Constipated, Help!

My son went through the same thing. I added some dark Karo syrup to his milk. It worked like a charm and quick.

My daughter had this exact same problem. I ended up having to give her baby-food prunes, raisins and fresh grapes on a daily basis to keep her somewhat regular. She didn't like to drink much else but momma's milk, and so she probably wasn't getting enough to drink. She didn't like juice either. So eating the above foods and pushing water helped us.

A.,
I totally feel for you but the best advice that was given to me was pear juice. Not prune but pear. My little man is 2 and still has a problem. According to my DR his absorbtion rate is high and his body is using all the other liquids. He is great though. I have been giving him pear juice since he was 6 months becuz of his problem. Keep me posted and let me know if any of these things work.
J.

MY Daughter had severe constipation. The cereal exacerbated it as iron is constipating (in fact the la lache League recommends beginning with fruit and veggies and no cereal until child is older), but it was derived from the apples she ate. We went back exclusively to breast milk and when she resumed normal BM's we then re-introduced foods, one at a time. It was apparent that apples were her big allergy, and because he has had this with peaches and pears, perhaps it is the pectin in one of those fruits. I hope this is helpful. Because he is so little, to go back to breast milk exclusively for a few weeks will be ok for you both, and a good way to get a grip on his BM's without a big disruption. Good luck, and happy pooping!

My daughter had the same problem with her daughter when she switched formula and the pharmacist at the store told her to use a baby supository which worked very well. It seemed to make her poop almost right away. Her doctor also told her the baby should have at least one bowel movement a day. After a couple times using the supository she has not had a problem pooping.

you may have to give him an enema, yeah i know it's no fun especially for your little guy but i have had to do that with my little daughter. when they get backed up it can act like a plug and even the prune juice can't help, try a glycerin enema(child sized broken in half) to break the plug, it may work really fast so be cautious. also if it is really dry and hard you may have to physically help the poop come out, when he is trying to poop, try laying him on his back with his knees to his chest. press on his tummy below the belly button to help his muscles work. i have also had to use my finger (yeah up there) to help pull the poop out. once you get the initial backed up poop out give him diluted prune juice daily to help keep his bowels moving. atleast until he has adjusted to his new diet, hope this helps, it;s no fun when your little one is back up

Hey A.,

I go through this with my son as well. He went for seven days without a good bowel movement, he is now 8 months old and still has problems every time I add something new. Anyway, My doctor said if he goes 3 days without a bowel movement on the 4th day give hime a glycerin supository and that stimulates a bowel movement almost right away. I also add a little water and Dark Karo syrup to his food this helps keep things soft so we don't have to use the glycerin. You can also massage the perinium and rectum getly with your little finger, a glove and some KY jelly sounds gross but I do whatever I have to when he is miserable and can't move it on his own.
Best of Luck to you and your little one

My baby had the same problem!! He would scream and cry when he would go.
What I found that helped him was alot more water and also prune juice!! I mix equal parts water with whatever kind of juice (or even milk) he is drinking. When that didn't work as quickly as I'd hoped, I mixed 1/3 part juice (or milk), with 1/3 part water with 1/3 part prune juice. It may take some time but both work. Also, they sell liquid laxitive drops for infants and babies which also work great.
Good luck!!

His iliocecal valve may be restricted or shut for the introduction of the new foods. Have a pediatric chiropractor or massage therapist release the valve. Or you can try. The valve is on his right side just in from his pelvis on his belly. It is wher the small and large intestine come together if that helps. you will feel a tight spot massage it up then down, up then down, until it feels softer. do it gentley it shoud not hurt him.

I continue to have the same problem with my little one. I make sure she gets food with fiber (frozen peas are great) and plenty of liquid (water, prune juice, apple juice). Mostly I just have to be patient. Sometimes her stools are really hard and I can tell she is in a lot of pain when she passes them. But since starting a regular diet of peas and juice, she is doing a little better.

I have read that you can buy safe, gentle, glycerin suppositories over the counter. I haven't tried that yet, but maybe you should give it a go.

