Has Anyone Used the Karo Syrup?

I would switch formulas maybe soy or lactose free you will be suprised what a difference it makes...

I used the karo syrup with all 3 of my kids. It doesn't take much, they like the taste, and it works. Good luck.

My son LIVED on Karo syrup at my pediatrician's suggestion to ease constipation when he was an infant. He had the same trouble if I gave him more than 2 oz formula. You have to use the dark Karo, according to my pediatrician. It was a life saver!

I was raised in the south and we also did that. It worked for most everyone I knew growing up. Problem is now days no one wants to give their kids that much concentrated sugar. My grandmother up north from Pennsylvania used karo syrup and castor oil.

I would instead switch to a low iron formula because iron tends to constipate people and babies. Also make sure your little one is drinking enough throughout the day to stay hydrated because getting a little dehydrated can cause constipation as well.

Hi A.

not saying grandma's thoought isn't right and it probably does work. Keep in mind that adding something as strong as pure sugar to a baby that young is setting you up for problems later. It isn't the healthiest idea. if you are giving him formula why not talk to the doctor about swiching to a formula less iron fortified??
My youngest grandson was having huge problems and momma swiched him to a lesser formula and he's continued to do wonderful for the last 3.5 to 4 months. wives tales are usually great but can be more harmful than we might realize. we are much more educated and versed on medical issues today than of days gone by. Good luck with whatever you choose. Being momma gives you certain rights and you exercise your rights cuz you can!!! J. mom of 4 adult kids and mamaw to 2 wonderful lit'l mens ages 5 and 5 months

I'm late in responding to this, but I agree with those who have advised using fruit juices such as prune or apple. Karo syrup is pure corn syrup loaded with unnecessary sugar.

Mineral oil? Corn Syrup? O my! I would think apple or prune juice very diluted you would a more natural approach than sugar syrup or (have you looked up what mineral oil really is?!?!?!) Honestly I would supplement with some omega oils (adults can do fish, but probably not good for babies. Not sure if ground flaxseed is possible either, but this or prune juice would be preferable over the other 2 choices

Isee it worked...I was going to tell ya I have used that with all 3 kids and it has worked well with each of them. Our Dr. recommmended it!

Our daughter had the same problem. We put in one tsp. of prune juice into her AM bottle and then she started to go daily. It really seemed to help with her straining and now (11 months old) we don't use it at all.

My son is 2 years old now and I used the Karo syrup a few times when he was an infant. Either he was due to go or it really works. The pediatrician gave me the idea. I don't think it hurts to try! Good Luck!

I would talk to your pediatrician, and personally would never give a baby corn syrup. It's really dangerous to up their sugar intake that much.

Personally, it sounds to me like food allergies or possibly not being well hydrated. I would try a dairy-free formula before I would do corn-syrup, but then again, I have never given a baby formula at all (I just cut dairy from my diet because it was bothering my baby in my breastmilk and that worked like a charm for me.)

Hope you find an answer soon
M.

Hi A.,

We had to use the Karo too. My brother-in-law is a pharmacist and he recommended it to us. It worked great. Our son's problem has persisted and he is now 3 years old. Our pediatrician has us now using Mirolax. We thought at some point we would be able to wean him from this, but everytime we try he gets backed up again. We give him a very small dose each day in his morning milk to keep him regulated. It is straight fiber so our dr said it would not hurt him. He also eats lots of fruit and vegggies too however seems to need this extra boost of fiber.

Blessings,
L.

My grandmother used it on my kids and it made it worse, sugar creates constipation. Use applesauce in the formula, natural laxative.

My son started having issues at exactly that age. He had a combination of breastmilk and formula and often wouldn't go for a week.

If the problems continue, I would talk to you doctor about Miralax. When I started talking to other moms about our experiences, there are a lot of kids on Miralax until they are potty trained. Our doctor explained that it's very safe because it simply lays glucose molecules in the gut that draw water and make it easy for the baby to go. It's not a stimulant so it can be used long-term and doesn't have the drawbacks of Karo Syrup (addiction to sweetness, overall dangers of corn syrup, and risk of botulism).

Hi A.,
Congrats on your first baby, you get so excited but then when they are born you realize they do not come with an instruction manual. Yes the Karo syrup does work. My pediatricain used to recommend it for my kids whent hey were babies with the formula and especialy when they started taking cereal in formula at night.You may want to change formula. We used Similac and neither if my kids responded well.They had gas from it. One responded to the soy based version and the other one I put on Carnation, way cheaper and better.

My family has used this for years. I in fact just last week recommended it to another mama source mom. It works. put it in a bottle of warm formula. and within a very short time it works. I am not sure a half teaspoon will do anything at all thought. More like a tablespoon. But try it. it won't hurt anything and will make him feel so much better afterwards.

Hi A.. I know you received several responses and I am glad that you tried the Karo. All 3 of my children had poop issues and we used it for all of them. Our pediatrician suggested it because the sugar in the syrup pulls moisture into the bowels which adds water to the poop and makes it easier to come out. He said that it was ok to do it as often as needed. He said that there was nothing wrong with doing it to help them out. When I asked him about switching formulas he said that usually, an adverse reaction to formula would be diarrhea (sp?) not constipation.

