Advice about baby and feeding

[Dreamer_D]

My son is almost 8 months old and has been eating solids for a little under two months now. He loves food and eats likea champ. I have been making all his baby food, and he has had a variety of fruits and veggies and oatmeal and rice, both of which I make myself by grinding up the grains before cooking. At each meal he eats about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of food, usually 50/50 grains and fruit or veggie, and he eats at breakfast and dinner.

There are two issues I am wondering about. One is that he seems constipated lately. The second is that he wakes still 2-3 times between 7pm and 7am and wants to nurse and takes in a fair bit of milk at each wake up. But he also seems bothered at some wakeups too, perhaps uncomfortable... I am wondering if these two issues are related?

Any tips on helping with digestion? We have introduced a sippy cup recently but he doesn''t guzzle water from it yet. I also wonder if he needs a third meal of solids in the day?

Any advice about your experiences would be really helpful!

 

[rockpaperscissors67]

If your little guy is having some issues with constipation, I''d probably cut down on the solids and nurse more. Solids during their first year are really just to get them used to eating solid food and the majority of their nutrition should come from either breastmilk or formula. It could be that he''s waking during the night because he''s hungry since the solid food has fewer calories than breastmilk. Breastmilk will really help with the constipation, too.

I''m not sure if you are asking about the sippy cup or not. It''s great that you''ve introduced it, but I wouldn''t expect him to guzzle water from it yet (nor would I want him to). The practice is what''s important and he probably will need a lot of practice.

But again, since water has no calories, I''d limit his intake to just the little bit he might get during sippy cup practice. You could also pump and put breastmilk in the cup for him.

Hope that helps!

 

[D&T]

Date: 10/13/2009 10:19:08 AM
Author: rockpaperscissors67
If your little guy is having some issues with constipation, I''d probably cut down on the solids and nurse more. Solids during their first year are really just to get them used to eating solid food and the majority of their nutrition should come from either breastmilk or formula. It could be that he''s waking during the night because he''s hungry since the solid food has fewer calories than breastmilk. Breastmilk will really help with the constipation, too.

I''m not sure if you are asking about the sippy cup or not. It''s great that you''ve introduced it, but I wouldn''t expect him to guzzle water from it yet (nor would I want him to). The practice is what''s important and he probably will need a lot of practice.

But again, since water has no calories, I''d limit his intake to just the little bit he might get during sippy cup practice. You could also pump and put breastmilk in the cup for him.

Hope that helps!

agreed. my DD was this way when she started eating solids, I just gave her more formula and lessen the solids a bit until her bowls were back on track. She''s 11 months now, and has formula twice a day once when she wakes up and I still dream feed her before I go to bed, it helps her not to wake up as well,

Good luck DD...

 

[MustangGal]

Cutting out the rice might help too, it can contribute to constipation. We give Kyle a small jar of stage 1 prunes when he seems to be backed up to help.

 

[neatfreak]

I''d cut out the rice too-he doesn''t need it and it probably isn''t helping. We give the boys some prunes or a small amount of prune juice or apple juice when they are a little backed up. Unfortunately it happens with solids...just try to give H more liquids if you can.

 

[TravelingGal]

Amelia had the same issues with constipation right at the same age (I remember because we took a trip to Oz at the time.) Prunes...oh my god...all the diaper explosions she''s ever had were because of prunes. But boy did they work!!!

 

[qtiekiki]

Ditto on cutting out the rice. Also avoid banana and apple (apple juice is ok) since they can cause constipation. It''s very common for babies to be constipate when more solids are given. Prunes is helpful.

Did he start waking 2-3 times after solids were introduced? If so, then it could be that he isn''t getting enough calories or he is uncomfortable b/c of constipation. See if dealing with the constipation helps.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Okay, thanks everyone!

I am going to try your suggestions and see what happens. So far we have decreased the amount of solids and I am being more careful to nurse him right before eating. I don''t see a real change so far, but its only been a day or two.

 

[Gemma12]

DD, my daughter had exactly the same problem about 2 months after starting solids. I think for us it was that I was giving her less ''watery'' food if that makes sense. She also started waking at night again so I introduced another feed during the day which seemed to help-her routine looked a bit like this:

6:30-7 BF, then weetbix (very runny) with prunes or pear puree

9:30-10 BF

12:30 veggie puree for lunch followed by BF

4 BF

5 veggie puree for dinner then BF (she always cluster fed in the evening, since birth)

10 BF

I gave her water from a sippy cup but really only to play with. At 11 months she drinks a lot more water, so it was just a matter of time. Prior to that I had to make her food more runny to get more fluid into her if she was constipated. Just a caution on the prunes-their tummies can ''get used to it'' and then they need regular doses apparently so I used them cautiously. Also, my maternal and child health nurse said a little bit of fibre (hence the weetbix) can help if diluted with a lot of water. We also used tummy massages in the evening to get things going. I started finger foods at about 7 months and initially was giving her a lot of bananas and toast which I think made things worse, but once she got a pincer grip and could eat raisins, well.....let''s just say things got moving!!

HTH!!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 10/13/2009 11:40:23 AM
Author: neatfreak
I'd cut out the rice too-he doesn't need it and it probably isn't helping. We give the boys some prunes or a small amount of prune juice or apple juice when they are a little backed up. Unfortunately it happens with solids...just try to give H more liquids if you can.

Ditto.

This is good advise.

 

[Loves2Laugh]

Prunes is usually what we give P to get "things moving." We give him the apples/prunes mix from Gerber with oatmeal for breakfast when he''s backed up. Also, we''ve pretty much cut out most of the rice with feedings. I wouldn''t decrease the solids, I would add a third meal in there. I know you''ve mentioned H is a big guy like P- long and lean-our Pedi told us to increase a meal around 7-8 months (lunch). He may need the extra in addition to the BM. Good luck! He''ll let you know if he''s had enough and like you''re already doing, just offer the BM before the solids.

 

[janinegirly]

we had that issue too and now give her (baby earth) prunes & oatmeal jar each day. Took care of business for sure! and she likes it...

 

[Dreamer_D]

Thanks everyone!

So HUnter was backed up for like 5 days... after a couple days of prunes and like 5 poops in one day he seems to be back on track

I think I will keep him off the grains for now just until it looks like he is more regular. I figure sweet potatoes are enough starches at his age?

I am unsure about adding another meal though... seems like he is eating less at night now that he is BFing more and eating less in the day. We''ll see how it goes over the next months! I don''t see the doctor again until he is 13 months for his next check and i don''t plan to go until then unless he is sick. Last time I went I was told to just do whatever I like and go by his signs! LOL!