Hi A.,
Supporting the movement of the intestines will help. Try a belly massage with some essential oils like lavender, chamomile, or marjoram. These also have anti-spasmodic properties...lessening the pain and discomfort. A tea of Chamomile, fennel, and catnip will also help stimulate the gastric juices, peristalisis (movement), and reduce the pain. You can drink the tea yourself and the medicinal benefits will transfer thru your breast milk to your baby. If using formula, take the liquid from the tea to mix with the powder. 1 Tablespoon of herbs to 1 cup boiled water. drink 4 cups daily until he is consistently regular.
If you have other questions about the process or where to find the herbs feel free to call me at ###-###-####. Good luck! L. Golub, Clinical Herbalist

We use prunes with our babies. They work in 10 - 20 mins. Just a small jar in the baby food aisle. It also sound like you may need to use a suppository. We use Fleet babylax and they work within several minutes. Just put in and put a diaper on. It sounds like he also needs more liquids. Good luck! All of these things have worked with my 4 babies.
I also usually start my babies out on rice cereal and do the oatmeal later on. I breastfed them as well. Their bodies are just trying to adjust to the solids and sometimes they need a little help. I wouldn't rely on the suppositories every time, only when he is really backed up like it sounds like he is. The prunes work wonders!

I agree with the glycerin stick idea already left but do not use a full stick! There should be no need to hold your child over an open diaper. I used to use these with my son. Cut each stick into 3 small pieces, cover the stick with vaseline and put it up there. These are so mild but they work. Within 5 minutes your son should be pooping.
It sounds weird but he won't even feel it, I promise.

Hi A.,

My 2 year old was constipated back when she was a little one too. It got to the point where she tore her little self. My suggestion would be to stay on top of it and stay on top of the Dr.'s. After we switched Dr.'s they put her on a lax. for a few months and that totally took care of everything! Just know, there is stuff out there that will help your baby and your little one does not have to suffer!!! I think the lax my daughter was on was called glycolax and it was in powder for so I could just put some in her bottles. Very easy.

Hope you get it figured out!!

A.

I have had a lot of experience with this. My baby was constipated all the time! Here are some options

1. Put about a teaspoon of karo syrup in about 4 ounces of water and have him drink it. This works pretty good.

2. Have a doctor prescribe him Glycolax powder 255GM. My son took 1/2 teaspoon of that in juice once a day.

3. For less often constipation you can buy a fleet child suppositories. Cut them in half and stick it in his bum.

4. stick a thermometer with Vaseline on it in his bum and this will help him push it out. Feeling something down there will help him. (ONLY do this once or twice since he can become dependent upon pooping only when feeling something down there, but once or twice should be fine)

I really like all of the suggestion that you have received and I agree with them. My son had trouble right off after birth. I finally took him to a chropractor. He was only anbout a week old. He did this little adjustment and you wouldn't believe the difference!! He could go so much easier and immediately. Be sure to ask if the chiropractor has worked on babies. I was amazed at the difference. When he was born his hips had twisted and he was a little off.

You can try massaging his stomach in a clockwise pattern...perhaps even using some lavender or Roman Chamomile essential oil (mixed with lotion or massage oil). Has he ever been on anti-biotics? That can cause an imbalance in his good bacteria that would need to be replenished with good prebiotics. I hope this helps.

Our daughter had the exact same problem. Prune juice didn't seem to help. We were introduced to Healthy Times organic baby food. They have a flavor called Orchard Fruit Peekaboo that did wonders! It is a milder blend of pears, blueberries, prunes, and raspberries. I think it is the combination that worked so well. We had success in a matter of hours. We can find it at our local Walmart (Harrisville, UT, Riverdale, UT), but I have found that in some areas it is harder to find. Good luck!

Have you tried a tsp of flax oil? Or cod-liver oil? They always help my daughters a lot. -R.

hi A....stop with all of the solids and go back to the breast milk first. then you may have to help your baby go. when he strains you will probably see poopies at the opening. hold the anus opening so that when the poop comes out he doesn't rip. then gently massage his tummy so it will move and get him to drink as much juice or just the breast milk as you can. you have to physically help your baby get his very hard poopies out without ripping his rectum. once his bm is normal consistency, (this may take more than just one try) slowly move him back to the solids. try rice cereal first and as runny as possible. keep those fluids coming. :) mommy hood....isn't it just ....awesome?
i am a 57 year old mommy of 6 single birth children and i miss all those precious moments....except when they cry trying to poop. my kids say i am the best mommie :) in the whole world,i sure don't know about that. they range in age from 18 to 36... three boys and three girls and all are highly successful adults now. God bless...P. m.

