breastfeeding & constipation

Tisten5682

I'm just wondering how often your child has a bowel movement if they are?breast-fed! ?My daughter is 12 1/2 weeks old & can be very regular...then there are times like right now that she hasn't had a BM since Friday. ?She also gets a mixture of prune juice & water ever day to help her regularity! ?Thanks?

lesliemostly

My little guy seems to have bowel issues...I know they say BF babies dont get constipated but he gets very cranky and his stomach gets big after a few days. After a few days Ill usually give him 1 oz prune juice to 2 oz water and/or drink prune juice myself and he gets it thru my milk, then he usually has the BM from another planet before the day is out lol. How much prune juice do you give your LO?

susiederkins

It's actually pretty normal for a BF baby to go several days (up to a week) without having a bowel movement. DS can go a couple of days now without one.

Did your Dr. recommend the prune juice/water?

socalduo

susiederkins:

It's actually pretty normal for a BF baby to go several days (up to a week) without having a bowel movement. DS can go a couple of days now without one.

Did your Dr. recommend the prune juice/water?

ditto pp.  BF babies can go up to 7 days without a BM.  My DD went 7 days once...I jokenly blamed it on the Indian food I ate prior to this episode.  When she finally had a BM, it was massive and loose, so I know she wasn't constipated.  Prior to this she was a once a day gal.  Ask you pedi and they will reassure you that this is normal.  I wouldn't feed your LO prune juice without the asking your pedi.  As for bloated tummies, my DD had major gas issues when she was under 2 or 3 months.  The book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" explained it best.  Babies tend to clench their bottoms and push at the same time (they don't know how to let gas out).  This causes the squirming when they have gas.

lesliemostly

I know that BF babies are supposed to be able to go a week or so without a BM and it can be normal, but my LO is super fussy and uncomfortable and when he poops he is in much better spirits...so after a few days go by I try to help him out a little....there will be sort of formed stool that comes out first kind of like toothpaste from a tube...then the loose seedy stuff comes out behind it. The pasty stuff would just get more and more formed as the days go by and he would have more and more trouble getting it out. He seems to feel a lot better and is a lot less fussy when he finally gets it out...so I cant imagine letting him go a full week when he gets so uncomfortable after a few days. Im sure he is an exception rather than a rule though.

Tisten5682

The doctor told me i could giver her prune juice/water everyday to help her out a little. ?thanks for the help...i appreciate it!

meganet22

I asked the pedi today what is considered "normal" as far as the frequency of bowel movements, he said it really isn't about what's normal as much as what makes them uncomfortable. My dd hasn't gone since Fri, so I am planning on using prune juice and then a suppository if that doesn't get things moving.