Nutrition, Dieting & Breastfeeding

Baby constipated, is it his diet?

 We are having a number of issues with solids/ nursing.  Hard poos that resemble rabbit poop, all day long. I'm curious as to whether this is just his digestion or whether its something to do with how I feed him.  We make our own food.  He eats avocado, yams, zuccini, pears, apples, apricots, prunes, beets, yogurt and peas.  He eats about a 1/4 cup a sitting give or take 1/8 of a cup!  He nurses an awful lot. Maybe 10-15 times a day.  We also give him water in a sippy cup.  He gets totally constipated on grains like brown rice, white rice and amaranth.  Oh this only gets more complicated...we are celiacs (no gluten). I'm going back to work in a week and I'm concerned that he is going to rely on solids more during the day only making his constipation and rabbit poop worse.  We co-sleep, and I'm open to as many night nurses as he wants, and I'm pumping to give him EBM instead of water while I'm gone.  Any suggestions?  Also how can I ensure that he is getting the iron he needs without supplemental cereals or formula? He is really healthy and has never not gained weight.  Thanks for your help!





First, I want to commend you for nursing as you are. It sounds like you are doing all of the right things and that Griffin is gaining weight well!

I am puzzled about the constipation that you refer to, however, especially if Griffin is eating a lot of fruits and vegetables.  Are you pureeing your foods?  If so, you don't need to be doing this for a baby of this age, and raw fruits may alleviate Griffin's constipation. Eating raw fruits and vegetables, in contrast to pureed fruits and vegetables, takes up more water during the digestive process and creates more bulk in the gut. This, in turn, stimulates the gut and lessens constipation.  So, when you can, give Griffin raw fruits and vegetables, rather than ones that are cooked or pureed.  For example, try small pieces of fresh apricots, prunes, or pears with the skin left on.  These are potent stimulants for the gut. These and many other fruits - such as cantaloupe and watermelon - are high in fiber and plentiful at this time of the year.  At the same time, do be cautious of fruits and vegetables that, when fresh, can be a choking hazard for babies.  For example, don't give Griffin raw carrots, or raw apples unless they are finely chopped.  You might also try beans, such as pinto beans or kidney beans, which children of this age can often eat.

To ensure that Griffin is getting the iron he needs, I suggest that you try giving him small amounts of red meat, which would supply the iron that you are concerned about.  Small pieces of chopped liver are a particularly good choice.  Red meat, especially liver, has a high concentration of iron in the most bio-available form for humans.  If your son is teething, cook the liver, cut it into strips and freeze it.  Then, let him chew (or gum if he doesn't have many teeth) the strips of frozen liver.  This will both increase his dietary iron intake and may help the discomfort of teething.

If Griffin's constipation doesn't resolve itself, you should talk to your pediatrician about the matter.



 

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