This is very common thing, especially just starting out. Prune juice didn't do it for my daughter but actual prunes did. But careful how much at one time because it can go the opposite way. You can buy it by gerber in the plastic containers or you can make your own with prunes add some water and puree. Also, watch the introduction to bannanas right now and you might want to try a sippy cup with some water (no more than 6oz a day) could be dehydrating a little.

A.,
My baby had the same problem. You may want to try glycerin sticks. They're a suppository for babies.

My daughter has struggled with consitpation on and off since she began eating solids. There are many approaches to take but first just a few helpful hints...Babies do not actually create the enzyme which digests most grains (amalase?) until about one year old. So cereals and grains of all kinds are not very digestable in the beginning, even though every one will tell you to begin with rice cereal! Also babies need to be given water in addition to breastmilk once they begin solids especially for those who are of a dryer constitution. For sensitive types (like our babies) start with soft, cooked foods only (pears, applesauce, prunes etc.) nothing that will absorb water like grains.
My daughter is 14 months now and although she'd like to eat everything I eat, I monitor her stools very closely to decide what she will eat daily. When they are loose I give her more rice or other grains (in addition to veggies and meat), when they are dry or she is consipated I give her only soft mushy veggies, fruits and lots of extra water with a baby acidopholis supplement. I also add lots of oil to her foods.
Try giving a warm oil massage on the belly in a clockwise motion before a hot bath, give baby lots of water and some with acidophilus, cooked prunes, the juice from the cooked prunes, and I bet your baby will poop really soon.
The first foods are a BIG adjustment, stay with the process of transition, experiment, watch your baby closely and know that this too shall pass... : )

Hi A.,

I hope I can help you. My daughter was very constipated, too. We even had to do some enemas! It was horrible, finally my sister-n-law told me to try kiwi. Within twenty four hours she was back to normal. We still have to make sure kiwi is in her diet every other week, or she starts to get constipated. Ask your doctor first, if kiwi would be ok to try, and then I have a feeling it will help your child. Good luck.

Kind Wishes,

J. Taylor

If you put 1 Tbsp. Dark Karo Syrup in a bottle per 2 oz milk it whould clear him right up.

i had the same problem with my girls. I couldn't even get them to drink juice. My doctor suggested a glycerin suppository and that would help them poop immediately. You certainly don't want to do it to often. Before you do it you will want to talk to you doctor and make sure your babies tummy isn't hard. That would mean a blockage.

Hylands Vitamic c tablets. They are tiny dissolve instantly and you can't give too much-as c is soluble in the body. THis always helped my little girl when she was a baby. Also any liquid c you can get in a dropper bottle at the health food store work just as well. Just be sure and only get vitamic C no additional vitamins etc. because you can't take such high doses of those.

good Luck

Try 1Tbsp. of Karo light corn syrup mixed with 8 oz water in his bottle. Warm the water to his taste and then add syrup. It worked almost every time with both my son and daughter, and I had no problem getting them to take it. Also, it's natural. I hope this does the trick!

If you're mixing the cereal with other than breast milk, you might try mixing it with breast milk. Or try backing off the friut for a couple of days and/or going to rice cereal. Good luck!

Have you tried apple juice I know that when my kids were babies I would give them that and that would help. Still to this day my daughter that is 6yrs old still gets consipated. I give her apple juice daily and that seems to help.

I've found apple juice really helps my kids-and grapes. You can give them 4 oz of apple juice every half hour till it happens. Also, with the grapes...my kids can only have about 6 grapes before it cleans them out. So you might want to try those. Make sure you slice them small. :)

I know the story well. We had the same issues with my baby. We switched to barley cereal. It's supposed to help their bowels. We also put him on a strict diet of only apricots and prunes/ prune juice. We mixed it into his cereal. Every once in a while we gave him some water. It made a world of difference. The apricots seem to really work too. My Dr. recommended this diet and said it's by far better to give them foods to regulate them, then to put them on medicine. This is working for us.

