Help having problems with constipation

[stephie]

The situation.. I am not weaning my 14 month old just wanting to slow the feedings down from 7 times a 24 hr period to maybe twice a 24 hr period. I do want to encourage her to wean but not force it. My problem is cow milk I think is making her constipated. We have had to stimulate twice this week. She is really feeling bad and just quietly cries for hours I have been having to hold her on a heating pad on my stomach to help relieve the pain, along with gas meds for the cramping. It might be other foods she is eating I am not sure, any advice on what foods to try or if milk might be the problem let me know.

[Jacksmommy]

Stop giving her cow's milk right away. Don't give her anymore at all. She doesn't need cow's milk, and it's very hard for some people (many people actually) to digest. I think it's very likely that it's causing her tummy problems. I would suggest nursing on demand at least until you get this tummy trouble resolved. How much is she nursing now? What other foods does she eat?

[stephie]

She is nursing alot less now I am having a really hard time getting her to nurse. She only wants it in the morning (which that one is easy to distract her on) and maybe once in the afternoon and once in the evening. It is so much better then every two hours! I think she is just ready to cut back. I started giving her EBM instead of cow milk in a cup. She still wakes about six times a night and will only take a bottle but last night she would only take the breast. I don't think she knows what she wants. She is not having anymore clogged bowel problems its more runny now. She is a picky eater. She won't eat anything healthy. Like I think she should. She love any type of spaghetti sauce pasta/noddles. Mac and cheese, slice cheese. Pears, strawberries, sausage, yogurt, Gerber snack cookies and little bits (the snack corn stick things) I try everyday to in the morning feed her oatmeal cereal mixed with some type of fruit, and let her finger feed banana, apple or crackers. That gets thrown down. Then before a nap I offer a yogurt or applesauce. Then lunch is some type of veggie mixed with rice cereal or a stage 3 baby food. And then a snack, Then dinner she gets what we are having as finger food. And I make her noodles, or some type of meat and veggies or fruit for dinner. I really wish I could find a dinner plan for a 1 yr old on what to feed them and when i always feel like I am doing this part wrong. She is always hungry now until I fix the food then she screams at it. Any more advice I love it.

[Jacksmommy]

EBM in a cup is perfect - definitely a good choice for baby's health, nutrition, and digestion. The food you're feeding her doesn't sound bad to me. Spaghetti sauce is good. The noodles - not so much - but they're not terrible either. You can try rice pasta and see if it's easier on her tummy. It's a little healthier and tastes pretty much the same. I find it in the organic section of the grocery store. Mac and cheese is also okay if she can handle cow's milk, and I'm not sure if your dd can, so keep an I on that one. Pears, strawberries, yogurt are all very good. Do you give whole milk yogurt? It's best for babies, and you know that even if a baby has some trouble digesting whole milk that yogurt is usually fine because it's cultured. It wouldn't be fine it your dd has an actual milk allergy. Meat is good. Veggies are good. Cheese is healthy but can be constipating, so watch that one, too. For dinner I would offer small servings of whatever you're having yourself. Hopefully that will include meat and veggies and fruit. If she doesn't like what you're having, fix her something else. That's what I do.

[stephie]

Hey thanks for the advice. I don't think she has a milk allergy to cow's milk cause she has drank it several times. I think maybe the overload of noddles and cheese could have something to do with it. Its hard to get her to eat anything but noodles come so easy. I might need to work on all that. I need to try to get her to eat other foods. That's just what I don't have to fight her on and she loves to feed herself and its easy to grab. But it might be to much of a good thing. She is still fighting some of our nursing sessions now. I keep offering, but I am kind of ready to wean, but want it to be her choice and when she is ready. Are these signs that is almost time???

[Jacksmommy]

I'm not sure what you mean by "fighting some of our nursing sessions". Are you saying she doesn't want to nurse? If she's not interested in a session, I'd let it go - at least for then. After a year old, I just nurse my ds when he asks to nurse. I never push it.

[stephie]

She acts like she wants to nurse and sucks on my shirt and tries to pull my shirt up, so I get in position so she can latch, then she cries and wiggles down out of my lap. Then wants it back. We play this game alot now. I try to nurse on demand but this is terrible. So when I give up and stop playing the game she cries for about twenty minutes then I offer it again and she will comfort nurse for about 5 minutes then cries and wiggles down. She does this at night also so I started giving her a bottle of EBM and she takes it, But last night she wanted to nurse. She is so back and forth I can't keep up. I don't force her to nurse or not nurse. I would be okay if breastfeeding stopped, but only if she is ready. I am encouraging it to slow down so we can stop, so I can think about baby number three. We have stopped cow milk all together, but she had another bad day with constipation I had to give her another laxative. I have cut out noddles as well and have been doing lots of fruits and veggies. I am going to call the dr on Monday.

[Jacksmommy]

How much does she nurse in a 24 hour period? How many bottles or sippy cups of ebm does she take in a 24 hour period? How much water does she drink in a 24 hour period?

[stephie]

She nurses about 8-12 times in a 24 hr period. Not counting comfort nurses of about 5 min. She normally doesn't have any bottles unless I am working (which is only 2 days a month) She always has a sippy of ice water handy but only sips from it all day she maybe gets only 4 oz of water a day. I know not enough but she won't drink water very well. It always available along with a cup of juice. I have been trying really hard to offer a cup instead of breast when she wants them. But she plays the game of I want them but I don't. She also always has snacks available down at her level. I have a hard time getting her to eat solids and I think its cause she nurses so much. On average we nurse every two to three hours. Mostly boob snacks. She never stays on longer then 15 min. Never has.

[Jacksmommy]

I guess I'm confused as to why she's constipated if she nurses so well. Is this a recent problem? Was she constipated before she stated solids also? Does she eat a lot of dry foods? Could it be something new in your diet?

[stephie]

Hey I am really confused as well. This is a recent problem. She normally goes every other day with her bowel movements since she was born. But just in the last three weeks have we started having a problem. I have not changed my diet any and she has not changed hers ether. The only thing I can think of is cow milk but she has not had anymore in about a week. She in the past three weeks has not had one Bowel movement without my help. I called the dr and am waiting for him to call me back.

[Jacksmommy]

I know it can take a couple of weeks to get dairy out of baby's system. I suppose it could all be related to the cow's milk. Did a Dr. advise you to give your baby laxatives? That is something I would be very cautious about doing. It can actually make digestion more difficult - like it helps baby poop today but makes it even harder for her to go the next time. Could that be what's going on?

[stephie]

No I'm a nurse at a hospitals newborn nursery. I know all about the laxatives. Most of what I was doing is stimulating. No meds involved. I stepped in a few times with laxatives after her screaming in pain for hours. I took her to the dr and they said its a diet thing. I am giving her rice cereal with most of her meals and that with the cow milk and the cheese was most likely the problem. I mix the cereal with cow milk and thats to much they said. I was told not to give her any cheese she is to young to handle it and give her miralax everyday till its back on track. I also was told to give her oatmeal instead of rice cereal. She has had one does with milk yesterday and we had a huge dirt diaper this morning all by herself. So I think its figured out. Thank you so much for the support. That's why I love this site. Oh and she walked for the first time yesterday and has not stopped since. I LOVE IT!!

[vickikreiner]

I'm glad things are better. So exciting that she is walking!
My daughter had trouble with cheese too. It was horrible.
I ended up giving a lot of Gerber prunes mixed in her cereal. also changed to Oatmeal, and occasionally had to give Constulose Syrup (perscription...a miracle)!
With my second, prunes and Oatmeal cereal were his 2 first solids...no problems!
Of course, lots of breast milk too, how ever I could get it in.