delaying solids due to digestive issues

[Tattooed Hand]

(xposted in Breastfeeding)

My 9.5 month old DD is not doing well with solids. She's only been eating solids (we delayed until 8 months because she has multiple food sensitivities through my milk) for about 4 weeks. But in that time her sleep has gotten terrible. She wakes every 1-2 hours, has disturbed naps and is often awake at least once a night for 1-2 hours. She is very gassy, straining alot, not pooping some days (though pooping alot other days) and I can often hear her stomach gurgling. We've scaled way back with solids, only giving her a few select fruits and veggies, because she has a horrible time with anything else. Her sleep has improved some, but not all the way.

Is there anything wrong with stopping with solids all together, at least for a couple of weeks (maybe longer?) and seeing if that helps? I don't know why but I feel like I should be trying to give her solids but her super sensitive system really does not seem ready AND we are both exhausted...

[Knitting Mama]

I believe that breast milk has everything a child needs until around age 2, if I remember correctly. I personally do not think there's a problem AT ALL with waiting longer to do solids. I would lay off them if I was in your position as well!!

[katroshka]

I would probably stop all solids, like you said, at least for a couple of weeks and see if her tummy goes back to normal. It sounds likely that it is the solids causing it, but it would be nice to know for sure, so going back to exclusive bfing sounds like a good experiment.

My only reservation is if your DD seems to REALLY want solid food, that may mean she feels like she needs more... but at that age I would very much think bm alone would be fine. If she does seem to really, really want to eat I would give very tummy-friendly things like rice cereal.

You could also check into doing some baby probiotics, if her intestinal flora has been upset by something that may help.

[newmamalizzy]

Funny, I just started giving my almost 6 month old a little bit of mashed banana, and just 2 minutes ago I was wondering aloud whether that might be the cause of her recently gurgly belly and more-frequent, longer night-time wake-ups. I agree with PPs that stopping solids seems like the right thing to do, if only to isolate that as the cause of the problem. I'll do the same with the bananas (sadly, because she really really liked them!).

[elder.sandi]

I just brought our 9 month old in for her well child visit. Her ND assured me that she does not need any solids until about 1 year. She said that around 1 year, BM changes to contain less nutrients, and it is instead more of a source of fat and antibodies (still quite healthy, but not quite everything a baby needs). My daughter also has digestive issues so I'm continuing to delay solids, you should be okay to do that too for a little while! Good luck!

[carmel23]

I would check with your ped, and they usually do an iron check around 10 months, but just make sure her iron levels are good.

Once you introduce solids, there is a possibility that it can interfere with iron absorption. So they may recommend an iron sup. (but don't do it unless the test show she is low).

Otherwise I don't see a problem. It may mean more night nursing, just because they're so busy at this age during the day and might not nurse a lot.

[Asiago]

Her body may not be ready for solids. I have read that introduction of solids prior to a year of age was not common until this last century, and further back throughout evolution, very little supplementary food was fed prior to two years of age. This presentation was really interesting http://thebabybond.com/NaturalWeaningAgeFORWEBSITE.pdf scroll the bar on the right side to go through it.

[Tattooed Hand]

Originally Posted by carmel23

Once you introduce solids, there is a possibility that it can interfere with iron absorption. So they may recommend an iron sup. (but don't do it unless the test show she is low).

Is this a matter of lower iron absorption once the virgin gut is breached? So once they have solids there is no going back. We've gone back to EBF the last few days and she doesn't seem at all upset about it. Plus, she seems to be sleeping better and way more comfortable in general. Of course, now we are teething...

[carmel23]

Originally Posted by Tattooed Hand

Is this a matter of lower iron absorption once the virgin gut is breached? So once they have solids there is no going back. We've gone back to EBF the last few days and she doesn't seem at all upset about it. Plus, she seems to be sleeping better and way more comfortable in general. Of course, now we are teething...

It is not exactly understood, but " A higher rate (20%-30%) of iron deficiency has been reported in breastfed infants who were not exclusively breastfed.17,21 The effect of iron obtained from formula or beikost supplementation on the iron status of the breastfed infant remains largely unknown and needs further study. " So it may be that these infants received formula, or some other food.

Just something to look out for.

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org...rics;104/1/119