My first daughter had constipation problems. We mixed prunes (baby food from the jar) in with her formula. Worked like a charm. I think the juice just isn't enough fiber. You may also try giving her water after she eats her cereals. If you are only giving breastmilk, she may not be getting enough liquid to move her stools. Hope it gets better.

breastfeed more, less solids. Breastmilk is the ideal food, what he needs for the main source of nutrition and calories and is a natural laxitive.

Slow down on the solids! He doesn't need cereal at all, really, how nutritious is it? Nothing compared to breastmilk!

My dd didn't start solids until she was 10 months old, I waited for her to show signs of readiness.

With our daughter, we give her a couple ounces of pear juice, and it always gets a response in a couple of hours.

My infant had the same exact problem. Something that my pediatrician recommended which helped a little bit was 1 Tbsp mineral oil in his bottle 2-3 times a day. It just helps to grease up his insides and make it easier to get the poo out. Hope this helps.

How often do you feed him cereal per day?

When my children are between 4 to 6 months old, I only give them cereal(rice or oats only) mixed with pears or prunes right before bed time because it helps them sleep through the night. After 6 months, I slowly add a different fruit and vege every week to check for allergies. I still mainly give them breast milk until they are 9 months old. Then I slowly start introducing finger fooods, like breads, pastas, cheese, and meat. They have charts available at what age to start introducing foods. Of course, no whole milk, wheat, citrus, or peanut butter until after a year old. Maybe start with only a Tablespoon of food and increase gradually while watching his bowel movement.

Changing a diet is always the better option to giving them medicine. I know juice doesn't work as good as the food itself too. I hope that you try food first, and then go to the Health Food Store to see what they recommend there before trying any medicine or suppositories, which only temporarily relieves the problem it doesn't fix it.

I know Slippery Elm is nature's wonder for adults -- fixes diarrhea and constipation by putting the right flora back into your intestines. Not having a bowel movement at least once every day (should be 3 times per day) is a sign of a serious problem!

Chiropractic care is really awesome too for fixing all kinds of problems, including constipation, ear infections, acid reflux, constant hiccups, gas, etc.

Best wishes, D.

I had the same problem with my now, 28 month old daughter. Tried prune juice and nothing...in fact, we tried everything. The only thing that works for her is Miralax. It's not a laxative. It simply softens the stool, so it's easier to move on out! Talk to your doctor about it. BTW, they sell it at Costco.

my son had a big problem with that. he had a harder time digesting the new food properly. i would make sure he had 1 cup of juice everyday (watered down since he;s still young). apple juice also works well. you can also help him poop. once you notice him grunting and pushing, lay him on his back, undo his diaper (keep it under him) and have a lot of wipes available. then grab his ankles and push his knees up to his head. he's not going to like it very much, especially when the poop is coming out (and it's not going to be a pretty site)! keep pumping his legs, you can also move them back and forth like he's riding a bicycle. you can also put Vaseline on a q-tip and stick it in his bum and move it around a little. be prepared, sometimes it immediately works. good luck, i hope he gets better!

It looks like you've already gotten alot of good advice. My 2 daughters ( 4 months and 2 years) are always fighting consitpation. The 1 Tbsp of karo syrup works for the 4 month old and the 2 year old is on Miralax. For the glycerin suppositories, cut them length wise to make them smaller. Also, someone suggested going to rice cereal. Rice is a constipator so you would probably want to stay away from that. Another thing you can try to stimulate his bowels is to use a anal thermometer. Stick it in a little bit (not too far to hurt anything)

good luck. it's been a long battle for us. hope yours goes better.

Try dark karo syrup or a baking soda bath. Both seemed to really help my daughter when she was constipated from around 6 months-18 months, on and off. For the bath, I would fill the water up to just below her belly button and would add about 3/4 of the baking soda. I would let him sit in there for 15 minutes or so. I swear, I did this a few times and after about 20 minutes out of the bath, my daughter was pooping! For the karo syrup, I think I added approx. 1 tbls to her bottle. Good luck.

