No Poo

Totally normal for breastfed infants. My son once didn't go for 9 days and there was nothing wrong with him. My Ped told me that he was just growing so fast that his body was utilizing almost everything he ate so the poo just built up really slowly and he simply didn't have enough to need to go. Once he finally did go it was a big one but pretty normal. No solid masses or anything. Don't sweat it.

When my daughter was about that age, she went from many bowel movements a day to none for several days to now averaging once a day. I'd just keep an eye on his behavior and give it a little more time.

Since you are nursing, I'd suggest that you eat some foods such as prunes, raisins and lots of fiber. That will help Miles poop. You can massage his abdomen with warm oil, caster oil is ideal. Massage in a clockwise direction around his bellybutton. I'd also suggest cutting down on dairy in your diet; as it can encourage constipation in your baby.
Good luck.
L. M

Baby Miles is totally fine!! Unless he has pain or discomfort and it trying and can't, then there is no reason to worry, happens all the time with breast fed babies. Remember there is so little "extra" stuff in breast milk because our bodies already processed it, there is little left to get rid of, as long as he is peeing every 8 hrs or less, your good. If he is trying to go and can't or has pain or belly tenderness, a hard belly or anything like that, call your pediatrician, it could be several things, some simple like his muscle coordination is not good and you have to help him with it (easy, but gross) or something very severe like an intestinal blockage, actually very common in boys under 2. Good luck!!

My doctor was big on not giving them anything. She also said not to worry unless my baby had been 7 days or more without one! So I would wait a few more days and then ask your pediatrician (maybe you could call them instead of going in). I know mine was very against giving any thing to the baby. It eventually worked out by itself, but I did keep track just in case she went longer than a week without a BM. Good Luck! (She suggested prune juice).

It's so great that you are still exclusively breastfeeding! I read just the other day that although the World Health Organizations and others recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed for their first 6 months, in the US, only 12% are! So you should be very proud!

Anyway, I think I remember similar puzzles when my daughter was about that age. I can think of two possibilities...

1. If you've given Miles any banana, that could have done it.

2. Maybe he's having a growth spurt and his body is simply using up every last drop of breastmilk.

When I tried to introduce solid foods to my daughter at that age, I thought she didn't like them because at first I was only offering her cereals. She just never took to cereal, but she loved gerber's prunes, fresh pureed spinach and mashed banana. "Prune" was one of her first words! So my suggestion would be to first make sure he's getting enough boob, and second, see if he wants to try prunes.

When my son was a young infant and had problems with constipation the dr told us to mix 1/2 tsp of dark karo syrup into a bottle of pumped milk. It worked every time within about 2 hours!

Hello A.,

First off don't worry, this is normal, or at least within the 'normal range' of things!

You can try massaging his lower abdomen. Also you can lay him on his back and roll his legs gently over this tummy up towards his chest. Those will get his intestines moving.

My little boy didn't poop for 5 days once, it freaked me out but doc said it was normal and I learned the above things that helped alot.

Congrats on nursing him, that is the BEST thing you can be doing!!!! Just keep that up!! Babes don't really need solids until about 12 months.

Take care, S.

Both of my breastfed boys went 2-3 days between poops at that age. My pediatrician said it was not constipation at all, but explained that there is just very little waste with breast milk. Once they really started eating solids, the poop came more often. :-)

2 of my 3 kids had these issues. You definately want to help him to poop. We gave diluted prune juice between feedings. Check with your pediatrician about how much to give because it has been a while for me (youngest is now 8yrs.)

My son is 2 1/2 now (10.13.06) and we went thru the same thing with him. Its definitely normal that he's not pooping 2 days now. If it went longer, we gave him 2oz apple juice mixed with 2oz water. We initially tried the Karo syrup, but that didn't work at all for us - altho i've heard it works for others. As he got a little older (still under a year) we introduced formula - while still breastfeeding - and he had problems again with not pooping.. we gave him a suppository (ugh) and that had him go. I think Miles may be too young for that now - its been too long i can't say for sure. But i'd certainly try the juice mix. And like someone said earlier.. watch out for the potential blow out when he does go! We've had plenty of shots right up the back!!

Try the 4 P's. Prunes, pears, peaches, and plums. You eat them and try giving them to him. And glycerin suppositories will offer relief almost immediately. Use the fruits as as mover and as preventative measure for the future. Some people swear by prune or pear juice. Did not work for my daughter, but eating the fruits helped a lot. Good luck.

It's totally normal. My daughter was a multiple times a day pooper when exclusively breastfed. Imagine my surprise, when my son, also still exclusively breastfed, went from pooping multiple times a day to going 3 days to a week(!!!!) without pooping. He wasn't constipated, that was just how his body worked. Our ped, (also a pediatric GI specialist), said it was completely normal. He did warn us to to watch out for when he finally does poop. Talk about blow outs!!!

Good luck and try not to worry if you little one isn't acting bothered by it.

A.,
I had this same thing happen to my daughter when she was that age. I called her ped and was told to either put a little Karo syrup in the bottom of her bottle or white grape juice. I tried the Karo syrup and later that night the poo came out. Be prepared for a really full diaper and/or messed up clothes.

Hi A.~
Don't worry. Sometimes babies go for days without a poopie. It's perfectly normal. If it goes beyond a week or so, I'd try something like has been suggested in other responses. One other thing you can try now is to take his temperature rectally. Put some petroleum jelly on the thermometer and slide it in about an inch. You will not be hurting him, and it just might get things moving. Just be sure to clean the thermometer with rubbing alcohol afterward and never use it orally. You can buy little alcohol wipes... that's what I do.
~J.

that happened to our baby boy also from time to time. I was always told not to sweat it if the baby didn't poop for a day or two. I was told that the consistency of the poop is what to watch out for - constipation is indicated by very hard stools, not how often they go.
hope this helps.

When I started my exclusively breast fed daughter solids she went through a faze where her poo was very erratic (even though she wasn't eating much solids). After about 2/3 weeks her body went back to normal and she started pooing regularly again. If he doesn't seem uncomfortable I wouldn't worry to much about it, his body is just growing and adjusting. And kudos on exclusively breastfeeding him for so long. I exclusively breastfed my little girl until she was a year. Everyone thought I was crazy for never offering her formula, but I loved the bonding and she seemed to not have all the little infant illnesses that alot of kids get (even with a kindergartener bringing home tons of germs).

Hi A.

It is common for babies to become constipated , if he isn't eating many fruits or veggies yet then you could try some diluted fruit juice just to help him get going , use some cooled boiled water(around 4oz) and then add 2oz of orange juice or prune juice and keep offering it at various points throughout the day , he should go at some point by the next day , then to stop it happening again just offer him drinks of cooled boiled water at various points daily and this should keep him regular.

Don't worry. He will go. My daughter did this once and after saving it up a couple of days she really let loose! Get ready for a mustard mess! AF

Mix some clear Karo syrup in a bottle with his breast milk- it is a natural softener(pediatrician recommended) that provides gentle movement- no painful explosions!

If he seems uncomfortable, put a teaspoon of dark karo syrup or prune juice in her breast milk or get the prune baby food. worked well for mine. if he is not uncomfortable it is probably just getting used to new foods.

My breastfed son would usually only poop every 2 days, and sometimes 3. A couple times he got constipated and we had to use a glycerin suppository, as per pediatrician's recommendation (take a children's suppository, cut it in half lengthwise, and I usually cut the end off of it. It's not easy to get it in far enough, and they're not happy about it, AND you have to hold their buttcheeks closed so it doesn't pop right back out. It's 10 minutes of trauma and drama, but then they poop and they're much happier, so definitely worth it).