My beautiful 3 month old is so irregular and uncomfortable. I called my ped. and they suggested putting Kayro syrup in her bottle. It worked and I would rather do that than have her on some medication, but here is my question. Could it be something that I am eating? I am exclusively brestfeeding and am wondering if there is something I could add or take out of my diet to help her out. I have been told that breastfed babies can't get constipated, but what do you call a 3 month old who hasen't pooped in 4 days?
Thanks for all of your advice. I think I just got concerned because my 3 year old would go EVERY TIME I fed her. I think I am going to try some natural gas drops because she does seem uncomfortable and maybe that is the problem. Thanks again.
Breastfed babies don't need to have daily bowel movements. They can actually go quite a while without one. Here is some info on that:
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/04enough_milk.html
try switching your diet to soy-based projects and ease up on the dairy. our son had gas issues right from the start, but the lactation consultant suggested this and it worked almost immediately.
we encountered issues again when I introduced formula around 8-9 months and had to try several kinds before he tolerated one well. we used similac advantage, I think. funny thing was that I tried soy formula and he didn't do well with that
at 12 months we started him on organic whole milk, which has been great. he occasionally has regular milk, but if he has much of it, I notice a difference in his regularity and gas.... the pasterization process is different..
hope this helps
I've also heard that there are many foods that nursing moms sometimes have to avoid.... I had luck with the dairy so I didn't pursue anything else...
Try removing all dairy from your diet.
Also, my doctors at Homefirst gave me an all natural digestive enzyme with probiotics that we mashed up into a powder and gave to my daughter. It worked wonders!
By the way, it is not unusual for babies that are exclusively breastfed to only poop about once a week. It just means your baby's body has learned how to use up all of the nutrients in the breastmilk with little waste left over.
from what i've read, some breastfed babies can even go more than a week without a bowel movement. this issue is not so much how often, but consistency. if its hard and dry, i believe that is what is considered constipation for newborns.
J.,
I have heard that 4 days is ok for a baby to go without having a bowel movement, so I wouldn't worry just yet.
I would not give Kayro syrup, because I would not want my baby to have so much sugar so suddenly.
It would be nice if breastfed babies never got constipated...
Again, I would not worry for a day or two longer, unless your baby is in pain. (Have you considered using infant drops for constipation?) However, it never hurts to examine your diet. We now know that my son has an intolerance to wheat. He had other issues, too, which caused him to go from constipation to runny stools. This is probably uncommon, but something to consider if you see a pattern.
Good luck. Everything will be fine.
Amy
I BF my daughter and it was never an issue but she did only have a BM about every other day and then it would be a mess! My bestfriend BF her son and had the same issue as you her doctor told her to cut back/watch her dairy intake. (She is a big milk/yogurt/cheese/ice cream person)Once she cut back on all the dairy her son did just fine.....I don't know if this helped but good luck! Oh, I would try your hospital for a support group the one at Good Shepherd was great when ever I had a problem or issue with BF.
Jen
I have nursed all 4 of my kids for over a year and never heard a ped. telling a nursing mom to but Karo syrup in a bottle. Many times nursing babies will go 4-6 days when their nursing. I would give it a few days and maybe add high fiber to your diet like a little prune juice etc.
Good Luck
B.
hi! My understanding is that constipation in a baby is not frequency but rather consistantcy. If when she poops it is not painful or difficult, or is it is not hard and formed, I think it is fine. I had a friend with a daughter who (exclusively breastfed) only pooped every couple days, and when she did, it was a major event, but she was fine.
There is a wonderful breastfeeding support group at Alexian Brothers, in Hofffman Estates that meets on Monday mornings. It is run by a lactation consultant, I always felt like she knew more about breastfed babies than my doctor ever did. (anyone can go to this group, it is very helpful and supportive to beastfeeding moms)
Good Luck!
Breastfed babies do not always poop every day! My sons (age 3 and 6 months) would sometimes only go twice a week. Then we would have "poop day" where they would pass a lot several times that day. As long as the consistency is loose or pasty, you're OK. Once the baby is on solids in a few months she will become more regular.