Dear A.,
Realize that this is just what I have done. I recommend that you be very gentle-

From my own experience I would get a fleet enema and use it on him with only the tip in about 1/2 inch. Be very careful not to introduce it into his rectum any further. Gently depress the bottle, ONLY GIVE HIM 1/4 OF THE BOTTLE AT ONE TIME. I usually sit on the toilet or edge of the bathtub with my infant over my lap, face down. I oil the rectum up with olive oil. (don't use tap water because you need to have the right ratio of water to saline (salt). The tip of the fleet is already lubricated, but stimulating the rectum/anus with massage oil helps to stimulate defecation.

The enema should not be warm (it makes them nauseated) room temp is just fine. As soon as you put in the enema, wait I usually have results within a few minutes. I Use a chux pad drapped over my knees/lap and a towel over and then a couple of diapers at hand. I lay the diaper underneath and bring it around their bottom when things get moving. It can get explosive, especially mixed now with water! Even if you have results, re-administer about the same amount of the enema VERY GENTLY and SLOWLY. You should have results. You might consider re-administering again after even a large bowel movement. It will just clean him out and you would be surprised how much stuff will be inside of him.

If there is no acute pain I also massage their lower belly in the direction of their bowels while they are laying on my lap- I use olive oil, or massage oil. Remember he will be upside down. In a circular motion, rub from the belly button to the left side, then down, then over to the right, up to the belly button,it will seem counter clockwise to you again be very gentle, but this also helps move the feces.

Also, very effective is rubbing his feet, on the underside. This should be done when he is just laying down on the floor, or your lap. (maybe before you start with the enema?) I rub both feet on the bottoms, in a counter-clockwise direction as they are facing you. This will stimulate the nerve endings in the intestine to evacuate. On the feet I use oil, lotion or even dry corn starch! I have gotten babies to fill their diaper after just a few minutes of rubbing.

At this stage the enema should do the trick. If you find acute pain, or no results, then you need to take him to see the Dr. I wish you the best. It is so hard when our little ones are having a tough time! I then, would completely take him off the cereal. Think about how old the cereal is! It is best to wait on the foods. If you are going to feed him, use fruit and veggies only. And try to use your own food, it is fresh, or use organic baby foods. I used a baby grinder with our foods, he will do much better. Add a little water with the fruit or veggie and breast feed as long as you can!

PLEASE let me know how this goes. Using an enema has helped my babies so much when needed. I haven't had to do it very much, but when you gotta go----you gotta go!

God Bless,
H. B MOM (Mother of Many-9)

try something a little less bulky like rice cereal and applesauce for food for awhile. the other thing you could try is a glycerine suppository. they sell them over the counter for children. if you choose to use them, use your pinky to insert it up into his rectum. it will both stimulate bowel movement, and soften them too. good luck!

I had a daughter also, it was suggested for me to use glycerin sticks to stimulate. You just slide it in and out. Hold his bum over an opened diaper. When the poop stops coming, than your done.

If he doesn't go, it can cause intestinal and liver problems. If the prune juice isn't working, it is because what is already trying to get out is hard and probably huge. I would also wear tight fitting gloves, it can get messy!

good luck

Hi A.--

I come from a whole different perspective then the other mother's here. The American Academy of Pediatrics says DO NOT give your child solids until six months of age. Their little systems cannot handle it and that is why they get constipated. People will tell you it's "normal" for little ones to get constipated, but it is certainly not healthy. His little body is trying to tell you something. They do not need anything but breastmilk until a year of age from a nutritional standpoint. My midwife who is also a naturopathic doctor says don't give solids until baby has teeth--their saliva changes when they get teeth and they can better digest. My other natural doctor says that the enzyme needed to break down starches (like you find in oatmeal and other cereals) does not develop until around a year old. You could try giving him only fruits and vegetables and take the cereal out all together. My son, too, had constipation problems even before giving solids and it turned out it was allergies. The glycerin suppositories do work.

I hope something here helps! Good luck!!
J.

go to the store and buy some glycerin suppositories (child-its white with a blue lid) and break them up a little less than half, and stick it in his bum (its gross but it should help) and hold his little cheeks together till it dissolves and he should have a poopy within an hour or so after that.

Feed your baby prunes, it may take a little bit because he's so backed up but it will get everything moving.

