Breastfeeding

Consistently constipated LO

My DS is a great eater, 100% BM, doesn't care what I eat as far as dairy, soy, hot sauce, etc.  BUT he only poops every 3 or 4 days, and when it gets to the day when he's going to poop, he's pretty uncomfortable while trying to do it, even though it comes out normal and mushy.

I mentioned this to my pedi and he said my BM was high quality (very little waste).  And another time we called, the nurse said to give him drops of sugar water (2T to 4 oz water) between feedings.  I'm not sure if I should be giving him the sugar water consistently though.  We've been saving it for when he really needs it.

Did you have any problems with constipation?  What was your solution?  Could it be something I'm eating even though he doesn't seem to have any immediate sensitivities?

Re: Consistently constipated LO

  • I definitely wouldn't give my LO sugar water. Many people do 100% juice (no sugar added, and I like to get organic) apple or prune - diluted in BM/F or in water.

    DD went through that stage of troubles pooping, too. Stick the end of a q-tip in vaseline and insert it a couple cms into the rectum. It sounds cruel, but if LO is uncomfortable it may stimulate the urge to poop. Some say that doing this on a regular basis can turn into needing it to poop, but every now and then is ok.

     

  • As long as it doesn't come out as little balls like adult poo can look, its fine. As their system matures, they start to poo less frequently and the poo wont be as runny because they can extract more from it. Pooping only every 3 or 4 days is no big deal. If your LO is pushing to poo, that's fine too. When DD was constipated for real, she would have a crying fit when she pooped. Like, no denying that it was hurting her!

    People recommend giving juice (typically 50% diluted) when LO is constipated, but I would do pureed prunes and pears instead. It works just the same and you aren't putting all that sugar water in their system. Even 100% juice is still just water and sugar. 

     

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  • At his current age, I was only doing a "take the temp" trick (please don't use a q-tip which can leave strands of cotton behind...) when needed. Once he's starting solids, I'd mix in just one ounce of prune juice with his oatmeal/rice cereal. It provides some flavor to the cereal as well as gets the prune juice in him.

    And if you look at the baby food jars, they typically have just as much sugar in the pureed stuff as the 100% juices do, so I don't feel weird about the juice vs purees.

  • My son used to be constipated frequently, and I've found that just giving him an ounce of plain old water with his meals (solids) has helped. I think he just needed more liquids. Also, once in a while I give him straight pear juice (no water mixed in). We buy infant juice, no added sugar, etc.
  • As long as the poo isn't hard pellets, it's not constipation. This is a common misconception. Straining and going a few days between poops is completely normal. You don't need to give sugar water, juice, or the rectal thermometer trick.

    You can try holding LO in an upright position as if he were sitting on a toilet. The change of position can be really helpful to reduce straining. Or heck, if you're going to hold him up anyway when he's pooping, you might as well hold him over the toilet!

     

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  • Jeni182Jeni182 member
    DS sometimes goes 3 or 4 days between poops but he's not constipated. It's totally normal for BF babies to go a few days since BM leaves little waste. As long as the consistancy is normal it's fine. Straining is normal as well. I wouldn't give him sugar water.
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  • I get that it's normal for BF babies to go 3 or 4 days.  I believe the doc when he says it's because there's little waste.  And I understand straining a little to go, but he's in obvious pain in his little belly.  How can I just let him continue on that way every time he goes?  It's awful to watch.  Won't that eventually teach him that pooping = pain, and make the cycle even worse?
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