Help with Constipated Baby! - Sunnyvale,CA

I didn't read through the rest of the responses, but here's what was recommended by my midwives/pediatrician and what worked for us:

NO rice cereal! My little guy did MUCH better with oatmeal.
Any food that starts with a "P" (prunes, peaches, pears, papiya, etc).

I can't testify to the formula because he was breastfed, but once we did the 2 things above, he was never constipated again :)

Rice cereal is optional, and so is formula. If that combination is slowing his digestion, you could switch to mashed veggies or applesauce. I didn't give my baby any rice cereal at all. It's just another product, not a necessity.

The pharmacies carry stool softeners for babies, because a constapated baby is a very upset baby, if you mix the prunes with water it dilutes the strengh of the prunes and it will be less acididy for the babies stomach, apple juice also helps constipation, mixing the formula with the cereal I think it's ok especially if you want him to sleep a little longer at night..

My son was constipated from the moment we put him on solids until the time he turned four. He is now 5.5. We have been through everything so here is what I can tell you.

Iron causes contsipation. You do not need to mix cerel with formula. The formula is enough. Try a formula that has no extra added iron. We used Carnation Good Start with DHA & ARA for my 2nd son. If you are still nursing. You need to change your diet anything that causes cionstipation or gas that you are eating will give your baby constipation.

Some of the things that I remember that cause contsiaption/gas are: banannas, rice,(rice cereal), apple juice, broccoli, and more so check online at the foods you are feeding him.

When feeding solids give him prunes, prune juice, lots of non-constipating veggie's, like carrots, and peas. For rice cereal suppliment with wheat cereal.

A baby can go up to 7 days without a bowel movement before a doctor will consider them constipated. Very frustating...

Try a warm bath, rubbing his tummy in circle motions and moving his legs/hips in circle motion up toward his head and then circle. This helped with our son to release gas and sometimes if we were lucky he would have a bowel movement.

Good Luck!

A.,
Sounds like he may need some pedia lite.....

Try mixing 2 ounces of water with 2 ounces of apple juice or prune juice and giving it to him in his bottle, I would try about every 2 hours for a total of 6 and see if that gets things moving.
Also try massaging his belly and lifting his legs up over his head like you would for gas.....that helps my little one get things moving. Stay away from bananas as they bind.

good luck
K.

A.,

Give your baby a little pear juice 1:1 ratio. It will help with the constipation. Good luck and also if your baby likes it, give him an infant massage. That can really help get things moving...

Take care,

Molly

Formula has iron in it already I believe so make sure you're not doubling up.
I used a small ear syringe on my son the one time he was constipated and just filled it with warm water in the bath. I lubricated the tip and slowly slid it in his bottom and expressed the water. Sure enough out it came! We get constipated when the fecal matter becomes to dry due to dehydration. Keep that in mind.

persistent constipation can be caused by a thiamine (b1) deficiency also. cooked black beans have a good amount of thiamine in them.

My sister uses cocnut oil for her constipation caused by her meds. raw virgin Coconut oil is good for babies (they put it in most formulas!)

CHIA seed - you can mix 2 t with a glass of water to form a tasteless gel. chia seed has more fiber than bran, more calcium than milk,is the richest vegan source of omega 3,
,no gluten, easily didgestible protien, and oils that help absorb vitamins. You can put it (directly as seed or in gle form) in yogurt, cottage cheese, smoothies, oatmeal, etc

My 10 month old son has this problem a lot because he is on a thicker formula for babies who spit up. My doctor told me to give him applejuice, regular not gerber baby juice, and not to dilute it with water. The sugar from the juice will help things to soften and move better. She also said to make sure he is drinking a lot of water through out the day. One more thing I found to be helpful from the healthfood store is "aloe vera water" I just add 1 tablespoon to his juice every day and he can't even taste it, it is also very beneficial for the immune system!

PETER GILLHAM'S Calm Baby NATURAL VITALITY
http://www.hbees.com/pk351003.html

Good for sleep and good for constipation!!! Both Vitamin C and Magnesium citrate are great aids for constipation!!! Try it... it worked for us...PETER GILLHAM'S has one type for every age!!!

