Constipated Breastfed Baby

My 8 month old son started having some trouble with stools at 4 months of age when I started introducing cereal (he is breastfed and will be until at least a year of age, so that I can wean him to milk rather than formula). He went from 1-2 stools per day to 1 every 5 days or so, and he was clearly uncomfortable with that. I started giving him 2 ounces of half-strength prune juice once a day and that straightened him back out to 1 stool every 1-2 days. He seemed to have no discomfort after that! I wouldn't give corn syrup--recent research shows a risk for infant botulism with corn syrup use in infants. At any rate, you might try a little half-strength prune juice every day and see what happens. Breastfed babies can go up to a week between bowel movements (and bowel habits change as babies get older), but if he seems really uncomfortable with that you probably do want to do something to help him out.

I had the same problem with my first daughter. I tried white grape juice and it seemed to work and then also feeding baby food prunes. My second daughter has had the same problem and so far I haven't changed my diet and she has worked it out.

S.

My oldest used to get constipated all the time! We mixed 1tbs. Karo Syrup in about 1 1/2 oz. water in a bottle. It worked every time! Good Luck!

My breastfed baby did the same thing, but my pediatrician said it was normal. My mom told me that most babies seem to have trouble going. My baby is 7 months old now, and has had trouble with constipation when we added solid foods. The pediatrician recommended pear juice, which didn't work well. He said we could try adult strength apple juice, which we haven't tried. Feeding her half a jar of prunes works very well. :) Good luck!

I have had the same issue with my four month old son lately. I called the doctor and the hospital, for a second opinion, and they both said that solely nursed babies cannot get constipated because breast milk is so natural to their bodies (kudos on nursing, btw, it's really tough at times). My doc said that nursed babies can go up to 7 days without having a dirty diaper. In fact just last weekend my son had a huge blow out after not going for 5 days. He was really uncomfortable for a while, but he worked it out on his own. And yes, it was thicker than usual and mustard color. The doc assured me this was quite normal. My dad's a pharmacist and he said you really have to be cautious on what you give babies. What you think might help can cause more harm than good. It can help sometimes to press very gently on their bellies and give them sugar water. That has helped my little boy within hours every time!!
Good luck!
B.

Good lord! Don't feed him corn syrup!!!!! Where on earth did she get that idea? :( He's not constipated unless when he poops it's little hard balls. My son pooped once a week for a month or so right around the same time. As long as it comes out yellow and soft, he's fine. Keep doing what you're doing and he'll be just fine. He'll grunt around but at long as he's not crying when he poops he's fine:) Good for you for exclusively breastfeeding!

I'm not a health professional, so this is just advice from a mom. It seems to me that I once read that Karo syrup can be dangerous for a baby, so I'd say NO on that note. Are you taking vitamins? Is your baby? I believe iron can constipate babies. Do you give him any water? That may help. If he is in distress (collicky), you may want to try BABY suppositories to help him. I wouldn't actually insert it into his rectum, but maybe just hold the tip of it there to stimulate a BM while he's lying on a diaper. Do a search on the internet or ask his pediatrician to be safe. Good luck!

M., You don't want to use corn syrup because you don't know how much sugar your baby will get. Try using some brown sugar with some pumped breast milk or disolve in some warm water. start with half teaspoon once a day and see how your son does with that.
I am a mother of two sons 17 and 19 years old and I breastfed both boys. Hope this will be of help to you!

B. M. (Ohio)

M.,

I have never heard of a baby having a once a week bowel movement. Do you have a naturopath or herbalist that helps you? Most health food stores have people there that can "help" your baby, but get a qualified person for sure. The thick mustard-y poop is actually normal for babies that are breastfed. My baby (when she was one, she's 13, now) used to get an upset tummy, and my naturopath suggested that I make fennel tea for her. I got one of those tea balls and put in a tablespoon of fennel seeds and let it steep in hot water for about 15 -20 minutes. Then I used to give her spoonfuls of it (cooled off, of course), after I breastfed her, and after she started eating solids. Another thing my naturopath (she was my mid-wife, too) told me, is don't give babies solids until their first tooth shows, that it is a sign that the baby's body is ready to digest them. Hope this helps.

E.

This is a link to a couple that have a "ministy" helping families.

http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/index.php?id=1

M., you can try giving him a little prune juice. Also try incorporating more fiber in your diet! Hope this helps!

My son, who is now 24 yr. old, was totally breastfed and had the same problem. I supplemented him with a bottle of dark caro syrup and water. Use a 4oz. bottle and put about 1-2 inches of dark caro syrup in the bottom. Add warm water, stir and give to him. You should see some results in 12 to 24 hours. I gave my son 1-2 bottles of it each day. That helped keep him regular. Once he started on solid food and was no longer breast feeding, I gave him apple juice instead of the caro syrup bottle. That continued to work. He is now a very healthy 24 yr. old and doing very well.
Hope this helps.

