solids and constipation

[Minoh]

Ok, so I didn't realize that starting solids might result in a constipated baby. : We started Simon on rice cereal made soupy with breast milk about 4 days ago (he's 6mo next week). He seemed to really be ready to eat and is enjoying the small amounts I give him about 2x a day.

Anyway, I'm getting a little nervous as the days go by without a bowel movement. It's now saturday and he hasn't gone since monday, which is a couple days more than normal for him. When does one know if their baby is constipated? He's making straining noises once in a while, but that's not too unusual. Should I be getting worried yet? Is diluted prune juice an ok remedy (I have some organic stuff that's just prune juice with nothing added)?

[Momma Aimee]

going throght it woth you

ds is 6.5 months

day 4 with no poop here, for the 2nd time

[IncaMama]

yup that happens to ava once in a while (tho we havent started solids yet). i give her water...you can also add some powdered citrucel to a bottle of ebm or to whatever (water, formula, spoonful of pureed stuff). i've heard from many crunchy mamas that it's ok

[alegna]

Not in your group but had to respond. First- rice cereal is next to useless. Might as well feed baby library paste. And it is BIG TIME constipating. That said, baby is not ready for solids unless ALL of the following:

sits unassisted
NO tongue thrust
can pick up food and feed himself

Spoon feeding is not a good idea, especially not rice cereal. Start with soft fruits and veggies and let baby self feed. That way they can monitor their own intake. But given that you're seeing constipation already I'd drop the solids for at least another month.

And to the pp who's using citrucel Please don't. If you're needing ANYTHING to get things moving then that's baby's way of telling you you're feeding too many solids. Back off.

-Angela

[Minoh]

sits unassisted
NO tongue thrust
can pick up food and feed himself

Umm, based on the criteria mentioned here, Simon is definitely ready for solids. We're starting really slow and he's actively involved, including feeding himself with the spoon (which I need seeing as I'm making it very runny).

With respect to being constipated, I guess my point was that I'm not convinced that he is constipated, but was surprised that many baby first foods are constipating and wondering about what to do in that case.

rice cereal is next to useless. Might as well feed baby library paste.

Funny, because Simon seems to like it, especially given that it's still mostly breast milk, but something a little different. It's also what our ped and most books recommend starting with, so it can't be all bad.

[Minoh]

Well, I guess Simon wasn't constipated - he just had a major blowout! His poop is still just like breastfed baby poop, if maybe a little smellier. I'm going to miss these easy to clean diapers once things become more solid.


Still, how do you know when they're constipated???

[IncaMama]

Originally Posted by alegna

And to the pp who's using citrucel Please don't. If you're needing ANYTHING to get things moving then that's baby's way of telling you you're feeding too many solids. Back off.

-Angela

i'm the pp who mentioned citrucel as an option, but i'm not actually using citrucel. and haven't ever done so, i'd just heard it was ok. and i'm also not feeding any solids yet, so it would be pretty hard for me to "back off". : but thanks for the info...

ETA: i'd like to suggest that maybe your tone was a bit harsh. i appreciate the information, but telling me to "Back off." seems a bit uncalled for. especially since, as i actually mentioned in the post you were referring to, i haven't even started solids yet. Like I said, I appreciate the value of your information, but I think it could have been presented in a less condescending tone.

[aisraeltax]

back to the YG!

[aisraeltax]

glad to hear he's not constipated. im a bit worried about the solids bm poos too..but we have another month or so to worry about it.

i also have heard to skip the cereal though, b/c there isnt any nutritional value in it. i think its all over the board what you start with though.

good luck! hope he doesnt go that long again! thats scary for us moms!

rach

[darkpear]

I think the reason the cereal gets recommended so much is because it's iron fortified. I don't do it but that's mostly because it seems bland and nasty and not something I'd enjoy eating. Also I don't feel like pumping milk to mix it with

[IncaMama]

no shiznits, rach. :

[kofduke]

When Aaron was around 5 months, I was told anything with a "p" could get things moving...so if you're doing fruits, that would be peaches, pears, etc. I haven't started cereal yet because I'm concerned about the constipation (though we did offer bananas today, same problem!)

[mamanurse]

I agree that Angela's comment was a bit harsh, but she's generally well-meaning.

Anyway, rice cereal is constipating due to the iron in it. Iron in the rice cereal is fortified iron and it is poorly absorbed in the GI tract. This results in constipation and dark stools. We're also skipping the rice cereal and having dd get her iron from foods that are more tasty and bm.

Whatever each mom decides is definitely in the best interest of THEIR baby. I'm just putting in my two pennies.

[atozmama]

Constipation in a babe is usually based on consistancy, not length of time between movements or gruntiness. A hard, dry stool is constipation.

Rice is generally recomended because it is a low allergenic food in the USA. I heard from a Japenese mother though that rice allergies are much more common in Japan. If the iron fortification concerns you or causes constipation, (or you don't like the smell of boxed baby cereal) a mama can make her own rice cereal by taking any rice she has on hand and grinding it finely. A clean coffee grinder works well. Then mixing it with breastmilk to the desired constinancy. Though many foods make fine first foods.

I haven't started Sam on solids yet, though his face was smeared with fudgesical this morning thanks to a sharing 2 year old sister , so mabey he got his first taste this am. I am trying to delay solids for dental benifits in my family. Said 2 yo just had major work done.

[kir]

Mango was our girls' first food...it's in season, and we'd have to wait til next year if we didn't give it! They had no problem. Banana on the other hand has not done so well hahahaha!

Also, what about brown rice? We roast it a little, then grind and cook like rice cereal from a box. Or just cook in the pressure cooker til it's really soft.

I for one don't think you did anything wrong giving it. You have to follow baby's cues, and if they get a bit constipated you work with that.

ETA: breastmilk is good for constipation

[LittleLlama]

Here are a couple threads I found quite helpful

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=440807

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=458680

Especially the article in the second one. Made me rethink the first food thing entirely!