I also recommend massage your child... pretend the belly button is the center of a clock and just with mild pressure rub some olive oil on the tummy clockwise as if the tummy was the clock!!! and always below ribs...No pressure on the ribs!!! And careful bouncing motion on your lap will help with the motility of the intestines!!! If you already give fruit to the baby, try Kiwi!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIRaOjf5Nco

You can also add a 1/2 teaspoon of Epsom salt in his bathing water....be careful he does not drink the water or you may have diarrhea on your hands!!!It don't hurt the baby but you don't want to cause diarrhea... We just want him to absorb it through the skin!!!

Probiotics and Enzymes are also key in their digestion...
And stay away from IRON... it makes it worse!!!Look for an organic formula that has NO IRON!!!
Love, G.. :0)
http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/

"I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin." ~ Jerry Newport

They make tiny glycerin suppositories for babies. I used them with my son. He had the same problem when he started eating baby cereal/real food. If I didn't have any suppositories I would drink a bit of tea with caffeine and nurse him. Good luck with your poor little guy!

We had the same problem when we added solids. The doctor told us that rice is the most constipating to babies, so we took it out entirely and fed oatmeal and barley. They still make the iron fortified in those grains, so your baby will be getting the needed iron. I was able to mix it with water, breastmilk, or formula. And when I knew she was getting backed up, I'd mix it with pure prune juice. I did not ever do the sugar water. Doc told me to try a little prune juice diluted in the bottle, or pear. They have a very high natural sugar content. The sugar helps the stool absorb more water and be easier to pass. We did have to use the pediatric suppositories often. I was told to try to just take a rectal temp, but that wasn't enough for us. We had to use the suppositories, and sometimes a couple rounds to fully clear her out.
Good luck. Food is fun, but can be tricky to figure out the right balance for your little one. :)

Hello A.,
I'm so sorry your son is constipated. My daughter came home from the hospital constipated and just recently (at almost 18 months) got over it. She pooped every other day and the day she pooped she spent most of it fussing until she did poop and it was hard as a rock and heart wrenching to watch. They say it's not how frequently they go, but how hard the poop is. I do/did a tummy massage every time I changed her diaper and bicycle legs often. If he's not crawling yet, try tummy time it helps push it out a little and develop those muscles. I would try prunes asap, as well as squash and most veggies. Bananas will back him up and I think pears too. Try using oatmeal rather then the rice cereal (less iron I guess). My sister-in-law use to manually express the milk into the cereal, so you don't have to pump. You could also use a little water, or baby food. Try to get him to drink some water as well. Our pedi recommended 2/3 water to 1/3 of the Gerber apple/prune juice, it got so bad for us that we ended up using straight prune juice and water.
Best of luck and I hope the problem is short lived for your little guy!
C.

we got to the point with our daughter where it was 50% prune juice, 50% formula just to keep things moving. GOOD LUCK!!!

Once she was off the bottle, we had to start using miralax (as a perscription from her ped. She was getting a condition called "mega colon". Even as a 6 year old constantly eating tangerines I still have to keep a close eye on the issue!)

Hi A.,
I agree with Lacie's method 100%. A coworker of my mother's told me about it as she had the same problem with her daughter years ago. Its like magic. Now that i have my second son he too is backed up and the dr told me to use karo syrup in the feedings. it works just as well and prune juice. I like the glycerin as it works faster and gives them relief instantly. My dr told me with my first son most formula fed babies are constipated becuase of the iron in formula now.

Good luck this time goes by in the blink of a eye.

SAHM/Zombie 39 with a super funny 3yr son and a 6month old son who doens't like to sleep much but is full of smiles. No more babies for me so Im trying hard to enjoy the hard nights with no sleep with him.

Hi A.,
My tried and true advice-instead of the prunes, get some Flax seed oil (most grocery stores will have it in the Health Foods section)and mix a bit into his food every day. I did just a 1/2 tsp in their food and they didn't have any problems. It's very healthy for them and much easier on the system than prunes and juices.

Also, ripe avocadoes are fine to feed a baby that age and they have a ton of great brain-growing fats in them which also helps with the poops.