I had a friend go through this with her son who was also exclusively breast fed and you are right that it can be completely normal for an individual child. Don't worry. The little guy once went about 10 or more days without a BM. She tried taking a probiotic herself (or maybe it was just simple acidopholis) and I think this helped. I do remember her taking quite a bit of the supplement before it seemed to make a difference, though. (I think she even upped the dosage for herself). You can even give an infant a probiotic....check your local health food store. I have used the Jarrow Formula brand of infant probiotic before and it seems to be very safe. Hang in there.

-just to add to what has been said--no corn syrup but you can give bottle of diluted apple or prune juice- i'd say apple- less gas. probiotics mentioned and on that note i want to remind that anitibiotics deplete the intestinal flora...also to share the info that a abay's immune system is not fully operating until like 12 months!- so you might hold off on vaccinations until then! and they give so many at once!!! and if you knew what was in those--it is really counter-intuitive but that is another subject. tummy rubs can be helpful to stimulate digestive movements also a calm relaxed feeling. i nursed both children and always had lots of poops from them but i may be forgetting a spell...? also maybe the Unflavored Pedialite since it helps with dehydration but maybe it is true about the breastmilk being used ..i'd ask a midwife for suggestions on that one. my M.D. sent me home with a monthor few supply of tylenol with codeine- that can constipate i do believe!! we had no constipation but i am amazed the M.D. said it doesn't come through the milk and later the nurse practitioner said it did-! not too cool in my book! and i would have been better off without the codeine but i took my drugs like the doctor told me- but i did not need them i never should have been given a single one- had the second at home no drugs and did not need any either!

I, too, try to stick to more homeopathic methods. I have found that my daughter's reactions to food are similar to mine, so I simply try to eat what helps me, and that often helps her. So, at the risk of sounding way too open...try pesto. It's the sure-fire winner for me, and thus, her. :) All the best.

I have a five month old - exclusively breastfed. He commonly goes anywhere from 7 - 15 days between BM's. I too was freaked out at first and took him to the doctor. The ped told me it is only constipation if after straining, the baby is able to only push out hard pebbles. He said I could dillute 1 tbs of prune juice in 1 oz water if I wanted, but my little guy was doing just fine. Hope this reassures you!

I have breastfed three kids (still nursing my 17 mo old son) and was faced with this issue with all of them. My pediatrician suggested giving a few ounces of warm water if after two or three days the baby did not eliminate. She told me not to wait too much longer than three days because when the feces sits in the lower bowel your body starts absorbing the water in it which would make it harder to pass. She said this would stimulate the digestive system to get moving, for the most part it was a good remedy and I didn't need to give any chemicals to my babies. I have also used an ounce or two of watered down baby prune juice. Doc told me to steer clear of honey and corn syrup because of the risk of botulism spores sometimes found in those (grandma suggested them). Hope it helps.

You have received some great advice here so far so I only have one little thing to add. You could try taking probiotics. This would simply make sure that his intestinal flora was working at full capacity. It's easy get a small inbalance especially with cold and flu season hanging around. I know that you can get them formulated for infants if you'd like to give it to him directly but you shouldn't have to since you are breastfeeding. I'm sure everything is just fine but this is something simple you can do that certaintly won't hurt him and can only help. :-)

Try Gripe Water used to only be in nature stores but now Little Remedies makes it. I know it is at babies r us... if not drug store. It will resolve any issues related to but not soften the stool, but i imagine that may not be the root of the problem. A 2oz bottle of water with 2 teaspoons of dark karo syrup did the trick for us to soften stool. Honestly, it is what our ped. suggested.

... edit...
saw a lot of negatives about corn syrup. you are basic giving a baby sugar water - with less sugar than most juices. I trust my doctor - he was from internal medicine - and our lactation consultant said it was fine. 3 kids - one frequently - did great with this. you don't have to try it. it isn't crazy. and it will certainly not produce the gas babies get from juice. it is just a suggestion.

unless it is a problem for you, you can add more fiber to your diet and he will get it. Perdiem is a good way to do it, as it is all natural. You can also just eat more fiber in your own food.

That's normal from what I understand. The same thing happened to my son who was also exclusively breastfed. He changed from a liquidy mustard with what looked like seeds in it stool that he passed multiple times a day to a thicker (still mustard colored but more like a peanut butter texture) stool that he passed only once a week or so. I'd say no need to worry. If he's really constipated it will be more like formed balls that are dry and hard. That didn't happen until after he was on solid foods.