Good luck!

You might not want to use the Karo syrup too often, since it has corn and it is sweet. It could be harmful for long term use. Instead, talk with your doctor. Mineral Oil does the same thing and doesn't have anything harmful in it, it is also cheaper too.

Hi A.,

Yes, I have used it. It does work! My pediatrician told me to put about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon in with your formual. Its worth a try! Good luck!

J. M.

I see you used the syrup, and it worked. My ped. told me to use it for both of my girls and it did work. I wouldn't switch formulas, like some suggested. My youngest was on soy and still had the same problems. And if you ask alot of the older generations they used it on their kids, and I'm pretty sure we all turned out ok. Just giving my say on things, and I'm happy for you that it worked out.

My Children's Pediatric Dr had me give my son White Grape Juice -mixing 1 oz juice and 3 oz water in a bottle. Worked for him.
I would not give him Karo Syrup without asking your Dr first!

Hi new mom. It is okay to use Karo syrup. I have 2 1/2 year old twin boys. I used it with them and they are okay. I still use syrup to help with bowel movements.

I have used it with both daugthers (formulas fed from the age of 3 weeks). I only used a couple drops in a bottle, but it almost always did the trick... :)

We had this problem with one of our son's, and our pediatrician told us to use Karo syrup and it worked for us. I can't recall however how old he was when we did it....

Hi A.,

Our pediatrician actually recommends the karo syrup for helping with BMs. There recommendation was 1 Tablespoon of light karo syrup with 2 oz of water up to once a day. Our little one was on soy formula and it made her constipated. We made our formula in a larger batch and added the karo mix everyday. That helped keep her regular.

A.-
I was advised to also use KARO syrup too. My oldest (14 now) was having the same exact problem. My Dr.. did advise me the same thing... however, it didn't work for us, I used "babylax" suppositories and when he was in alot of pani, Dr. told me to just stimulate him with the thermometer and that made him go for sure.

I've been in your shoes, I remember the pain they went through... it was awful & you feel so helpless. Hope this helped a little... they will grow out of it. Mine did!!!

M.

My girlfriend used prune juice and that worked. I'd be a little wary of all the corn syrup in Karo, but if you have to use it and it's such a small amount, maybe that wouldn't be a problem.

I'd look into the pros and cons of using soy formula if you decide to take that advice. I've heard a lot of negative things about it, especially with boys as it contains a lot of plant estrogens. I don't have a lot of info about it, but I know if it was me I'd want to know more before switching to what seems to be a very controversial baby formula.

Karo syrup worked for my daughter. It softens their bowel movement so it is easier for them to "push" it out. Eventually they learn to do it themselves.

Hello A..

My 7 month old daughter went through the same thing that your 2 month old is going through now. My daughter makes faces and sounds that seem as if she was going to die while having a bowel movement. She is fine and as time has gone by, she is doing much better. I was told by my physician that 1 teaspoon of brown sugar put in the formula would work. I was also told to try pear juice and also to try doing baby crunches. If all of that did not work, I was then to try a suppository. The brown sugar worked. I have heard that you can use Karo syrup. I never tried because I was a little apprehensive of what could possibly happen.
I used the brown sugar and it did work. Sometimes my daughter would have a bowel movement right away and sometimes it took a couple of hours before she had one. I hope this helps.

Hi A., this is not a wives tale. My pediatrician recommended I use a teaspoon in his formula before he was three months old & then after to use apple prune juice. Something about the calorie intake being more with the apple prune juice. I would talk to your ped first however because this was a one time thing & I don't know if I'd do it without checking with him first.
Good luck!

Yes; our pediatrician recommended it to us and it does work. The formula is sweet already, so I don't think they miss it if you don't add it later.

Good luck!

Sorry just read this, but sounds like you may need another fix in the next few days. I used mango juice or mango puree and it really helped when my son was tiny like yours. That was on the recommendation of our pediatrician.

It has been my experience that old wives tales are usually the best.

I would recommend using Baby Calm (buy it at Whole Foods). It works wonderfully.

Also add a probiotic into his bottles or digestive enzymes.

My third son was severly constipated when he switched over to soy formula at 6 months. All of the above turned things back to normal.

my sister used it with two of her kids and it worked great. She used the white syrup she would put in their bottles. The only problem was getting the off it because they liked the sweetness so much.

Have you talked to your ped about this? My daughter had the same thing and we had to change formulas. I wouldn't use the syrup because it's got so much junk in it that especially a 2 month old should never have in their system. You have to find the reason for the constipation, not just keep doing the same old thing and making him miserable. The syrup is just a band aid and not a permanent solution. Their digestive system can't process the syrup so talk to your doctor and find the right formula.

Yours in health,
K.

I used the syrup. It worked well! Thank god it worked! I cannot remember if I put it in formula or water. You don't need alot of it though.