I can't say that I have any helps for you, but just wanted to reassure you that it is normal. With both of my children (also breastfed) it was not uncommon for them to go long stretches (7-10 days) without dirty-ing a diaper. They usually had quite the blowout when it finally came, but didn't seem any worse for the wear. It got better and they got more regular as they got older. I had a friend recently with the same situation-- she chose to administer suppositories several times, but didn't think it helped too terribly much. Her boy is also getting more regular now (he's 8 months now). If he isn't crying and in obvious distress over it, I'd say just wait it out. His bowels are probably just trying to figure out what to do with those new foods.

Hello A.~
First he may NOT be constipated. The true symptoms of constipation are when there is a bowl movement that it is hard and dry; rather than soft. Sometimes when your baby 1st starts with solids, he will have a change in frequency of bowel movements BUT if the consistancy of bm's are soft and not hard, then he probably IS NOT constipated but just having a different schedule of pooping b/c of new foods. See how hard his poops are, if they are soft, he's not constipated, it is just taking longer to expell the solid foods he's eaten. If he truly is constipated, I would try increasing breastmilk and decreasing the foods for a little while. I would also take him to a chiropractor that uses the Gonstead Method-it is amazing!!!
T. Sigler

I have the same problem with my daughter. Also like you I tried the prune jucie, dark karo corn syrup. Nothing I tried seemed to help her and it was very hard because every time she tried to go she would cry really hard. So I asked my doc if there was something else that I could try and he now has me giving her MiraLax I mix 1 1/2 tsp. of it in some jucie and give it to her once a day. It has helped so much! If you decide to give it a try just start out with like 1/2 tsp. and keep increasing it until you find that right amount that he needs. It is sold over the counter. Hope you can figure something out I know how frustrating it can be. Good luck.

I'd double check he's getting enough to eat. You might have to make an appointment. Weigh him, nurse at a normal time, weigh again. No changes. The # of ounces he gains is the number of ounces he drank. If he's not drinking enough, reflux medicine may fix it without it becoming a serious health issue. (Been there, done that. Wish I had known this when my little guy was 6 months old.) Our doctor was shocked that the only issue was reflux, but since it went undiagnosed for so long, we're dealing with serious, long term issues. I hope this isn't your son.

Hi my name is H.. I have two boys of my own. My youngest son used to get constipated as a infant and toddler and I would try the kyro syrup and my doctor would tell me it just was not uncommon. But personally I thought differently. So I would take my son in to get a chiropractic adjustment and everytime we did it he would go with in 30 minutes. I am a firm believer of chiropractic and can recommend a great one if you are in need. H.

Dear A.,

Have you given him water? It is amazing how many mom's don't think babies and toddlers need water.

Are YOU taking any digestive enzymes? Look at plant based enzymes that are approved by the FDA. Look at the Protease enzymes. Maybe stop by Vitamin Cottage if you are in the Denver area. If not go to your local natural/health food grocery.

Also, maybe take him off of the cereal and fruit and try mashed advocados. Here is a great link.

http://www.avocado.org/healthy_living/nutrition.php

I hope this helps.

J.

I would change to rice cereal. Try apples instead of pears. Pears can be hard to digest. I was never a fan of prune juice. Apple juice worked better for my boys. Try more water too. Hope it helps.

Hi A. -- We started our exclusively breastfed 6 month old on rice cereal and then went to yellow veggies. She was fine for the first week or so and then her stools started to become hard to pass (she was extremely loose before that). She would strain to have a BM and our pediatrician recommended peas, pears, prunes, peaches and beans, and a little juice (up to 1 ounce/day for each month of age). We added the fruit and peas and it seemed to work. We have trouble getting juice in our daughter because she won't really take anything from a nipple other than mine. If her stools get really firm we'll give her juice from a dropper and it ALWAYS loosens her up. Our pediatrician said that breastfed babies don't need water so I'd be careful about filling her up with something that is not going to give her any nutrients unless it is the only thing that seems to work. We also switched from single grain cereals to whole grain ones (Earth's Best makes them), and only give her cereal once a day. Our little one grunts, groans and gets red in the face for every BM even if they are not really very hard. She didn't do this until she started solids. Hope this helps!

