[Goggie]

We started solids with DS 3 weeks ago at 4.5 months (was exclusively BF before that). I initially started with tastes and not really expecting him to eat anything but within a couple of days he was gobbling it all up, reaching for the spoon and crying when he was finished so I increased portion sizes and started giving 2 meals then 3 small meals.
He is on the 5th percentile for weight and height so I wasn't worried about overfeeding as such as mchn had mentioned he was small for his age. I should mention he is a reflux and extremely colicky baby who has an issue with cows milk so I have cut out all dairy from my diet. He has always had a sensitive stomach.

Anyway, he loves his food and we have introduced a number of veggies and know that avocado doesn't agree with his belly yet as it gave him hard pellet poos but thats the only 'reaction' we have had.

Since we have started though, he has had severe abdominal pain, to the point where he cries a lot until he farts (he has always been a windy baby), his poos are harder to pass and he often cries when passing it and he is much more unsettled at night. He goes down at bedtime ok at 7pm, then will wake up at 9 or 10 screaming and inconsolable.

Bf wont help as he just refuses it, settling in cot, picking up, unwrapping and cuddling doesn't work, he just screams and screams. You can tell he has stomach pain as he farts a lot, brings his knees up and kicks and grunts like he is trying to do a poo but nothing comes out.

DH and I are at our wits end. It is horrible to see him in such pain and the screaming can go on for an hour or two before he finally settles for the night and goes back to sleep with the one middle of the night wake up. We have been giving panadol on the really bad nights but this can't be good to be giving on an ongoing basis and I don't want to feel like I need to drug my baby to get him to settle.

Mchn helpline has suggested reducing solids or stopping altogether and trying again in a month to get his stomach to recover with just breastmilk and I am unsure if this is the right thing. He loves his food and part of me thinks that cutting it out completely is kind of going backwards and will unsettle him further? We were just getting into a good day routine of bf, solids, play, sleep etc and his day sleeps were improving (they have always been crap).

So thoughts? Has anyone started solids and then stopped? Did it work or just confuse your little one?
What else would people suggest?

[LovenFire]

Have you tried offering gripe water, or similar things like infants friend etc?

I also found putting a tiny shake of nutmeg or cumin in the food I offer bub seems to help with digestion ... Also he then eats the food!

[Goggie]

I've tried everything. My kitchen drawer is full of colic concotions and gripe waters. Nothing works.

[le_auteur]

I initially started my DS (formula fed) at 3.5mo based on paed recommendation, however he didn't (unsurprisingly) tolerate it -too well, even though it was bland tastes. Seemed to make him windy and unsettled too, so we stopped again until 5mo and it was all good from then on. No harm in stopping for a bit, and some infants friend may help with the wind in the meantime.

[michie0moo]

What solids are you giving him? If there are any iron fortified foods I would drop those at least. Iron is a pretty common cause of constipation.
If that doesn't help (or you don't use them anyway), I would take the advice of the MCHN.

[Goggie]

We've tried sweet potato, potato, pumpkin, zucchini, carrot, pears and apple. He hates rice cereal.

Edit: and he's sucked on melon

This post has been edited by Goggie: 02/02/2013, 09:45 AM

[Sunnycat]

At 4.5 months some babies gut flora hasn't developed well enough to tolerate solids.

If he's in epic pain I would reduce solids, but if you're going to continue consider introducing a probiotic.

[Rose38]

You little boy is still very young. Maybe his gut is not ready for large amounts of food. I'd pull back a bit. Maybe take everything out for a few days except some infant rice cereal with breast milk. Wait for him to settle and then reintroduce one food at a time every few days so that you can watch for reactions.

Good luck!

[Excentrique]

You could give it a try for a few days OP, see if he settles, and if he doesn't I'd be looking at any possible culprits in your diet.

Have you been reading all packets of food you eat? Milk is in so much stuff its crazy. Also steer clear of any spice, onion, garlic and large amounts of tomato.

Also, when everything failed for my pooping bubbles baby boy, we tried donnalix. Its an over the counter wind medication. He slept 5 hrs straight the first time he had it.

[bonnybabe]

it could be the fructose, my friend has a kid with a fructose intolerance, made her cry for hours. Its the sugar in fruit and sweet veg. Try just the rice cereal for a while.