I ended up pumping with my daughter who was constipated too. This way we were able to put prune juice in some of the bottles with the milk. She didn't mind it at all and it helped ease her BM! This is what our pediatrition had suggested starting with and it worked.
Good luck.

hi there,

my oldest son was bottle fed but also had constipation problems. my doctor suggested one teaspoon of prune juice with one ounce of water. i also improvised and used apple juice, and increased it to one ounce juice with 2 ounces water. you can do this once a day for young babies. in that you're exclusively breastfeeding, i suggest putting it in a sippy cup and bypass the bottle all together. good luck.

I also breastfeed my son. He only had bowel movements every other or every third day. When I asked his doctor about it he told me that as long as that was a regular thing for him it was ok and as long as the BM was not hard not to use any home remedies such as corn syrup.

i have a 3m/o EBF and she sometimes does the same thing it is VERY normal for BF babies to go a week with no poo and for it to be the kinda thin paste looking stuff i have not givin anything to her for it and she is usually back to the "norm" for BF babies in bout a wek or so i tend to block feed for a day or to to make sure she is getting the "hind milk"
you are doing great dont give up good luck momma
L.

My son does the same thing as did my second child. I would eat a lot of avacados if I were you - and add a lot of olive oil to your diet - that might help him to go more...He isn't constipated - just using up what you are giving him...I personally would NEVER give corn syrup to a baby. Remember his digestive system is really new and trying to figure things out : )
Good luck to you- he really sounds fine - every baby is different - your next one might go 2 x's a day.

Almost any pooping pattern for an exclusively breastfed baby is considered normal. If he is extremely fussy, there may be something he is sensitive to. Dairy is usually the first offender, but if you already gave it up and it's not making a difference, you might try something else. It might not be diet related at all.

Here's one resource you can look at:

http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bbreastfeed/0,,3x36,00...

You are right a breastfed baby can go a week between stools. When he does go it is probably a very large stool!! If he is going on his own I wouldn't worry about it. Babies have to grunt and push a bit...normal. It gives you a chance to get ready for a "blow out" as we call it. I would hate to use corn syrup. Why did you give up dairy?? Was your baby colicky? Since it has been a couple of months you could gradually try it again. His gut is maturing every day!! Enjoy your baby!! They grow fast!! I am a OB nurse and a Lactation Consultant.

I found out my son had an inguinal hernia at 6 months. It took a couple months for it to really surface. He would cry and I couldn't calm him down- I thought he had developed collick, which seemed really odd and he was constipated. Anyway, if you notice any swelling around the groin or scrotum, take him to his pediatrician. The problem is that hernias fall back into place when you lay the baby down, so they can be hard to spot, which is why it took me so long to figure out what my son's problem was. I had 3 doctors look at hime and the first two sent me home, said he'd be fine. Finally I screamed at his pediatrician to see him ASAP, she sent me to a specialist right away and he was in surgery the next day. He had surgery for both sides of his groin and he was a different baby after it. So much happier! I'm certainly not trying to scare you, I was just so frustrated noone ever explained to me what to look for with a baby boy. I'm a single mom and am also a big believer in the holistic approach. Hopefully what you're experiencing is something much less serious. Good luck!

I am certain that your baby needs to be having bowel movements everyday! You should call your pediatrician right away. It could be that your little one is dehydrated, not eating enough, or having some intestinal problem. I would not wait, it could be something serious.

I would venture to guess he is not contipated. It is VERY normal of an exclusively b/f baby to not go for days. I have b/f 4 children and they all have gone 7-8 days before going.
It has to do with the fact that the breastmilk is so taylored to what they need and there is nothing to eliminate.
I would not be worried especially because you said it is the right (mustard-seedy) color and texture(so for being gross).

Sometimes wheat products would give my youngest thicker bms. that took me awhile to figure out. You could try and eliminate that and see if anything changes.

HTH,
K.

When he goes does he have a hard time going? If not he is not contstipated. BF babies sometimes go only once a week. Beforeyou change anything or give him anything call your dr to check an make sure it is right for him. Each baby is going to be different.