But I really recommend making REAL baby food cereals as it's made from whole grains (and you can get it organic) and not processed so it's much better for them. Get the book Super Baby Food, it was my basic baby food bible when my kids were small. It takes VERY little time to make the cereals, once a month for about 15minutes to grind the grains in your blender, it stores dry in the fridge, then you made a batch about every other day and it takes 10mins of cooking time. It's less than 1/2 the price and the health benefits are priceless.

Do this an your guy will have NO problems with pooing again!

Hi A.,

One of my girls had issues with constipation when she was an infant as well. Her doctor recommended giving her small amount of apple juice, diluted with water to help her loosen up a bit. If I remember correctly it was an ounce of juice and an ounce of water, and I think twice a day. The doctor also recommended having her do bicycle movements wither her legs when laying on her back. Obviously I had to help her with this since she was only a few months old.
Just a few suggestions you could try.

Hi A., Have you tried adding fiber to his diet? The fiber is good for him and his digestive system. There is another alternative is to ask his pediatrician to get the glycerin suppository to put into his rectum. I've used it for my daughter when she was a baby. It works like a charm. I wouldn't mix rice and oatmeal cereal together. It may constipate him. The formula and breastmilk doesn't make him constipated. It is the food that you are giving him. So either you give him the formula or breastmilk shouldn't matter. I don't know what foods you are giving him and I know that starch can do some constipation. I stayed away from sweet potatoes baby foods. That is the recipe for babies who has diarrhea is to give them starch. It helps to stop the diarrhea. I did that when my son was a baby and he had it really bad, we gave him starch juice made from the rice. Oh by the way rice cereal will do the constipation. Make sure to give him more of grain foods like oatmeal, soft multi grain bread which it won't hurt him. At least try it and also give him more of water too also. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Hi A.,

Is your baby getting any water? I am a wellness consultant and hear this quite often along with sleep challenges. If you balance the body with all it's needs the body does what it is suppose to do. If there are deficiencies there will be challenges.

I recommend living water and enzymes for him and you will see a difference.

If you want more information email me and I will educate you how to help your son stay healthy.

Have a Happy and Healthy New Year.

N. Marie

The iron is very constipating. Yes he needs iron but probably gets it other ways. TAKE A PIECE OF PEPPERMINT AND SWIRIL IT IN SOMW WARM WATER THEN LET HIM DRINK IT WHEN HE IS FUSSING AND ARCHING HIS BACK. IT WILL HELP TAKE AWAY THE TUMMY PAINS. YOU CAN USE THE GLYCERINE SUPPOSITORIES AND GIVE HIM SOME PRUNES.

My pediatrician always recommends mixing the baby rice cereal or oatmeal with some formula or breast milk AND some pureed pears. Slightly sweet but also helps with constipation. She advises this now after all the on call nurses complained that they received so many calls about constipated babies.

The formula could certainly be the problem. Most formulas are either dairy (cow milk) or soy based, and babies can be allergic to / have trouble digesting both. If you are still b/f, I'd go back to using breastmilk and watch what happens. I don't enjoy the pump, either, but have found ways to make it more tolerable. You might try larger-sized flanges / funnels.

You could also try backing off solids a bit. His system may not be ready. Maybe try some pureed fruit instead of the cereal.

(Oh, and I'm not sure where you were referring to getting iron from, but iron in supplement form can actually cause constipation.)

Hi A.,
Glad your baby is feeling better - but I know you want to prevent this being an ongoing problem. I'd definitely leave off the rice cereal permanently and the same with formula - allow your baby to nurse as often as he wants and that will go a long way toward balancing his digestive system and nutritional needs. Since you're blessed to be a SAHM (I am too) pumping isn't as crucial as if you had to work outside your home, IMO. I don't want to start a debate, but I'm not a fan of formula at all - we had to supplement for a short time when my daughter was a baby and it was wonderful when we phased that out entirely - it's really not good food for babies though the companies want us to think otherwise. It will keep them from starving and cause them to gain weight, sure...it's better than nothing. I can relate to the hassle of pumping - I did do a LOT of pumping during that early time when my baby was having nursing difficulties, and believe me nursing is 1,000 percent easier and better (I'm sure you have found that too). :)

