Food diversification and digestion problems : what can you do to relieve your baby ?
Seeing your baby enter the big league with the discovery of food and its yet unknown tastes is a great adventure! Especially when food diversification often comes with some minor digestive disorders. Rest assured, they are generally harmless and can be easily resolved by adopting some good habits.
- Food diversification: what to do to prevent digestive disorders
- Food diversification: our advice for relieving constipation in your baby?
- Need an anti-constipation recipe idea for baby? (from 6 months)
- Diarrhoea or vomiting during food diversification: how to relieve your baby?
Food diversification: what to do to prevent digestive disorders
On average, the WHO (World Health Organisation) recommends starting food diversification from 6 months. With the go-ahead from your paediatrician and if your baby seems ready, it can be gradually put in place from 4 months.
Like for all major stages in a baby’s life (the first steps, the first teeth, the first words etc.) food diversification is a private affair. It is essential to not compare one baby’s habits to another and to go at your own pace.
There are however some recommendations to follow when beginning food diversification to prevent the risk of digestive disorders and reduce them as far as possible:
● Meals must be taken at a set time as often as possible, for your baby’s digestive system to get used to a certain routine. Eating at the same time daily makes digestion easier. Obviously, if there are exceptions from time to time or you eat 20 minutes earlier or later than the day before, it doesn’t matter.
● Meals taken in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere, in soft lighting and without too much surrounding noise enable your baby to enjoy a stress-free meal and to eat in peace. Result, their digestion will be optimal!
● Whether when taking the bottle or eating a regular meal, it is essential to let your baby take their time. If you see they are eating fast, make sure they take a break to ensure the digestive system is not overloaded.
● After the meal, ensure your baby does not lie down straight away. It is better they stay sitting for around 10 or 15 minutes, the time it takes the digestion process to take place properly.
Generally speaking, when starting out with food diversification, it is recommended only getting your baby to taste one food at a time. Why? First of all so they can identify each new taste and memorise it. They will be able to tell what they like and what they don’t like. From a digestive viewpoint thereafter, you will be able to see if they digest that food well or not.
If you notice any digestive disorders, different solutions can be put in place to relieve your baby.
Food diversification: our advice for relieving constipation in your baby?
If, during food diversification, you notice your baby is constipated, here are a few tips to relieve them and restore their transit:
Prefer specific foods
High fibre foods increase intestinal transit
– Cereals: wheat, bulghur…
– Green vegetables: spinach, green beans, courgettes…
– Fruits: apples, pears, prune, grapes, kiwis, raspberries…
Foods to avoid
Conversely, certain foods can slow transit:
– Vegetables: cooked carrots, peas,
– Fruits: quince, bananas
– Carbohydrates: pasta, white rice
Keeping baby hydrated
Make sure your baby stays hydrated by drinking regularly. If they are constipated, special types of water are recommended (for the most suitable water for your baby, ask your doctor for advice.)
Physical exercise
See that your baby does a little exercise (3 or 4 times a day for greater effectiveness)
- The frog exercise
– Lay them on their back
– Lift their legs slightly
– Unfold them
– Repeat for a few minutes
- The bicycle exercise
– Lay your baby on their back
– Move their legs as if they were pedalling
Massaging baby
Massage your baby’s tummy gently. The “LoVe” massage (result of a partnership between Laboratoires Laudavie and Doctor Kamel Bargaoui) is a preventive massage which our paediatric gastroenterologist recommends you do outside episodes, it will help reduce the number of episodes.
Need an anti-constipation recipe idea for baby? (from 6 months)
Apple / pear / oat sweet
INGREDIENTS
– 3 segments of ripe pear
– ½ an apple
– 3 soup spoons of oats
– 1 pinch of cinnamon (optional)
– 3 drops of vanilla essence (optional)
PREPARATION
– Wash, peel and cut the fruit
– Steam cook it for 10 min and add the oats to the bottom of the steamer just before they start cooking. (If the oats can get through the wholes, place it on top of the fruit) If you don’t have a steamer? You can cook them in a saucepan in a little water.
– Mix with a little cooking water or low mineral water
– If you like, add a dash of cinnamon or vanilla
– Leave to cool a little before serving
Diarrhoea or vomiting during food diversification: how to relieve your baby?
If you notice that your baby has diarrhoea or vomiting during food diversification, you should adjust their diet. Unlike with constipation:
Prefer solid, well-cooked foods which slow transit:
– Well-cooked vegetables: carrots
– Ripe fruit: bananas, quince
– Carbohydrates: pasta, semolina, white rice, potatoes,
– Proteins: fish, poultry
If baby has diarrhoea or vomiting, avoid the following foods:
– Cereals: wheat, bulghur…
– Green vegetables: spinach, green beans, courgettes…
– Fruit: apples, pears, prunes, grapes, kiwis, raspberries…
– Pulses: lentils, split peas, chick peas…
– Dairy products: yoghurts, fromage frais…
– Drinks: fruit juice
Keeping baby hydrated
Like with constipation, it is essential your baby stays hydrated on a regular basis.
Need some tips for keeping baby hydrated while providing them with the right foods to fight diarrhoea?
– When you cook rice, keep the cooking water to give it to your baby and alternate with their usual mineral water.
In addition to the advice given above and that from your paediatrician, there are special food supplements to help your baby digest properly and ensure they have smooth transit.
For example, you can try Organic Calmosine Digestion, a natural solution formulated to relieve babies in case of digestive discomfort.
The active ingredients in this solution are organic, which means they were grown and harvested by farmers committed to an environmental quality and protection programme:
Fennel
A plant from the Apiaceae family used for centuries before meals to ensure quiet and comfortable digestion. It improves digestive comfort.
Lime
A plant from the Tiliaceae family traditionally consumed in a herbal tea for its calming and soothing properties, especially on digestion.
Orange flower
A plant from the Rutaceae family, much liked by all for its delicate and mild flavour.
In addition to Organic Calmosine Digestion, you can also give your baby the solution Calmosine microbiotic CLQ! A targeted formula which helps protect flora balance in infants and children.
On the one hand you have the multiple effects from Organic Calmosine Digestion on the digestive sphere and on the other hand the effect from Calmosine [microbiotic] CLQ on the microbiota.
Calmosine helps you relieve your baby’s digestive disorders during food diversification
Generally speaking, whatever your baby’s digestive disorder, we highly recommend you see your paediatrician, who is the best placed to advise you and point you towards specific treatments.
We are committed to ensuring that the plants used in our products are grown and harvested by farmers committed to quality and respect for the environment.