I won't even worry about it. He is not constipated just not moving much of anything through his intestines. He is fine. My son is breastfed and is also 4 months old and he does the same thing. You are doing a great thing. Don't worry about his pooping he is working it out. I find my son poops the most in his carseat. I think it's the angel or something. You are good mother and you have a good baby! :) Best wishes.

make sure you have plenty of vegetables in your diet. Broccoli is one of the best. When you breast feed, they get whatever you eat. Breast feeding usually doesn't cause constipation, usually the opposite. Seems like your pediatrician would be very concerned about only pooping once a week. For me as a child and even now sometimes, it is nothing for me to go maybe only every 3 days, but once a week is extreme.
My now 6 yr. old, when I quit breast feeding her at 5 months, got very constipated, and it continued on, and they sent me to a specialist from the local childrens hospital (don't go anywhere else for specialities). They did xrays etc. because there can be nerve damage that is responsible for constipation.
I understand you like to do things at home, but nothing there will tell you if there is a problem (which can be fixed easily) causing the constipation. At least go, let them do tests, and then you will know.
With my daughter, they found nothing, and it was just a matter of time until her body more easily adjusted to the formula, and to this day she doesn't go every day.
Again, I wouldn't go anywhere else other than childrens hospital where there are specialists that deal with kids only.

L.

Are you drinking enough water?

Yeah for breastfeeding! It's really unusual for breastfeed babies to be constipated because breastmilk has great laxative properties to keep the bowels moving. By 4 mo, kids have really established their own pooping schedule and once a week is not unusual, though most kids who go that often do tend to go MORE at one time when they go because they've been storing it up. (Despite some of the other comments, the medical community and breastfeeding sources like La Leche League all say that pooping anywhere from a few times a day to once a week is "normal" depending on the child. Please don't let that panic you.) It sounds like his poops look completely normal for breastfeed babies and that he's probably not actually constipated. Many breastfed babies SEEM to be constipated and struggling to poop, and then the poop is soft and fine (obviously not really causing constipation). What happens is that pooping is a unusual and strong sensation for babies--think of how distracted and amazed they are by all sensations, like hiccuping. Many seem to struggle (grunting, red face, pushing moions--the whole thing), but it's like they are just processing the experience. As long as his poop is soft, I wouldn't worry or give him anything. Anything you'll give him would most likely just upset his system. And, if his poop stays soft, I wouldn't worry about cutting things out of your diet. Keep him on the straight breastmilk and don't worry unless his poop turns hard!

M.:
I breastfed both my babies, with great results. I did observe constipation on my second baby. By then, I had learned my lesson and listened to my mom's advice instead of telling her that she was too old-fashioned. I tried this trick, which my mom had used on me, and my grandmother (born in 1898) had used on her before. You take a little bit of olive oil on a q-tip, and you gently massage the area around the little anus, and go a little bit in to help lubricate this area. It helps your constipated kid go to the bathroom more easily. I asked our pediatrician about this, and he said that it was not too different from using glicerine supositories after all, and he did not think the olive oil would hurt a thing. I kept using it for months until it was no longer necessary. It worked for me, give it a try.
M.

I used Miralx with both of my kids who were breastfed. We only had to use it for a couple of weeks and then it we didn't have to use it anymore.

you could give a little prune juice or apple juice...no more than 2 oz like once a day...that should help. my son was stopped up for 4 days...i ended up having to give him a glycerin spository (however you spell that) and that got things going again. my son is also strictly breastfed.

My son was exclusively breastfed and had trouble with constipation. Our pediatrician suggested Miralax. It is now over-the-counter. The pediatrician feels very comfortable with it and has told me to think of it as a diet modification (like adding more fruits). She says it is not addictive. I have been giving him 1 tsp/day (mixed with 1oz apple juice and 1oz water) since he was about 3-4 months old (he is now 10 months). It has worked wonders.

Hi M., i have read the responses you got and they are really goog, the only thing I wanted to add is this: Please do not feed him Corn Syrup..Corn asuryp is bad already for adults and even worse for little ones. you are doing just fine, i have breastfed my 2 kids exclusively and they went onlu about once a week and it's not constipation, it's normal. Like one of the mothers said below, they are no much waste out of a breastmilk diet so they don't need to go that often and you got the right color so i would say you shouldn't worry about anything. You are doing just fine. Congratulatons on breatfeeding your baby.

Dear M.,

congrats for breastfeeding, that is so very important! I exclusively breastfed my two also for six months before solids and I'm glad I did!

My godchild (1 1/2) did exactly the same thing as your baby sometime in between 3 and 6 months (his mom and I are both exhausted most of the time and we can't place the times exactly). I would not give corn syrup - you're doing so well at keeping him off possible allergens and sweets, why ruin it? Ask the pediatrician what her experience is with this sort of thing, ours thought something along the lines of that babies don't go out for a stroll to "get things moving" yet, and that there wasn't much pressure from the waste that is there. You could also check that the baby is still thriving (checking height and weight curves, etc.) Also, please ask La Leche League if there is a group around, lots of moms breastfeed for the first six months exclusively, maybe somebody has had this experience.

good luck!

best regards,
K.