Something to keep in mind is that solids during the 1st year are optional for nutrition as long as you are nursing - solids are more for practice than anything else. Constipation may be a signal that your baby's system is being overwhelmed and you might want to give solids a rest for a bit before you try again. Veggies and fruit are the optimal first foods too (of course I mean the safe ones - some foods are not good until a child is older with a more mature system). Our first food was mashed yams/sweet potatoes, then on to things like carrots, squash, broccoli, peaches, pears, etc. If you choose to give applesauce be aware that it is usually binding (think of the BRAT diet for diarrhea - bananas, rice, applesauce, toast - all those are generally very constipating!). When we did give applesauce, we mixed it half and half with prunes and our daughter loved it (she loved the straight prunes too but that was way too potent!). Avoid bananas like the plague since your son has had constipation problems!

One thing to think about on the juice - I strongly disagree with the idea of straight juice especially for such a young baby - the sugar levels are comparable to a sugared soda, for one thing, so it encourages the development of an exaggerated "sweet tooth" as well as contributing to early tooth decay. When our pediatrician had recommended juice for infant constipation, she suggested offering 4 oz of water or so with a tablespoon of juice or so (white grape juice is the best for a baby's system). The water is the most important component to help hydrate the system, and the sugar needed to cause digestive peristalsis is minimal.

I really hope this helps in some way - it's soooo sad and frustrating to see our babies in pain and know they are uncomfortable with their digestion. Best of luck with balancing out his little system!

Blessings,

S.

My baby boy has struggled with bowel probs since, seems like the beginning almost. He only had breastmilk until he started solids.Then he had baby cereal with prunes and pears and anything non binding. His stools were still a struggle. He has had baby suppositories which I recommend if he hasn't had a movement in 2 days! He should be going every day. Walmart has these childrens suppositories that are liquid(glycerin), those work the best. What I found that sofened his stools finally was Stonyfield Farms Vanilla yogurt. It comes in a big tub. Good luck, I know how terrible this is and I pray that it is easily resolved and he grows out of it.
T.

A.,
keep your baby on breast milk and he won't get constipated. Also, don't introduce grains first. Try yams or mashed avocado. There is no need to switch to formula. Your little boy's tummy is used to the ease of breast milk. Switching him over is a big adjustment on his system. It is harder to digest the cow's milk proteins. The longer you give him breast milk, the longer he is protected by your anti bodies. (A good thing during cold and flu season). Pumping is hard - but this time will pass and your baby will be healthier and you will avoid constipation. Good Luck.

I have mixed my sons cereal with water since introduction. He is a breastfed baby and my sister suggested that I do water so that he could still have it even if there was no pumped milk to make it. I tried and he likes it just the same. I used breast milk at times too. Perhaps take out the formula and also stick to just rice cereal a little longer. I think the oatmeal cereal might be a little more difficult to digest. Also, applesauce (fresh pureed) seemed to help keep my guy regular. I sometimes mix it with his cereal...very little.

good luck!!!!

My son had this same problem, you can use suppositories to help him immediately. I also started giving my son juice instead of water in his sippy cup by the recommendation of my doctor. He is allowed 4oz of juice per day. If you give adult juice dilute it by half, for example, use 2oz juice and 2oz water; you can also buy baby specific juice. He gets juice once per day and is now very regular, I have not had to give him anymore suppositories. Also, I am not sure why you are still giving him rice cereal, my doctor said that it was not necessary after 7months. I hope this helps.
Jenn

Same thing happened with with our daughter who was about 9 months at the time, and we were switching over from breastmilk. Our pediatrician recommended just trying to get her to drink more plain water, which helped out, and she never had the problem again.

my daughter is the same way. I dont have a choice in the forumla feeding dept. cause she is not breast feeding and the doctor told me that iron is good for them but it is what is making them constipated. You can always take his diaper off and spread is legs for him and give him a little extra help. Also keep feeding him the prunes. Good luck and mine daughter evetually got it all out and felt better hope he does to.
H.

Hopefully, you have gotten some really good advice so far. I have not seen the other responses, but wonder if you might consider trying either strained peas, creamed corn, or prune juice in a bottle. Just a few things that have worked with my two little ones. Much luck to all of you and Happy New Year!

