When babies start solids

When you start your baby on solids you may see a change in both the frequency and appearance of stools. Often a particular food is incorrectly identified as the cause of constipation at this stage.

It may help to take the following steps:

• When first introducing solids, offer the food after the milk feed
• Start by offering solids after the milk feed. This helps ensure that baby receives enough fluid first.
• Introduce solids gradually over time, giving only small quantities initially (1-2 teaspoons).
• Include fruit and vegetable purées. Try adding fruit purée to your baby's usual cereal.
• Make sure that baby is receiving adequate fluid.
• If baby is still constipated, try offering diluted fruit juice such as apple juice (15ml or 1 tablespoon juice to 50ml water) between milk feeds. However, avoid giving sweet drinks on a regular basis as they may damage baby's developing teeth and may encourage a preference for sweet drinks.