Constipation while weaning

[Zoogeek]

Just after a bit of reassurance really. Started DD2 at 26 weeks, she's now 28 weeks, she quite a big baby and loved it but too much baby rice (which I now realise was a mistake) and bananas (was wrongly advised these help with constipation!) meant she got really bunged up and is now on lactulose and Movocil. I had an horrific week with her while these meds were taking effect, so I'm desperate to avoid her getting bunged up again. My health visitors are beyond useless and between giving me conflicting advice and making me feel like sh*t about it (as if I wasn't upset enough already!) I'm really confused as to what to give her to avoid it happening again. She loves her food so she's already on 3 meals a day by which I mean 3 or 4 cubes of puréed fruit or veg. But I'm concerned about getting meat and fish into her (she sometimes has yogurt with her fruit) and carbs - she needs energy and iron at this age but I was told to avoid carbs to stop the constipation!! So confused. Any tips? She's breastfeed on demand with 1 bottle of formula at night and is sipping lots of cooled boiled water really well.

[rootypig]

Don't worry about getting meat, fish and carbs into her - I mean, do include them in her diet, but at this point don't worry about the volume she gets. Her milk is taking care of most of her nutrition and will do for a good few months, so you can relax. Your HV really should be stressing this. The main thing with weaning is that you can cope! it's such a huge transition and I think gives many parents anxiety. Since you are mostly bf, you could add a multivitamin for her vitamin D and iron. We used Wellkid, but every other day, because the iron can contribute to constipation, which DD (now 20mo) tends toward too.

Apart from that, it sounds like she's eating brilliantly, so enjoy! I would say: no more baby rice, at all. If she liked it, give her proper porridge instead. Avoid sweet potato, it's like glue. Ditto banana, for some babies (sometimes it helps, so it is confusing!). Stewed fruit is brilliant for unblocking - plums, rhubarb, pear, and you can zap some tinned prunes / the juice into the mix. No need for it all to be purees, even if doing purees finger food is advised from 6mo, so fresh fruit too, whatever is ripe and juicy - strawberries, pear, mango, melon all fab.

[Toowittoowoo]

DD2 got a bit constipated as well and she also likes her food a lot.

we have it under control now after a few weeks by giving her soft fruit (e.g. nectarine) which she loves after every meal and plenty of water in a sippy cup. Other than that I just give her whatever we are having but I avoid too much bread, bananas and sweet potato.

Once her system gets used to food she'll be fine but if I were you I'd stick to veg/fruit puree and finger food for just a little longer. No need to worry about, carbs, iron and vitamins yet, plenty of weaning babies don't get much in the first month or so.

i would have thought you could also flake a little fish into her food if you wanted - that should add some nutrients without bunging her up.

somebody else might know about pulses perhaps? DD2 likes daal and that must be quite filling. I mix hers with a teaspoon of yoghurt. She also likes veggie curry with lots of chickpeas in it. If pulses are okay then that could be an option fill her up a bit. I'm no expert though!