BLW makes foods harder to break down?

DS has always done BLW since he started solids, but in the last month or so has really started to struggle with his poos. He is going weekly (sometimes twice), and the first bit of it is really hard like plasticine & difficult for him to pass. This morning he was crying hysterically trying to get it out. He then goes on to have a normal soft poo later that day.

After this morning I took him to the doctor who was useless, said to give him a suppository weekly to get him to go :rolleyes:
DP also thinks I should give him one, but thats not addressing the problem of the poos getting hard in the first place (he is fully breastfed so it shouldnt be happening). DP just rang & asked if I've given him one, hung up on me when I said he doesnt need it. Its useless after the fact, he already has the hard bit out so whats the point!


Anyway, my mother thinks its because we do BLW & that his body cant break down the food properly because its in larger chunks when it goes down (compared to mashes). And that mashes would be easier on his gut as its less work for his body. Would there be any truth to that? (she also thinks I should try & get mashes into him instead as he cant have finger foods now as his body cant handle it & that small cut up pieces would be more suitable. -insert massive rolly eyes- Well I cant force him to be spoon fed!!!! And now I cant wait until I am over there again so I can set him loose on food in front of her >=] )

What a load of rubbish. It don't matter how food goes down, the body digests it so it comes out all the same. I'd be worried if you actually saw whole chunks of undigested food in his stools (apart from carrots and corn, its normal for them to come out whole), but I assume this isn't happening because you didn't mention it.

Adults don't eat mash and they poo OK :dunno:
It's not unusual for BF bubs to only poo once a week. His little body is still getting used to processing solid foods, same as any bub fed any way. There is also a stage when they really become aware of the sensation of doing a poo and often don't like it.

If you want to try an alternative how about trying more high fibre foods that you offer? Pear is a good one. Avoid the binding type foods.

Yeah his food is most definitely being digested properly, his nappies are endless wonders for me much to DP's disgust LOL!

And glad to hear someone else thinks its rubbish lol, its exactly what I told her lol.



edit: Kim, thanks, thats what I thought too, that bubs fed anyway can have problems. And over the last few days we have been avoiding binding type foods & I've got the pear into him. Hopefully it starts helping soon.

I wouldn't think it matters how the solids start!

My DD hasn't had constipation issues but it doesn't sound like it is too bad at this point (could even just be him getting used to the sensation of more solid foods now that he is eating more?) so I wouldn't be keen to be heading down the suppository route yet either. The first thing I would try is upping his breastfeeds if possible (it is considered a bit of a natural laxative) or even offering more water as well as looking at the types of food - avoiding too much of things like white carbs and banana, offering more pear, prunes, kiwi fruit etc.

I agree that it doesn't matter how it goes in it still is processed by the body.

Sounds more like a slight constipation problem, I know with DS I couldn't let him have too much banana for example. Things like weetbix/farax etc.... all have added iron which can also cause binding problems. I would probably suggest more bf feeds to be honest. DS loves rockmelon (also good when they are teething cause it's cold on the gums), grainy bread... anything like that.

I would try and find a better GP too and get a 2nd opinion so your DH doesn't worry so much :D

If he's still breastfeeding lots as well you can try eating pears yourself. I always found that when I ate them my son's poop would soften considerably (I love the tin pears, hehe). You can give him pears as well :)

No, it's not the baby led solids!
Is he having a little water now? Generally once solids are started poo does become plasticine like. and they can have a good old grunt and go red in the face trying to get it out - not necessarily a problem though. Try a few extra breastfeeds, a little extra water or even some diluted prune juice. Lay off the farex and weetbix and ad more fruit (pears are good) see how you go.

It has nothing to do with BLW.

Moving on to solids is a susceptible time for constipation to strike.

The biggest cause will be lack of water - as a rule of thumb, enough water should be included along with the solids so that he's basically still consuming a ratio of solids:water that's kjind of the same as just breastmilk would be, if that makes sense. (ie, if you had added all his solids + all his water intake, it would be a mush)

The next thing would be just too much solids - back off a bit, reduce portions etc and try again in a few weeks.

And finally - what is he eating - is there enough fructose/ fibre etc.

Yep load of crap! DS was constipated once. Turned out it was the banana that was mashed into his porridge that he shovelled in with his hands. What would your mother say about that? :p I wouldn't be going with any suppositories either. Sounds to me like you know what you're doing already. Diluted prune juice helped for DS and we laid off the bananas for a few months until he could handle them better, he's fine now. Cheese also bound him a little but not as much.

Stick to your guns you're doing great! :D

Thanks so much for all your help everyone, I really appreciate it.

He does have water with his meals, but I dont think he is actually drinking enough, more playing with it. I spoke to our MCHN yesterday, and she got to see him crying & struggling with it and said its definitely not normal as he is in serious pain. So she has suggested 20mls of water 20mins or so before each meal, then if that doesnt help, try parachoc (as I've tried coloxyl and it didnt work). I've got a free flowing sippy cup for him, and what he doesnt finish I give to him from a dropper thingy. Hopefully just the water helps & he is able to go properly in the next couple of days. He has been farting a little today although had to really push them out.

I am so glad to know its not the form his food is in, because he is freaking rocking this BLW thing! He amazes me everytime he eats lol

Poor little man I hope he manages to poo soon :crossfingers: Can you think of any one that may have blocked him up? Would be helpful to know so you can avoid it for a while. Hope the water helps.

My DS had a bit of a poop problem and i stopped feeding him farex type things and weetbix and i stuck to the P foods sounds a bit funny but you know pears, prunes ect i found just giving hima whole prune to munch on was the best! i would sujest sdoing it at home LOL

By the way i know where youa re coming from too.. My Ds does BLW and i get the same kinds of comments. But there is no way on earth i could have got a spoon any where near him before. he will el tme feeding hima couple of things now Mainly yoghurt but before it was his hands or nothing!
Good luck with it all!

My 11 month old was suffering with severe constipation for months (absolutely shocking) and we tried absolutely everything the natural way (pears, prune juice, water, no breads/bananas etc just to name a few) and as we didn't want to medicate him I researched a lot into natural alternatives to help constipation (as I didn't want him getting dependent on anything) and what has actually cured his terrible constipation (where he was in SO much pain that it was just too hard for him to go) has been a teaspoon of flaxseed oil a day which is a natural alternative to the parachoc (which btw is for babies 12 months + according to packaging). I am sooooo happy and relieved that I FINALLY found something that helped him so thought I would share this with you :)


Sent from my iPhone more than likely while I should be doing something else!

You sound like you are doing all the right things hun so well done. Your instinct not to rush into suppositories or laxatives is a good one. Unfortunately coloxyl and parachoc will give you some results in the short term, but it doesn't resolve the problem and can easily it worse longer term. It doesn't take much for their body to adjust to having the extra "help" and then it becomes very difficult for them to go without the supplement. I agree with increasing the water as the first step, and also increasing foods like pears. Sometimes you do have to use something else for a little while, but it is better to try without that first.

WE HAVE POO!! Woot!!! Two days in a row now, so exciting! Oh how you know your life has changed when you get so excited you do a little dance over poo. LOL!

The water has helped heaps, this is fantastic. I've changed sippy cups now to a free flowing one so I know he is actually getting something when he uses it. SO very glad we didnt have to use anything else.

Thanks again to everyone for all your help, I really appreciate it :D

WOOHOO! :happydance:

Hun you can buy whole prunes in natural juice at the supermarket, take the seed out and give him one or two plus offer water in between breastfeeds. My dd was the same and this does wonders! I was doing prune juice diluted and a frien suggested giving the whole food rather than just the juice. Oh and yay for poo :)