes, i would mix it with my daughters cereal and it seemed to help her.

Well, my GI told me that avocado is binding, just like bananas, so you may want to stay away from those while he's constipated. Dairy is also binding, so I doubt it's because he isn't getting enough milk. Also, have you been giving him water to drink, now that he is on solids? He should definitely be getting a few ounces of water a day now. You can also try a bit of prune juice too (you can dilute it in water if you want). That's all I can think of... Good luck!

try giving him ripe papaya or prunes or even prune juice, it always worked for my 3 kids. don't worry about giving him fruits, it's good for him.

It happens to most babies...no worries. Just add prunes to his diet and that should regulate bowls. If there is blood in stool notify Dr. and treat bottom with ointment.

The only food a baby NEEDS for the first year is breastmilk. Solid food is for experimentation reasons only. And infant cereal is actually not a good first food. It can be very binding, is hard to digest, and can cause diaper rash. Stick with pureed fruits. Avocado is a great first food. I gave my kids fruit first, since breastmilk is very sweet and I knew that babies like the sweet stuff at first. Their palates get more sophisticated as they get older and they can tolerate the veggies better after a year of age. But only offer solids AFTER you have nursed the baby. That way he is getting all of his nutrients before moving on to the fun stuff.

Try prunes mixed with a little applesauce. My daughter had horrible constipation when we started solids and would strain to poop. Our pedatrician suggested mixing a teaspoon of prunes and a teaspoon of applesauce. Did the trick! Also if your little one hasn't started yet try giving a little water every day.

Good luck!

It's a great sign that he's grabbing at your food because he seems ready to eat pureed foods. As for the constipation, be patient. When babies start on solids, this can happen. As long as he's not crying a lot, or up at night, you're probably making plenty of milk. This is something to talk with your pediatrician about, though.
Some great first foods are indeed avocados, bananas, sweet potatoes and apples. It sounds like you've been giving him a variety and he's enjoying them.-www.weelicious.com

Giving oatmeal is a good start to helping the constipation. I would try a fruit next because fruits like apples can help loosen stools.

It is not uncommon for babies to become constipated. As long as you are waiting 2-3 days between foods you should be able to add more foods to his diet.

Continue to add more vegetables and then fruits. You may also want to try mixing baby apple juice with water (about 1 oz of juice to 4-5 oz of water to start). This may make him burp, have some bloating/gas, and/or produce bowel movements.

I know that when my girls didn't have enough vegetables and/or fruits with their diets that they could become quite constipated.

I was told that the order to start vegetables and fruits was this (although it may have changed - so you might want to consult with your pediatrician):
peas
carrots
squash
green beans
sweet potatoes
applesauce
pears
bananas (although this one can cause constipation too)
peaches
prunes (ONLY if your baby needs help to poop)

I found that regardless of the vegetable or fruit, if I mixed it in with the cereal that my kids would eat it better than if I just fed the vegetable or fruit off a spoon.

Good luck with this,
A.
North Las Vegas NV

Hi Krist, Do you give him water? also one of my daycare moms gave her 7th month old prune juice like once a week, cause she had her daughter on rice cereal when she was6 weeks old, mine were on rice cereal at 6 weeks as well, but I gave my baby's water every day, I know some moms don't agree that baby's need water, in my opinion all living things need water. There's really nothing in babyfood that should cause constipation, but talk to his pediatrician, also the red bottom could be from straining. Lets us know how things turn out. J. L,

Hi Krist,
According to my baby's doc you're supposed to give a little bit of water (1 -2 ounces per day) to help with constipation.
Best,
CG

I just recently started my some on solids, too. He too was only breastfed and had the same problem! I gave him 1oz apple juice with 1oz water once a day and it helped tremendously! I also started alternating the fruits and veggies as new foods. Veggie, then fruit, then veggie, etc. The added fruit also started to regulate him better!

He needs to have more water now that he has solids.

Good Morning Krist,

2 things:

You may want to see a naturpathic doctor or nutritionist to find out the best foods for your child. Also, you may want to check into NAET.com. NAET.com is a group of allergists around the world who eliminate allergies. It is good to know what you are allergic to and eliminate the allergies.

Be Well.

N.

I would try mixing a splash (and I do mean a splash) of prune juice into the oatmeal or rice.

You're right - the red tush could just be from the squash (carrots had that effect on my little one) or a reaction to something he's eating. Maybe start over with just cereal, and pay extra close attention to diapers as you add in foods.

Good luck!

We experienced the exact same thing. Our doctor advised us to try to finish each of her meals with some sort of pitted fruit (apricots, prunes, pears, etc...babyfood of course).

Also, we switch from rice (which is constipating) to barley cereal. Our daughter didn't love the taste so I mix in a bit of her pears and she loves it!

