[LipStick]

My DD is 5 and a half months old and for the past maybe month have been feeding her purees (apple, pear, pumpkin, sweet potato, papaya). Last week I started giving her rice cereal and a bit of banana. Well I think this has caused some major problems for her.

Yesterday she needed to do a poo (after 3 days of not going - which I have been told is normal for a baby??) and as it was passing though she cried and screamed until it passed. This went on for the entire day. I'm not too sure if this counts as constipation or not. My husband went to the chemist to get something that could help and the Phamasist gave him Coloxyl. So today she seemed fine and I thought the worst was over but then in the afternoon she had to go again and did the same thing as yesterday.

I have stopped feeding her the rice cereal and the bananas and have offered her water throughout the day (which I have been doing anyways).

I guess my question is has your baby been through this where they have had pain when they were passing the poo? and what did you do to help ease their pain.

I feel absolutely awful as I have done this to her! Please let me know if this will be over soon. I can't bear her being in this much pain.

[Taffatups]

We have had constipation issues with DD for a little while, although not as severe as what yours sound like. Some foods can increase constipation, just like in adults. These include apples, bananas and potatoes. Pears are meant to be really good for constipated babies. Also try increasing the water give to your LO. A GP told a friend of mine to use water and brown sugar - I haven't tried this but friends have with great success.

Good luck

[Jenflea]

Prunes or prune juice as well works.
My chemist(when giving me the Coloxyl drops) told me that babies can take ages to get used to solids as they'd been living on a diet of liquid that's exactly tailored to their digestion(breast milk).

[Lil Chickens]

Rice cereal is often fortified with iron so that and the banan will tend to constipate.

3 days would be normal for an exclusively bf baby but I didn't think it was normal for ff babies, or those who have started on solids?

I would cut the banana and rice cereal and give pear to try and ease the constipation. I also find peaches and nectarines good for DS to keep him regular.