Hi @healthyliving99 – sorry to hear that your baby is struggling with constipation. Avoiding dairy and bananas is a great start.
There are a few other things to consider:
1. Please consult with a pediatric chiropractor for a gentle adjustment. Sometimes there can be nerve interference in the lower spine that can affect digestion. Make sure there is no physical misalignment. I highly recommend Dr. Benjamin Tinker at Heal Hub Rehabilitation Center in Dubai. He’s excellent. 04-546-6152
2. Consider a manual “I-L-U” massage after bath time to help with peristalsis (moving things along). You start on the right side of their belly by the right hip bone, and move upwards towards the ribs 5 times (making the letter I). Then you make an upside down “L” by going upward and across the top part of the colon towards the left 5 times. Then finally you complete the “U” by going up, across, and back down on the left side towards the left hip another 5 times. This helps with peristalsis to move things along. Bicycling their legs can also help.
3. Dietary changes. The solids you’re feeding baby are great, but most are high in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber such as chia seeds for example “slow” things down. Instead, choose insoluble forms of fiber to help baby “go”. Remember this saying: “Soluble = Slow and Insoluble = Go”.
->Rice bran, cooked lentils, avocado, cooked prunes/prune juice, green peas are some forms of fiber higher in the insoluble form that may help. You can consider adding more of these into his diet.
4. Probiotics. BioGaia is great and has a proven strain for relieving constipation. If you’re already giving the recommended dose of 5 drops, then consider adding in food-based probiotics such as small amounts (1 tsp every other day to start) of coconut kefir and sauerkraut juice for example. Tabchilli sell quality fermented foods if you don’t make them.
5. Increase magnesium. For an infant, you can add some Epsom salt in their bath water (1 Tbsp of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) to baby’s bath tub). Soak 10–15 minutes, 3-4 x/week.
You can also consider homeopathic version of magnesium like Dr. Schussler’s Magnesium Phosphoricum which melts in water and is tasteless. This is available from Life Pharmacies in Dubai.
Hope these tips help move things along – please keep us posted!