Posted by
Nicher
19 yrs ago
Bub just started solids for 2 weeks. So far I've only been offering rice cereal during lunch and dinner, and breastmilk. He drinks water in between meals but just very little. He hasn't had any poo for 4 days! But he's been farting a lot. Is this normal? How many days without poo is considered constipation? Anything I can do to help him?
Please support our advertisers:
It sounds like bub is constipated, 4 days without a poo is a long time. Your doctor will probably recommend some prune juice or high fibre food options so that he has a bowel movement. You didn't mention age but I'm guessing around 6 months if you've started rice cereal and he should be pooing at least once a day. Hope he fills up his nappy soon!
Please support our advertisers:
I think 4 days is fine - if he's not grunting - and acting uncomfortable, with a breastfed baby, you are well within range.
If he's peeing all right, you're okay.
Please support our advertisers:
I think I'd back off on solids until you know what's going on. It's very unusual for a breastfed baby to get constipated, but the whole reason for introducing one solid at a time is to see if he does fine with each one. At this point, you're not sure if there's a problem or not. I'd personally just back off a bit. For a bf baby, there's no particular rush to start solids if he's otherwise gaining well, and also if cereal is constipating for your baby, there's no need for his first solids to be cereal. Mashed banana or mashed sweet potato are both nutritious and supply calories, as do bits of finger foods that he can practice finger dexterity picking up (introduced one at a time of course). In terms of water, you do need to offer it once they start solids, especially when it is hot. You can offer water by teaspoon, in a sippy cup, or even in a bottle designed for him to hold himself, and in temperatures ranging from warm to icey cold -- whatever appeals most to your baby.
Please support our advertisers:
kar
19 yrs ago
My son went over a week without a poo (he was breastfed and had started solids). I was getting very stressed out about it, but he didn't care---wasn't in any pain. He finally went and it wasn't a big deal...things eventually regulated themselves.
Please support our advertisers:
addis
19 yrs ago
My understanding is that it is quite normal for a baby who is exclusively breastfed to go for days without a bowel movement and this is not considered constipation. However, once they start on solids, the bowel movements are more regular, firmer (and stink a lot more too! lol!).
My boy used to go for 4 to 5 days without a bowel movement when he was exclusively breastfed but now that he is on solids too, he is more or less okay on that front. Anyway, here is what I do and what works for him...
rinse raisins (organic, preferably) in tepid water and leave them to soak in water for a few hours. Drain raisins in a seive and feed the baby the liquid. Pear puree is also supposedly good although I have never used it, so far.
Please support our advertisers:
My bub is 5 months and a week. He used to have one poo per day before starting solid. Well he doesn't seem distressed till now, but since he farts a lot (and very smelly one) I start worrying about his little stomach. I hope things will regulate themselves as you said.
Please support our advertisers:
Give pear is my suggestion, as also prescribed by Gina Ford. It works wonders. No pear = no poo for my daughter. Of course every baby is different but worth a try. Having said that, when she was young she went without poo for up to a week and the doc said that is fine so long as when she did poo, it is not hard or pellety and she did not strain too much. Her poos only got more regular ie daily when her solid intake increased, and her poo changed smell too....
Please support our advertisers:
agree with mb1, pear puree is a good way to get babies to go! steam or boil first.
Please support our advertisers:
Well, more breastmilk will do the same thing, and this is a 5 month old baby.
Please support our advertisers:
Thanks everyone for your advice! Bub finally poo-ed over the weekend *Phew*
Yes I will try feeding him pear/ banana. Actually his breastmilk intake hasn't reduced. Hope things will improve with more fiber in the diet.
Please support our advertisers:
It is time to give him pear anyway. Pear is the first fruit you should give as it is the least allergenic foods plus it is very swallow-able when steamed and pureed. Try not to boil pears (or any fruit for that matter) as vitamin C is water soluble. I find steamed+pureed pumpkin to be another excellent food to give bub as it makes her poo sticky and easy to move along! Australian butternut pumpkin from 360 or Citysuper is absolutely the sweetest and produces the smoothest puree - my daughter adores it. I may hold off banana for a bit as it is known to cause constipation in some babies.
Please support our advertisers:
Hi Mummybee1, thanks for your suggestions. I am also on Gina Ford so actually tried making pear too. I thought I could make the puree without a blender but turned out it wasn't smooth enough. Now I've got my blender I'll go for pear at once!
Please support our advertisers:
Constipation is defined as hard, dry, and difficult to pass stools. In a breastfed baby older than about five to six weeks of age you may see a spacing of bowel movements. Some babies will only have one (very large) bowel movement every week or so, while others will keep their newborn pattern of very frequent daily stools.
It is the hardness of the stools, and not the time between stools, that determines constipation in the breastfed baby. As long as your baby seems well and the stool is soft like clay or peanut butter, then he is generally fine.
Well Baby Clinic 2849 1500
Matilda International Hospital
Hong Kong
http://www.matilda.org
Please support our advertisers:
My little one is 7months old now and she went 5 days without a poo. Man she made a mess when she let it out
Please support our advertisers:
Yes, Matilda is really right about the main issue being distress in the baby, not a matter of frequency so much. Among my three kids, I've had one that would go several days at at time and then have kind of an explosion that no diaper would hold (ugh!) along with one that was very "regular". The length of time is just something that could possibly be the first sign of an impending problem, not the problem itself.
Please support our advertisers:
it was white rice. should be the safest solid to start with.... anyway he now poos every day (the last two days he poo-ed at the exact time when he was eating the banana...it was so funny!)
Please support our advertisers:
You must be logged in to be able to reply.
Login now
Copy Link
Facebook
Gmail
Mail