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Children's health

Weaning constipation

15 replies

makedoandmend · 22/05/2009 14:39

I've been weaning my six month old for just under two weeks and this last week she's developed hard stools and is only passing them when I'm changing her and is obviously distressed and in pain (she looks red and sore).
My HV said start weaning with two days on one meal then go to two meals and forget rice and go straight to veg and fruit. Dh is still having as much breast milk as before and i have tried to give her water but she's not impressed. I thought because she was having bm she'd be having enough fluids but now I'm worried I've bunged her up. Her first poo after we started weaning was the usual runny affair but the next was thicker - same consistency as when it went in - which I guess is how it's supposed to be. This carried on through another poo but then this week she's had only two poos and they've both been stools. She's fine the rest of the time. Is it because I'm using pre prepared baby food (Plum Baby and Organix)? Did we move to two meals too quickly (she gobbles them up and is upset at the end of the meal because she wants more) HV (who's quite gung-ho abotu the whole weaning business) wanted me to go to three meals at the start of this week but I just thought it was too quick. Should I drop one of the meals? (she has one meal veg one meal fruit), should I replace one with rice? What am I doing wrong?! If you can shed light on it please help - left messages for HV but not heard back.

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pinkyp · 23/05/2009 01:06

I would keep trying with the water - i gave my ds water when i breastfed, esp now the weather is getting warming too - when adults are constipated my dr always recommended water. Will she take water in a bottle if not in a cup? or maybe a couple of spoon fulls inbetween food?

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kickassangel · 23/05/2009 01:45

dd did this to us - cue massive screaming fit when visiting th ILs who quite literally LIVE for the joy of fussing over 'medical emergencies'. so, although i was sure i knew what to do, HAD to phone NHS direct. (MIL wanted an ambulance, but i said no)
Their advice was to give a small bottle of water - boiled, then cooled, with i tbsp of brown sugar dissolved in it. about 15 mins later, the problem was solved. (MIL didn't offer to help out with the nappy, in spite of her fussing)

they also said to make sure dd got enough fruit, and not so much rice. can't remember when we moved to 3 meals, but it was a very slow transition.

NB, this was 5 years ago, and i am not a medic, just my experience.

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gordonpym · 23/05/2009 07:49

Cut a pear in tiny pieces and cook it with 1/2 pint of water for 10min,then try to give the pear juice with a spoon, it is sweet,delicious and fab against constipation. Or mix juice and pear and offer as dessert. Don't give her any banana for a while.
BM is still very important at 6m. If she is upset at the meal of the meal, try increase portions instead of adding a meal too soon. How much are you giving her? One veg or fruit meal has less calories than a bm feed, so she may be really hungry. If the veg meal is a soup, you could add a tea spoon of baby pasta or some rice (but rice is not good for constipation)
Follow your instinct about your DD. 2 meals after 2 weeks is fine. Change a little bit the menu, but I would't add a third meal

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makedoandmend · 23/05/2009 20:33

Thanks very much for you replies. I spoke to HV and she did her usual thing of not really listening going on and on about how I should be feeding three meals of 'real food' (her words) non of it pureed, plus fruit or yoghurt at the end of the meal. She did suggest weetabix, melon and jelly and, if I was really anxious, prune juice (although she didn't volunteer any info on watering it down). She then chuntered on about the fact I should be giving her meat but I don't really see how that will help constipation. She also said give her a cup of water with the lid off. To tell you the truth she left me more confused - she sort of steamrollers me a bit. Today was a bit of a failure - tried weetabix for lunch but the milk was off (just bought thanks Waitrose!) and it just looked too thick with yoghurt, so ended up giving her bought pear puree, tried yoghurt at dinner but she hated it and ended up giving her bought veg puree. Oh and the cup with the lid off was a disaster drenching both of us. Feel very deflated and stressed with this whole weaning business. I'm a complete disaster in the kitchen but really want to do the best for dh.

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FrannyandZooey · 23/05/2009 20:35

you can get soft prunes and dried apricots from sainsburys which a 6 month old can suck on and this should really help
if you prefer to give as puree just soak in boiling water for 10 mins and then liquidise

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MrsJamin · 23/05/2009 20:37

If you are puree feeding then go very slowly - constipation shows that her system is becoming overloaded with having to handle all these new substances. Definitely don't up the quantities.