The same goes for the juice. Try to use pear, apricot, and prune juices.

hi. my son has sensitive skin and each time we gave a new food his butt was red as a strawberry :) it'll fade, just use whatever rash cream you have as a barrier for the next couple of days and he'll be fine. you can ask your pediatrician about the constipation, but i think since you switched to oatmeal you shold be fine (high fiber). also, the avacado is great for babies because it is a very hypoallergenic food and has essential fats in it. both of my older children loved them as babies and when my youngest is ready for solids i will definitely continue the trend. good luck!

I put some prune juice into my babys cereal not much just a few table spoons or i buy gerber 1st food prunes and feed her 1/2 at first and then finnish it. Pears can be harsh on your babies belly. Babies love prunes the are sweet!

Hi Krist,

Unless a baby has sonme teeth they do not have the enzymes for digesting solid food (which would lead to constipation) So you can breast feed until he gets his teeth and he will have enough of everything he needs from your breastmilk.

To help your little guy releive his constipation, write "I Love You" on his tummy. It will massge him in just the right way to help him move his bowels (literally!).

Lots of Love,
Linda
www.RivieraPlaySchool.com

Hi there. The rice is probably the problem. Get some Organic pear juice and dilute it slightly and have him drink it. It works the best. Other ideas are give him baby prunes, diluted apple juice (pear works faster on my son). Cut back on ceral or mix with food.
And the red butt is from straining more than likely. My son gets the same way. I put Desitin on every night at bed time. Works great.

Good Luck to you!!
E.

Hi Krist,

My 10 month old son has also had a history of constipation beyond belief...so bad that when he poops it clearly causes him agony. My son's father is an ER nurse who has helped tremendously with our son's problem by using glycerin suppositories he brings home from the hospital and we use ONLY once every 3 days if 3 days have passed without any poop from our son. Within 15 minutes our baby is pooping from the suppository however he is usually so backed up with constipation that he is crying hysterically from how dry his stools are. We wanted to avoid our son going through that pain, so we talked to our pediatrician who recommended pitted fruits once a day in addition to his other food, and pitted fruit juice mixed with 2/3 water. This would included peaches, apricots, plums. Our doctor said this would immediately soften his poop.

Also, there is "Nutramigen Lipil" liquid formula made by Enfamil. You can find it at Target or Ralphs in the baby food section and it has been a HUGE help in softening our baby's stools within 24 hours. It prevents colic as well.

You know your baby's constipation has cleared up when the stools turn to complete mush..almost like diarrhea. That's when your baby's been cleaned out. If there is still hard poop coming out, that means there is still more in there and your baby is still constipated.

Hope this helps.

Hi.
Go with oatmeal instead of rice cereal. My son got so constipated that he wouldn't go for days. Our doctor said to stay away from rice cereal, apples/applesauce & bananas and to give him white grape juice. It worked wonders! Better then prunes and prune juice.
Good luck.

If you are feeding cereal you should be feeding fruit with.
Your right you should feed him the same foods for a week at a time. If you just started him on squash & his bum is getting irrated then it could be the squash. Also to help with constipation give him some water with (white) Karo syrup. This was told to us by a nurse, who's also a mother.
You may need to use a suppository to releave the constipation right away or the child will associate pooping with hurting & hold them selves so you will have alot of trouble with constipation.

I had a lot of issues with constipation with my baby too. She was strictly breastfed as well. Rice cereal did not work for her - terribly constipated. I, too, was concerned about going to the sweet foods, but, my ped. GI said that breastmilk is sweet, too, so she's already had the sweet taste.

I took her off of rice cereal completely. We had to stop peas and bananas that were also constipating. We did go to pears, and also green beans, zuchini squash, sweet potato (definitely over white potatoes), steel cut oats, avocado, and also some pureed prunes, and quinoa takes the place of rice in her meals still, far easier on the digestive system and better for them. (wholesomebaby.com which was already recommended is a great sight -- it will tell you what they can eat when, how to prepare, as well as what they go well with). Be careful of apples, they too can be constipating.

Every baby's tummy is different, just pay close attention to how he reacts to each food, go slowly. There's no rush. My daughter is now 1 and she loves all kinds of food, doesn't need to be sweet. She'll eat steamed broccoli, cauliflower, you name it. (though, we still have to stay away from some of the more constipating foods, or at least make sure she has some fiber foods with them - prunes, pears, and flax seed oil- but check the appropriate age to start flax, i can't remember).

And, I worried about my breastmilk then too, but, it was fine. I'm still breastfeeding and have plenty of milk. It does adjust to suit your baby's needs though as he starts solids and you won't feel as full as your milk becomes more concentrated.

all the best

we had the same issue with out daughter and so we mixed prunes with the oatmeal and that worked like a charm! At that age I was still nursing regularly and kept that up, we introduced foods slowly. Our doctor said why rush it, she has her while life to eat food!
Good luck!