My daughter (now 9) has suffered from Cronic Constipation since an infant. Best advice apple juice and regular diet of it. STAY AWAY from apple sauce it will work opposite of the apple juice. Also ask your doctor about Miralax(sp?), our doctor put us on it by the time my daughter was 3-4 months old and if used regularly it will help...my daughter uses as needed now. Also research online under Cronic Constipation it will provide other natural ways to help clear him out!

I have a 5 year old that has had problems pooping since she was very small. Our doctor finally suggested a small amount of mineral oil when she gets really backed up. It just lubricates the intestine. It has no nutritional value and it goes straight through their stomach. It workes like a charm. We give it to her right before bed and then she has a bowel movement the next morning. You can try and mix it with his last cup before bed. You don't want to give it to him before they eat because it can cause an upset stomach.

The alternative is a suppository...and that is no fun for anyone!

Good Luck!

A.,
Put 1 teaspoon dark Karo syrup in his bottle with warm water.This really helps!

I've heard of a few times where a couple of babies were constipated for a long time and come to find out their little backs were slightly out of place which affected their bowels - even at their very young age. I would check with your doctor first.

There are also some infant massages that can help with bowel movements. The one I was taught was the "I Love You" method. It helps with gas but I don't know about constipation.

I would mix actual babyfood prunes right into the oatmeal with the breastmilk. I found this worked better than the juice. You do need to make sure you don't swing it the other way though. I would give it to her once a day, two or three days in a row and it always seemed to help regulate her.

Unfortunately I have a lot of experience with this -- in both my children. I know this may sound odd, but at this point you may need to 'help' your little guy pass the hard mass of poop that he can't seem to pass on his own. If you're seeing him grunt, that means his urge is there and it's just too large. Eventually prune juice might help break that down, but I hate to keep my little ones in discomfort for so long. I have on many occassions massaged my baby's tummy a few minutes (look up which direction the intestines flow and massage in that same direction) and then used a thermometer dipped in vaseline to stimulate the urge to push and then helped him keep going by breaking the large piece down with the thermometer as it becomes visible. Okay, I know major TMI, but a moms gotta do what a moms gotta do :0)

Your goal should be to only introduce one new food at a time so that you can tell immediately how that food affects you son's system. Babyfood pears caused constipation in both of my kids -- so did applesauce and bananas. Peaches were never a problem. Just don't feed him those foods he seems sensitive to -- there are plenty of healthy options. Right now my 6 month old son eats these solids: avocado, sweetpotatos, butternut squash. You might try these. Good luck!

call the dr again to see what he says tell him you are worried. dont be afraid to tell your dr what you think he should do either. try a q-tip with some ky jelly on it place it just inside the rectum and leave it there it works like a suppository or ask the dr if you can use a suppository on a 6 month old.

Hi A.,
Go to the health store and get books written by Dr. Bernard Jensen. He will give you much knowledge.
The little one would be healthier if he went daily, the fact that he goes once in 3 days makes me wonder. If he is 6 months old he is still too young to eat grown up food that can clog him up, especially all the junk food. Now I don't know you to I appologize for not knowing what he is eating right now...A banana can act as a constipater or give you the runs. The difference is, when the banana is ripe (yellow with little brown spots)that is the best time for consumption and can loosen the bowls. If the are yellow with green on the stem, that will constipate you according to Dr. Bernard Jensen and other. Go to a health food store where they have books and get a good book on what to feed your baby and you will lessen your trips to the doctor.....bless your little man...L.

My daughter did the same thing at that age. She went from breast milk to some solids and became very constipated. She would pull herself up, grip the coffee table, and push until her little face turned purple! My friend, (an RN) told me to give her as warm of water as she could drink and use a glycerin suppository. I didn't want to use the supposity but you can use a small amount of water-based lubricant on a Qtip and just put a little bit inside her rectum. It worked well for my little girl and your baby will eventually adjust to the new diet.

My daughter also had this problem off and on as a baby. My doctor told me I could get some lubricant and put it on my pinky finger, then insert it just slightly into her anus and move it around a little. That loosened things up a bit, and she pooped only a few minutes afterward. I know it sounds gross, but it worked.

Try Miralax, it is an over the counter stool softener (previously a prescription). We have used it twice, once when our daughter was 6 months old and currently. It really seems to help and is in a powder form that can be mixed with liquid. Get your doctor's ok first though.