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chilliNchocolate · 23/05/2009 20:47

Your HV is talking out of her arse mistaken. I speak as a HV too. Your DD has just started weaning - what's your HV's rush to get her on three meals a day about?

Pear is good for constipation and make sure she's getting plenty of fluids. Her system is trying to cope with new foods so I wouldn't advise upping the quantities until she's adjusted.

Have you tried googling Baby Led Weaning. I did this with DS and never really had any probs with him. Weaning shouldn't be stressful for you or your baby. Ease back and give her what she enjoys.

Next time the HV asks just smile sweetly and say "weaning is going fine thanks".

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makedoandmend · 23/05/2009 22:09

Thanks again for the advice. And thanks chilliNchocolate - I've been fretting because all the HV's advice has really gone against my gut instinct but I just thought what do I know I've never done this before? I thought the constipation might be due to rushing. I'll hold back on the third feed and just persevere with two feeds. I did think of going slightly lighter on the food - starting off with breakfast of cereal or rice and then breastfeed all day until dinner but I though dd might object as she seems to enjoy the two meals she gets as solid feeds. What do you think of the weetabix advice? I could give it at a time other than breakfast.
I'll go and have a look at Baby Led Weaning - I've got a stack of books which haven't been much help.

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jkklpu · 23/05/2009 22:16

I'd second apricots or pruners as puree. My ds2 had real problems for a few weeks: the longest he went without a poo was 4 days and they'd become a family event with dh/me calling the other and ds1 to watch as poor ds2 produced huge snakes on the changing mat as it was always easier to expel with his legs in the air. And he was SOOO delighted afterwards.

Sorry if that was more information than you needed, but maybe you could try helping your lo out physically by lying her on her back with her legs up for a few minutes at each change?

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makedoandmend · 23/05/2009 23:15

Thanks jkklpu - over the last week she's only poo'd when I've been changing her and had her legs in the air - I'll try that again (although it's horrible to see her so distressed). With the prunes/apricots - do dry ones work better than tinned? And would you give it as a normal baby portion (I've had some, um, interesting experiences in the past with prune juice, but maybe that's just because it was concentrated)? And would you dilute it? And does anyone know how often she should be pooing? I think someone in my NCT group said the other day that their baby was pooing all the time again - ie several times a day (I'm now thinking I should have spotted the constipation earlier - I just had got used to her only going a couple of times a week). Urgh the guilt!

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makedoandmend · 24/05/2009 09:06

Sorry forgot to say - will all these help soften stools? Don't want her to have to suddenly go if they're still going to be hard (we just did the legs in the air thing and she passed two very hard stools

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jkklpu · 24/05/2009 20:05

should help to soften - you can either soak dried apricots in some water from the kettle for a while and then blitz, or, you could prob blitz fresh ones after adding water, too. And I tended to use tinned pitted prunes and blitz. Used to do a load and freeze in ice cube tray. Give a cube or 2 for pudding or you could mix with some rice/baby porridge as a meal in itself if your lo still only 6 months.
Good luck.

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makedoandmend · 24/05/2009 20:11

Thanks again. Had to feed her while out today (long story involving power cut and MIL) so dived into shop shop and bought a Ella's Choice (think that's the brand) prune based puree - half an hour later it certainly did the trick in terms of getting her going - still bit firm though but we're getting there and don't feel so desperate now - will persevere with some fresh tomorrow and see how it goes. Thanks to everyone - god I love this site

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allthetwinklystars · 24/05/2009 20:27

HI. my dd suffered from horrible constipation when she weaned. Just before I weaned ds I read somewhere that carrot puree can be constipating. I don't know if you've done just carrot, but I think it's what bunged my dd up.

We used to buy prunes and cook one with a few apples or pears to make a good 'loosening' food.

Good luck!

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makedoandmend · 29/05/2009 09:05

Thanks to everyone - finger's crossed the problem seems to be fixed. I think you're right allthetwinklystars - someone else told me about the carrot thing and I realised that it had been in a lot of meals I'd served her so I just gave her a break from it, stopped the banana and a couple of meals of prune mix later it's all moving down there

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