My Daughter had similar issues and Gerber Pear Juice worked well. Just an ounce or two daily did the trick for us.

I used all things and these worked, but the ultimate change occurred when I started babies magic tea for my constipated baby. It is safe and healthy.

Actually, if the stool isn't hard, it isn't really constipation. The term really refers to the consistency not the amount of time. If the stool seems to get more firm, I gave my son 1/2 oz prune juice in a 4 oz bottle, which worked in about 24 hours for him. Good luck

That is very normal. I breastfed all 3 of my children, and they all went abot once a week. The mustard yellow color is the correct color. Don't worry about that... If he seems to have a little bit of a tummy ache, acting constipated, give him some Mylecon drops. That will help with the gassy tummy and sometimes relieves the constipation.

Good luck.

With an exclusively breastfed baby they can go a very long time between BMs. My son went 9 days once and regularly only went every 5-6. (The record with the nurses at our birthing center was 13 days for one of their own kids.) This especially happens when they are going through a growth spurt and using up every little bit of what you give them. I have seen that same thick poop and I think it is just when they go less often due to using up all the nutrients in your milk sometimes it is thicker. You could try rubbing his lower back or moving his legs like a frog jumping when it seems like he is ready to go. Sometimes this helps them get it out.

Once a week doesn't seem normal to me. Call your doctor.

Try some diluted prune juice in a bottle. I did it all the time with my bf son and it produced more regular results.

Good luck!

M.,
I am a SAHM of two, a 2 1/2 year old and a 5 month old. When I nursed my son and he would get constipated I would "treat" myself to a Starbucks Carmel Apple cider drink. It was just enough to help get him back on track and of course I love the drink. But if Starbucks isn't something you can do, I would recommend just some apple juice and see if that does the trick. Also, keep in mind the "B.R.A.T." diet that leads to constipation (or helps with diaherra) bananas, rice, applesauce and toast - so if you are eatting these they might be causing him to get constipated. Good luck!!

I've heard that if you rub rosemary oil on their tummies that will make them poop. I would make sure that your son is old enough for this. Just take a teaspoon of olive oil and mix one or two drops of the essential oil into it. Rub onto the abdomen but make sure you always massage from your left to right (that's from your baby's right to left). This follows the direction of flow in the digestive system, so that you are working with the baby's organs - not against them.

I've never done this since my babies had way too much poop but I would love to know if it helps. Good Luck.

When you say 'thick' do you mean like a peanut butter consistency? That's totally normal. Also, it is completely normal for a baby taking breastmilk to go several days without a bowel movement then give you a nice explosion in the diaper that is pasty.

Just keep an eye on it and if you are concerned contact your pediatrician. You really only need to be concerned if the bowel movements start to become hard, pebble-like, and dry.

First of all I would give him nothing such a corn syrup, karo syrup, prune juice or water.....The AAP reccomends nothing but breastmilk until 6 months of age at 4 months old your sons digestive system is not ready for anything other then breastmilk.That being said my breastfeed daughter would go up to 14 days with out pooping and was just fine.It is not in any way constipation until they are pooping hard balls of poop. The first time this happened I took her to the doctor because it scared me and they told me that the most amazing thing about breastmilk is that all of it goes to some part of the body and there is very little waste which means very little poop. Think about it all your milk is proividing the very best nurishment for your baby and it is ALL being put to use somewhere inside of him. I think its amazing what our bodies can do for our little ones.

He might seem like he is straining when he poops but unless he is screaming its normal to grunt and squirm. My little ones eyes and face get all red when she is pooping but its totally ok for them to do that. Dont change anything and enjoy that fact that you dont have to change poopy diapers all the time...it will soon change when they start solids. :)

Hi! My baby is a 3 month old premie (only 5 pounds now!). I had the same issues and still do! My pediatrician recommended dark karo syrup ( 1 1/2 tsp. in 2 bottles daily). One of the NICU nurses also told me I could put vasaline on my baby's rear end around the hole to stimulate it. The karo syrup seemed to work for a couple of days, but then my baby became fussy again. Now she is taking lactalose (stool softener that is non-habit forming) 2 times a day. A seedy-mustardy color is normal! Don't worry about it :) If your baby seems to be uncomfortable and constantly crying, I would call your ped!

I can understand your concern-- but you are absolutely right that it is normal for breastfed babies to poop only once a week. A constipated poop is dry, compacted, round, hard bits, that are painful to pass. Doesn't sound like what you are seeing in the diaper! He is awfully young to be giving anything to besides breastmilk-- on the basis of what you have said, he sounds really normal.
G. C.
mom of 13 year old son