PRUNES- our daughter LOVED these until she was aout 1- and warning for the wise- they work, sometimes VERY well within about an hour! Sometimes it takes a little longer, but it does work and you'll have quite the mess to clean up that resembles exactly what you put in! Another thing I'd suggest is integrating whole milk yogurt. YoBaby makes 3 different flavor packs of it that come with 6 to a pack. I started my daughter on it at about 5 1/2 months and she was pretty regular. Her pediatrician had no problem with it and recommended yogurt instead of cheese as a snack. Good luck!

My daughter started to get a little constipated when she was around the same age. My pediatritian told me that if she was still having a hard time after the prunes and stuff to go get some baby suppositories(glycerin). He said to stick them in, but not all the way, just to hold it for about a minute and then take it back out to see if it triggered a BM. He said that if that didn't help we might have to look at my diet because I was also breastfeeding at the time. Fortunately, we didn't have to do that... I also had to help her poop sometimes. Very sad, but she was very happy afterwards. Something that I also found worked really well later was home canned peaches because they have no chemical preservatives in them. I would give those to her straight for a couple of days and it would clean her out pretty good. Good luck!

Hi:) Just thought I'd add my experience in there because I don't know if anyone else will mention this! My second son had really bad constipation as a baby. He was exclusively breastfed for the first six months where we had some problems, but the problems really started when we started solids, etc. I assumed it was to do with the food although I was really careful about what he ate. You wouldn't think fruit would constipate anyone! Anyway, my family and I see a pediatric chiropractor who also specialises cranial adjustments, etc. He picked up on the fact that his pelvic floor was a bit weak and was taking more time to develop which is why he struggled so much to poo. It improved great amounts when he started crawling because that was obviously strengthening those muscles. We also would lie him on his back and gently put his knees up to his chest (gently bending then straightening, etc) and that helped a lot, too. He did have some adjustments from the chiropractor, but he's nearly two now and seems to have grown out of it all- we don't have any problems with it now. I don't know if any of that will help, but I think most of us assume constipation is due to food, but I guess I learned sometimes it's not!
Really hope you find some relief for you both!
J. :)

I was having the same problem with my daughter, and it would be really painful for her to go. I think it all started with the solid foods. So I have given her prunes and it really helps her go, it takes about a day to work through her system.

I also gave her plenty of tummy time, and the pressure seemed to help her go better. You could try rubbing his belly or pushing his legs close to him, or bicycling his legs. Sometimes the movement will help.

I would avoid things like corn syrup or OTC medicines until you see a doctor, but if he is eating solids, the prunes work well.

Hi A.,

One of my babies had a similar problem. I used suppositories a couple of times and even had to go in there and break things up a little bit. It's been 6 years, so the details are fuzzy, but I don't remember too many problems after that.

I had to cut the suppositories in half, since they were for adults.

You might put him back on only breast milk for a while. Maybe his little system isn't ready for food yet?

My son is 10 months old now and when he started eating anything other than breastmilk he would scream every time he pooped. He was sooo constipated and he went from pooping every day to every four days. My doctor said to mix 2 ounces of apple juice with 2 ounces of water and give that to him twice a day. It took a couple of days for it to kick in but it's been working like a charm ever since. I don't need it as often anymore but whenever he has a problem I always go back to it. Good luck!

Continue the prune juice it will eventually work. There is this pwder that you can put into drinks but you can only get it in a prescription it is called Glycomax and that really seems to work. Ask your doctor about that. Good luck

more water in a btl or cup is a great start to this problem..however the childs digestive tract is just adjusting and becoming more mature...changes in bowel habits are normal..Prune juice acts more like a laxative.. especially served warm...I bet you have already discovered he has a blow out in his diaper...if she hasnt already.. be prepared and take extra clothes where ever you go...he will poop when he does..and it probably wont be the most convienet time..warm baths help, relax and soften the exit of the rectum and baby glicern supositories work.. cant spell... also lay her on her back and run her legs and massage those cute little feet with some olive oil and your thumb.. stimulates the internal organs.. and then relax you will know what works for the next time.. swimming in the pool with a loose(snug) diaper will shut the pool down..but it works to get them going.in my experience with many babies the rubbing of the feet works best with a mix of a little exercise crawling etc.....nanny L.