Hi J. - my baby went through the exact same thing. (He now 7.5 mos, by the way). He started out pooping very regularly. Then all of sudden he stopped - he wouldn't go for several days. The ped recommended Karo syrup and prune juice. Neither worked very well. It is true about consistency - if it's soft and he's not straining too much, it's totally fine. I eventually tried an ounce of apple juice and that worked really well - went right through him (I can't remember the age it was okay to give him apple juice). The good new is, despite this bump in the road, he now poops again like a champ! I'm sure yours will too.
L. Z.
Hi Mom,
My daughter was very irregular since she was born, she'll be 2 june 1st. But she still sometimes deals with it. But when she was smaller someone recommended the Gerber apple/ prune juice, and it would help her go one time and that was it.But as soon as she started with solids I went to a nutritionist and they told me cut back on dairy products with her and gave her organic foods. (Carrots work great and fast!) I notice if I give her a little to much regular milk she starts again. But maybe you should try organic food for yourself since your breastfeeding.
My son was breast fed and he used to go at least 4 days and sometimes a week (the longest time was 9 days!) without a BM. But when it came, it was very soft. So as other moms have said, he was not considered constipated. However, he was very bloated and uncomfortable until he was able to go. My doctor suggested taking his temperature (rectally) if it was past 4 days or so. As most nurses and doctors know, when you take a baby's temp rectally it almost always stimulates a BM. It worked for us. Good luck.
I breast fed my son until he was a year and a half old and I honestly don't remember how ofter he pooped but I didn't worry about that just the consistency as the other mom's are saying. I have heard of the kayro syrup but that is usually from grandmas that used alternative methods of treating normal but annoying porblems. I wonder why the doctor didn't suggest adding a water occasionally because that can be one of the easiest things to help clear up constipation and it gets the child used to drinking something that most children won't drink now a days.
I never utilized the breast feeding support groups but did a lot of research on my own about breast feeding. I would suggest going to a support group that is close to you. Call your local wic office and they should be able to give you the phone number to someone that can help you get started in a support group. If you don't have time to actually go to the meetings you may be able to find a person that is helpful simply just over the phone. Give it a try and see how you like it.
my daughter was the same way! it started when she was 1 month old and lasted until i started the karo syrup! my doctor explained that it was her body trying to push out while her butt muscles were trying to keep it in. the sugar in the syrup does something to stimulate the intestinal tract. I went weeks manually assisting my daughter to poo...with glycerine deposits! so i know the fears you are feeling. as long as her stools are coming out soft, then there is nothing wrong...just her body trying to figure itself out! good luck!
Hi J.,
I'm sorry about your little one. I know how frustrating it might be that youir baby's so uncomfortable. I'm sorry that I don't have any advice for you either. But I just wanted to let you know a little something about Karo syrup. Everyone knows the honey rule, no honey because it contains botulism that can make baby sick. The same goes for Karo syrup. A girlfriend took a food sanitation course for work and told me this info. I don't know why DOCTOR'S are telling parents to use this practice. My girlfriend had used this method also and was quite upset when she learned her daughter could've become quite ill. So, I hope all works out with your baby. I just wanted to share what I learned recently. Well Wishes.
Is she uncomfortable just when she's actually GOING or all the time? I ask because with breastfed babies, their BM is so "nothing" that frequently one of two things happens:
1. It's so runny that they BM every time they eat
2. It's so runny that it doesn't build up enough pressure to cause them to BM, and when they go, they REALLY go.
Both of these is totally normal. If you think she is reacting to something you eat, try cutting out dairy first, and maybe caffiene. I found that my son reacted to cheap chinese food (the MSG maybe?) and guacamole (who knows why?) for the first few months. You can also try Mylecon for gas, if that seems to bother her. But in general, every 4 days is fine.
Like the other posters said, breastfed babies do not need to poop every day. In fact, one week is the usual amount of time you should wait before becoming concerned. Unless the baby is uncomfortable. It sounds like your ped is not very familiar with breastfeeding (especially if they suggested giving the baby something in a BOTTLE!). I would contact your local la leche league for some assitance (www.laleche.org). Good luck!
