My DD is 5 months old and her last bowel movement was nearly 6 days ago, but she is passing gas like a maniac! I called the doctor's office and they suggested pedialite mixed with fruit juice. They said to call back in a couple of days if she hasn't had a BM. We just started rice cereal a couple of weeks ago. Just wondering if this is a common occurrence. This is my first child so everything is a new experience. Thanks!
Additional Info: breastfed only, behaving normal and happy as usual. I am going off of my pediatrician's counsel for starting solids. I know everyone has a different opinion on the topic.
PS If you're going to be condescending, please don't bother to answer the question.
Hurray! We had a bowel movement tonight after a week. It wasn't as explosive as I had imagined. I know I was more relieved than she was (pun intended). Earlier when speaking with the pediatrician I was told not to fret as long as she had a happy disposition, was passing gas, had a soft stomach, and wasn't vomiting. He said some babies poop 7 times a day and some poop once every 7 days.
Thanks for the advice. Proverbs 11:25 "Like apples of gold in settings of silver is word spoken in the right circumstance."
My DD got SOOO constipated on rice!!! I switched her to oatmeal instead... more fiber... lol. I also mix a 'poop-fruit' (like prunes, pear, etc.) into her oatmeal most mornings, just to help keep her going. When she gets plugged up, I usually give her a little bit (about 1 1/2 to 2oz) diluted (1 part juice to 2 parts water) apple/prune juice with every meal until she goes.
looks like you got a lot of opinions here but i'll share two of mine, two of my three boys had constipation issues one could not eat rice cereal but did fine with the oatmeal cereal. the other wouldn't eat either but my Dr had me put 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar in his 4 oz bottle of milk (every bottle). and that seemed to help. we also used suppositories when we had to and it practically made him poop on the spot, I'd insert it cover him with a diaper sing a song or two while he laid on the changing table and he would go every time. I think it was more about the anal stimulation than the suppository.
as far as feeding rice at 5 months, my Dr had me start at 3 months, all dr's are different.
try the brown sugar
Rice and rice cereal are well known constipators - which is why BRAT diet is prescribed for diarhea (bananas, rice, apples and toast/breads).
Why is a 5 month old eating solids yet anyways? Majority do not have the proper gag and swallow reflexes until about 7 months old. Also, the gastrointestinal tract is still open and immature... BAD idea to give solids so early.
Concentrate on breastfeeding... or if synthetic nutrition is given - then just that.
hi ~
another thought is to try massage. when my DD gets backed up I do the following massage for 5-10 minutes and he has a "blow out" typically within an hour or so
http://www.liddlekidz.com/massage-for-constipation.html
more tips:
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/constip.htm
GOOD LUCK!
Check out this website about rice cereal: http://www.drgreene.com/whiteout
My son was exclusively breastfed also and went up to 14 days without a BM. Pretty normal for breastfed babies. As long as she's not in distress of any kind, don't worry about it. A word of warning...when she does have one, it will be BIG!!!
If you're exclusively breastfeeding and she doesn't appear to be in pain, it's totally normal. Passing gas is a sign that everything is still 'running smoothly'. I would NOT give a baby this young juice, despite what your doc's office said.
My girls went so long as 14 days without a bm. It just mean that they're using all they're consuming; no waste to get rid of. Now, if baby's on formula I still wouldn't give her juice, but would take her to the doc in a few days.
I work at a pediatrician's office. I just had a baby girl 2 months old, she was having major complication issues. The doctor suggested using culturelle for kids. Its a powder packet loaded with good bacteria to help boost their immune system and healthy digestion. You just put one packet in a bottle once a day. Helps them become regular! It's great!1
karo syrup works great i use the often.
Hi. I didn't breastfeed but both of mine did this when they started cereal. I gave mine a small amount of prune juice daily until they where weaned and on solid food.
C.
Rice cereal is not a high fiber food that makes bm's easy.
Remember the diet for diarrhea: BRAT
(Bananas, rice, applesause, toast)
all those stop the stuff from moving thru, so it is likely that rice cereal is slowing things down.
Is she uncomfortable and in pain, or just gassy?
If she's not in pain, and still acting fairly normal, things are OK.
Do what the Docs office said and yes, call them back, if nothing happens.
I had to take my daughter off rice cereal b/c she was getting constipated. I tried a couple different times with the same result and even tried oatmeal too. I found that giving her Milicon drops would help a little. She isn't on any cereal at this point.
Omg people amaze me! Anyways...seems like you've received SOME good advice but I wanted to second the tummy massage. Maybe also try pumping and bicycling her legs. This will get things moving around. Def back down on the cereal. My daughter never ate prunes by themselves but would eat prune apple baby food or juice. Also don't know if your daughter has already had peaches but if she can I would give her peaches, apricot, or plum baby food. My 2 year old is having bm issues and these are the fruits suggested to me by her pedi. Good luck!
Sounds just like my little girl. If she is drinking plenty of milk (and so not dehydrated) I wouldnt worry too much about it.
If, when she had a bm, it seems to be really hard, I would look into giving her some prunes and pears and limit rice and bananas (which can make her constipated).
Sounds normal to me!
It's the iron in the cereal. I switched to Happy Bellies cereal. It has reduced iron plus probiotics. He's been on solid food for 3 months, when I use regular baby cereal he is instantly constipated! I mix Happy Bellies with all of his baby food now and we haven't had any more problems.
Have fun!
Mmmmm..... NOT exclusively breastfed if you just started her on cereal.
If she was exclusively breastfed I'd say "no worries"... once a week or even once ever 8-10 days is both common and normal. Once solids are well established (aka toddlers to adults) many of us are "once a week'ers". (That always freaks the every-gol-durned-day'ers out. Personally I couldn't imagine wasting that much time every day. What a hassle.). But digestive problems immediately following starting your little one on solids is a huge yellow flag.
Most babies aren't ready for solids until 6-9mo (as in they can't digest them at all, it's like us eating cardboard), and some not until 1yo. It's a bell curve. A small percentage younger than 6mo with an equally small percentage at over a year... with the majority falling between 6-9mo. But that doesn't mean 6mo on the nose. It might mean 7 months and a week... or 9mo and 2 weeks. If you're on here long enough you'll notice the SLEW of digestive and sleep problems that kick in when a lot of mums start their kids on solids. If the digestive system is matured enough for solids, there won't be new digestive problems.
Simple Fix: Stop the solids for a few months and allow her digestive system to mature a little more. :)
My son had the same problem. I had to get some suppository. They have some at the drug store for children. No it's not fun but they do have some that don't have a lot of chemicals in them that will not hurt the baby. They helped him a lot. Cause at this point it sounds like if she has not had one for that long feeding her different things may take a long time to work through where ever is blocked.
Good luck and God Bless!!
This is one of the many reasons I never gave my kids rice cereal.
Flax seed oil in the food!
