Question: My baby seems to have a sensitive stomach. He seems to react to foods that even I eat. He is 4 months old and I want to start him on solids soon but I’m not sure which solid foods will make him constipated or irritate his stomach. Any advice?
I think that as parents we spend most of our time with our babies feeding them. I can think of nothing else that takes up as much time as does feeding. Consequently we also spend the most time worrying and wondering about the how, what, when, etc. of starting solid foods. There already have been some great blogs written about starting solid foods. Please check out the links below. In addition however, I will offer the following advice:
Why Now?
There is no magical age to start solids and if your baby seems to have a sensitive stomach this is a very good reason to wait. If your baby is breastfed (which I am assuming he is since he is reacting to things that you eat), breast milk is nutritionally sufficient for the first twelve months of life. While many pediatricians will recommend that you start at around 6 months, nutritionally speaking you don’t have to. (Note: most pediatricians suggest that it is beneficial for baby to get used to different textures but still expect that most of his nutritional needs will be met via the bottle or breast.)
There is a lot of research that suggests that delaying the introduction of some solid foods helps prevent allergies and conversely that allergies can be caused by exposure to the allergen too early. I have yet to see a general consensus so it is best to do your own research and perhaps even speak with a pediatric allergist.
Investigating a Sensitive Tummy
If you have noticed that your baby is fussy after certain things that you eat, before you start on solid foods you should keep an ’elimination journal’. The journal serves two purposes: the first is to eliminate foods from your diet that are causing the upset tummy. The second is to journal your baby’s ’elimination’. To be blunt, watching your baby’s poop can be very telling and if you notice that it changes from day to day that will help a pediatrician diagnose a problem.
I also want to briefly touch on ’silent reflux’ disease. Most moms assume that if baby isn’t spitting up, baby doesn’t have GERD. Spit up is definitely one sign of GERD but chronic fussiness can also be another symptom. I would especially be suspicious of GERD if your baby is fussy after a feeding when you try to lay him down but seems more comfortable while propped up.
Those Pesky Solids
With all of that said, here is a list of foods that commonly cause issues for sensitive tummies:
Carrots
Broccoli
Caffeine (in mom’s milk)
Cow’s milk & dairy foods
Citrus fruits (highly allergenic)
Tomatoes (highly allergenic)
Eggs (highly allergenic)
Peanut Butter (highly allergenic)
Although this isn’t a comprehensive list, hopefully it will give you a good place to start. Please also check out these blogs for more advice on starting solid foods!
Help! My Baby Hates Solid Foods
5 Cultural Myths About Starting Solid Foods