My son had the same problem, actually even from newborn. You have to be careful with stool softeners and anything like an enema because he could get used to that and not learn how to make himself go (thats what my doctor said) What worked great for me was I would go and buy those little gerber juice bottles about approx. 4 oz. of Apple Prune Juice and give him one bottle a day. Always worked and was still natural. Good Luck I remeber how hard it was to go through those long crying days from him being in pain. Good news though is my son will be 3 in a couple months, and he never has that problem anymore. He stopped dealing with that at about 1 1/2. Hope that helps :)

My first was very constipated. She still is at 3. Try mixing baby prune juice in with his cereal as well. Another thing that I would try is mixing just a little bit of prune juice in with his formula (use a little instead of water). We had to try everything with our daughter. The last thing that we tried was a suppository which I didn't like doing. Good luck and keep us updated on your little guy.

I know you have gotten a lot of good responses but maybe this will help for next time. When my daughter was a baby we had the same problem. After a couple of days I took her into the doctor. The doctor took her temp with a rectal thermometer and SURPRISE...immediate bowel movement. Fortunately the doctor had a good sense of humor because Shauna pooped all over her. The doctor laughed and suggested I take her temperature the next time she became constipated. Worked every time.
~L.

Hi A.. Well congrats on your precious baby boy! My baby girl of 7 months had similar problems for a while. When I began to experience overwhelming stress in my life, she would no longer breastfeed, and I had to switch to formula. At first, she didn't like it, and would arch her back when either my husband or I would attempt to feed her. Finally, we just worked with her preference for fantastic contortions, and we let her arch over our legs and hang her head while we fed her. Eventually, she relented, and now eats in a normal position again.
As far as the constipation, my baby girl had some for a week or so and it was really hard on her and our nerves, but it went away when we reduced the amount of rice cereal we mix into her formula. Maybe your son just isn't ready for solid food all of the time yet, including rice cereal. Try different proportions of rice cereal-to-formula, and see if there is a difference.
Personally, if he continues to suffer from the constipation, and you suspect he is sick too (fever, coughing, etc...) call and schedule a baby wellness check to test for something that may become serious. After all, there's a fine line between worrying too much and being justifiably concerned for your baby, right?! Be at ease, though, because you are doing everything you can by calling the doctor and trying to comfort you little one.
I'm praying for strength, patience, and soothing calm for you and relief for your baby boy tonight.

A.,

If you're breastfeeding, try chugging some prune juice yourself. A friend of ours was able to help her 3-month old's constipation in a couple of days.

When we switched from breastmilk to formula, our little guy had some constipation, as well. You can try some gentle massage -- place your son on his back, and softly massage his lower abdomen with clockwise circles to stimulate the bowels. After a minute or so of massage, press his knees to his chest a few times, then back to massage.

Best of luck...

Hi
Congratulations on your baby! I had the same problem when I introduced solids to my little girl..she went 10 days without a proper bowel movement!! The glycerin suppositories work well...the nurse told us to add juice to her bottle but she hated it (still does). I bought dried prunes, steamed and pureed them and mixed them with her cereal (still do) and it worked like a charm!
Good luck!

The formula in cereal should be fine, and will be a good transition to cow's milk later, but it does often constipate a little at first. Can you mix a little prune juice in with the cereal and formula? Just a very small amount makes a difference.

Hi -

Mine is the most constipated baby in the world - his doctor recommended Miralax - OTC fiber-based laxative that works wonders for us. Check with your ped to see if it's ok for your little guy.

Hi. My niece was severly constipated when she was a baby and the doctor told my brother & SIL to give her a bottle of water mixed with sugar. Under normal circumstances I know you wouldn't normally give your baby sugar water but in this case it really worked. Good luck hope it helps!

I have tried lots of remedies but nothing worked like babies magic tea. I am now using this tea permanently for my baby and she has no more constipation and other tummy issues.

the iron in the formula can be extremely constipating, especially if he is not used to formula, Go back to mixing breast milk with the cereal and you may want to try pureed pears and prunes which will help him go, Avoid apples, bananas, and rice as the can cause constipation. Breast feed as much as possible and give water

My son has trouble on and off. We use glycern sepositories(spelled wrong?) and they work. I was nervous at first, but the relief my son feels in about an hour is worth it. Be sre to get the infant size. Good luck!