Absolutely do not give your child Kyro syrup, it is all sugar. Since your child is so young it could be that he is allergic to the formula, I would check with your ped. I nursed and did not have this problem until my child turned about 7 months, when I stareed him on foods. I gave my child a teaspoon of organic flaxseed oil in his baby food. It is healthier than mineral oil and good for him. For a baby your age, I would contact the ped and find out if you should switch formula.
Good luck.

C.

We used Karo syrup - at the advice of my doctor - with boy of my boys. They were both breastfed, so we didn't start it until they were on cereal (they didn't need it before then). It really helped with both of them. And since my oldest could eat an entire pint of blueberries and still be constipated, the Karo was really necessary! Good luck

I have used this before. I was actually told to use this by our doctor. She said just put a tiny bit of the uncolored Karo syrup in with the formula. It helped my daughter go. Hope this helps and hope your little one goes!

Like many of these other moms, I used Karo successfully for my preemie son. His poops would be so hard and so large it looked like he was trying to push a baseball out! Karo syrup and sometimes the help of a rectal thermometer worked for quite some time. If it no longer works, our doctor recommended Agoral for him as a baby, then another lax we used in bottle. At about 2 years old we switched him to Children's Senokot. It was chocolate flavored and we mixed it in his milk. He had this problem for a long time, but now at age 13 has normal, daily BMs. Keep the faith!

Hi,
When my 5 year old was little our Ped told us to do that. So it is safe.

S.

my daughter has had pooping issues since day 1. at 2 months we started giving her 1 oz of prune juice. by the time she was 4 months, she was up to 2 oz of prune juice twice a day and 1/3 container of baby prunes twice a day (on the recomendation of my husband's uncle who is a pediatrician. Since 4 months, the issue has been much better. Definitely try some prune juice it will help make pooping easier. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Hi A. H. I have used the Karo syrup and it seemed to work OK. My son is now 10 months and early on, my doctor suggested adding an extra ounce of water to the formula. That seemed to help quite a bit. She also reminded me that he may not go every day. He's on solids now and goes every other day.

Good luck!

I used it with my son, but he was about 6 months and I put it in water. I also only used a VERY little bit, not even 1/2 tsp. It did work, but I am not sure I would be comfortable using this method on such a little baby. I never used formula, but maybe trying another type of formula might be easier on his belly.
Good luck,
K.

Hi A....Iam alittle late responding but I thought I would answer anyways...when my nephew was an infact (he is 13 now). He couldnt take any kind of formula and my sister couldnt breastfeed so the only chose was regular mile with karo syrup in it, but my sister used a full teaspoon in atleast 1 of his bottles a day so he would not have a problem with is bowels. Now with all of our kids anytime with have a problem with backed-up bowels we will feed them a teaspoon of karo syrup and with in a couple hrs they are able to go....but we buy the clear syrup not the dark syrup. I dont remember the reasoning behind it to be honest. Good Luck and it wont hurt your baby at all....And congrats on your baby boy.

Have you consider changing the formula ? I found that similac brand cause constipation for my child. But enfamil brand is fine. My friend has the same problem also. I think switching formula will be better than keep giving karo syrup.

First of all, Congrats to you on having a new baby boy! How exciting... enjoy every day since they go fast!

When we changed from BF-ing to exclusively formula we had the same problem. After a couple of weeks of her having hard rock like bowels and cramping with stinky gas we switched her to soy based formula and things got better fast. That might be an option! Lots of peds offices can give you a sample can of it. I used Similac Soy Formula.

Another thing that may help is moving his little legs like in a bicycle movement. Also running the belly in a circular motion. It helps get things moving a little bit and it might even make it easier for him to go. It also helps with gas as well- just do not sit on the recieving end :) We also did warm baths to soothe her... she enjoyed them and would relax a lot in them.

I am not sure how comfortable I would be giving an infant Karo Syrup. This is something I would definately discuss with his pediatrician. If your next appt is not soon then put a call in to them. I am sure they will get you in sooner or probably even help over the phone!

Good luck and many blessings to you and yours!

**** I was just babbling with my hubby over this and our daughter when he reminded me that we would have this problem no matter which formula we used if we did not heat it up. Might want to give that a try! (hate when Daddy remembers more than me lol)

No have not used Karo, but it sounds to me as if you need to use something else. My son had problems until he was 8 or 9 with horrible constipation. Started around the time he was being potty trained. He would wait a week or more and yes, it hurt. We kept a knife in bathroom just to (yucky as it sounds) cut it up so it could go down. Dr's told me to give him all sorts of stuff, prune juice, laxatives, water. All that did was make it leak out of his pants, did not make him go at all. I stopped asking him if he's ok with that since he's 23, but I've had 3 friends who had boys and they all went thru it. Talk to the pediatrician and the pharmacist maybe they can come up with a concoction that will help him. Good luck

Old wives tales are wonderful and always the best. But, please don't use the Karo syrup one. There's been a new study just out that they've identified either mercury or aluminum in some of the corn syrup products, from the machinery used in processing the corn. Please, don't even take any chances with this as mercury and aluminum both are questionable in autism and also learning disabilities. Apple juice is binding, but prune juice is safe, but at that young age, always check with your pediatrician first.