He's on rice cereal. The ped doesn't want me to start solids at all for another month, but she caved for the cereal as he's doubled his birthweight and was downing well over a liter of milk a day.

How old is he now, Raq? What I'd suggest sort of depends on that.

Raq, my friend had the same problem with her son (he was allergic to milk, though and could only drink soy). Her ped told her to put a little prune juice in his formula. It was before he started solids, too.

He's 5 months old (and hollering at the moment). The increased amounts of plain water and the water with lemon seem to be helping some but it's still a problem.

I haven't seen prune juice here - I think I'll throw some grapes in the blender and strain them and see what happens with that.

Good luck, Raq.

I was googling for plums/prunes in Greece. They're a specialty on the island of Skopelos. But I had to stop because the pictures are so gorgeous, I want to go there. *sigh* Crystal blue waters, blindingly white villas. DH wants to go back as soon as we get the chance.

Poor Mal! I have no idvice, Raq, but good luck.

I have a very busy day today: 10am appointment with DTA, 1pm appointment with therapist, 2:30pm coffee with friend, 7pm knitting/crochet group. What happened to getting a couple weeks of break before school started? ;)

What happened to getting a couple weeks of break before school started? ;)

the last two things sound like fun, at least!

the last two things sound like fun, at least!

That's true. I guess I'm getting an opportunity to do these things before school starts, so that's good. It's just, my list of things I wanted to get done is barely getting touched!

I am looking forward to the knitting/crochet group, though. It's with some women at the new church I started going to. So, hopefully it'll be a nice way to get to know people and hang out. It's gonna be every Wednesday, and we're making an afghan that we'll auction off for some children's charity. It's pretty cool.

He's 5 months old (and hollering at the moment).

Okay, our pediatrician had us start solids (slowly) at four months. With the standard disclaimer that you should discuss everything with your own pediatrician, because every baby's different yada yada....

Strained pears help move things along, and of course strained prunes, but pears are a little more gentle. The prunes are the strongest, but they can also cause cramping, in the process. In fact, if Mal were my baby, I know I'd get prepared baby food pears and feed him those.

It seems to me you weren't using the prepared baby food you can find in Greece, because of the added sugar. I agree with that approach in general. Since/when Mal is constipated though, if that is your only concern about it, it might not be the worst thing, if not as a regular food for him, then as a therapeutic kind of food, when he has this problem. In addition to the fiber in the fruits, the sugar itself also helps them move it along. A lot of toddlers used to get what they call toddler diarrhea, because they'd drink too much apple juice, and the sugars loosened them up too well. *

The strained fruit is, to my mind, the best way to approach it. If you do give him juice, even juice you make yourself, water it way the heck down. Another thing... You might try baby food oatmeal in place of the rice cereal. When I started each of my babies on oatmeal, it was...cathartic. Any new food you start should be the only new food you give him for a while, to make sure he doesn't have an intolerance (and if he exibits one, adding slowly helps you identify the culprit food). You'd have to grind it or something, if you can't find a prepared version you like though, because I think straight oatmeal like we'd eat wouldn't work well for a baby.

I would think the olive oil your pediatrician suggested you add to his water would probably have the same effect mineral oil has, which is given to older kids as a cathartic. Don't give the oil to him straight, as he can aspirate it, and this can cause a kind of pneumonia. I can't figure out the lemon juice part of it, unless it's either to disguise the flavor of the olive oil or help it mix in with the water, but there you go.

Are you warming up his formula and drinking water? That might help as well.

Tell me of this thing you humans call -- love.

I am right, aren't I, in recalling that the episode of Star Trek: tos which featured this line ALSO had the line "tell me more of this earth thing you call...spanking." Because I do remember laughing and laughing and laughing. And I rather think that Spock may have been involved, but that could be me being on crack.

Um. I feel I should say hello to Mr or Ms BasketSelling person, whose query wrt improving the gothic baskets is courteous and not unreasonable, and yet I'm slightly weirded out by the abruptness of her (?) arrival. Hi though. I dare say Jilli will be along in the fullness of time.

Timelies, all! After yesterday's fun "nothing's decide and here's what'll happen" meeting, I had a chat with the head honcho. Basically he said that if anyone had a decent job offer he'd encourage them to take it. (But remember, nothing's been decided.)

That, on top of the whole family health drama, has pushed me into a mass of giggling what-the-fuck-everness.

On the upside, I can freely, and in fact frantically, job hunt in any non-work occupied moments of time throughout the day.

Anyone need an environmental health publisher? Or a teacher? Anyone? Bueller?