Constipated Baby?

Question

I have a almost 6 week old baby. When she was a week old I hemoraged and had to go back the hospital. While I was there she had to be formula fed. Now I breastfeed her and formula feed her. I was put on a high dose of iron due to the blood loss that I had but found that she wasn't haing a bowel movements but was trying very hard. I stopped taking my iron and have also switched her to a no iron formula. She still isn't regular. She will go 4-5 das without going. I was told that mixing some prune juice with water would help. I have been doing that, about an ounce of juice with ounce and a half or so of water but it seems to give her diarhea every couple of days. Does anyone have any suggestions? She is being fed alot more fomula now as my milk supply is not keeping up with her eating demands due to my blood loss.

Answer 1

my pediatrician toldme to give an ounce of juice and there was no need to dilute it. i used apple juice.

Answer 2

Yes - prune juice will give her diahrea. But it does work. As does apple juice. I think you may be giving her too much prune juice. I would give her less prune juice. Maybe 1/2 an ounce or 1/3 with some water. And give it to her every day at the same time. Like at lunch time. I would give it before her regular bottle. Even if she has diahrea for a little bit, it may just be her body getting used to the juice. You can use less if you need to but I definitely think the juice idea is right. You just have to figure out the right amount and give it to her each day consistently.

Answer 3

Try just breast feeding or formula feeding. I know switching between the two can mess up the digestive system in some babies. If her stools without the prune juice are still a pasty consistancy and she doesn't seem to cry in pain when passing them, chances are she just goes less often than most babies. Still, do take her to her pediatrician to be safe and rule out some kind of virus or health issue. Be specific when describing her probems. I do know that you aren't supposed to give babies that young juice that often (especially prune juice) and if it gives her diarhhea that's not healthy either because she could dehydrate.

Answer 4

Are her stools actually hard and formed? If not, then it's not constipation.

It's normal for a breastfed baby of this age to skip days and not have a bowel movement every day. Since she is being supplemented with formula, I would probably expect to see a BM a little more often than you are though.

Have you talked to a Lactation Consultant or a La Leche League Leader about trying to help boost your supply and get her back to full breastfeeding? The more bottles you give, the lower your supply is likely to dip. The more breastmilk you can get into her, the better she should do with pooping since breastmilk is a natural laxative.

Answer 5

Stop switching her formula - this is the cause. Get a formula you are ok with and stick to it. In the time give her a little diluted prune juice and she will definitely have a bowel movement.

Give her a little less prune juice than you are at the moment. If it does not satisfy you, talk to her doc.

Answer 6

My baby now 8 wks also does not have a movement regularly i also nurse her. I read it is normal for a breastfed baby not to have a bowel for a few days. When my baby does go, boy does she go...its everywhere. Its still a smooth poop tho' and she has no trouble releasing it. Who told you to give a 6 wk old prune juice? Talk to a pediatrician not just anyone.

Answer 7

Doctors will say this is a no, no....but it has been a remedy in my family for years. Get you some WHITE KARO syrup and put about a teaspoon in the bottle along with the formula. The next feeding don't put any in. See if anything happens. If nothing does, then the next feeding I would only put about a half a teaspoon. This should do the trick!!! Karo Syrup is not dangerous either. Doctors just say not to give it to them because it has a lot of sugar.

Answer 8

Pump your breasts to get your milk supply back up and freeze the milk for feeding your not around for since the production is a supply and demand type thing. Second make sure your baby is not on a soy formula soy tends to constipate babies. Hopefully your milk supply will soon out weight her formula demand. Good luck!!!

Answer 9

Peel and boil some pears, then mash them up. Works like prune juice, but not as strong. You can always add a little prune juice if you want.

Answer 10

rub her feet....here's what you do....look at her feet straight on, like if she's laying on her back, you sit at her feet, toes pointing in the air, and here's what you do. her right foot (your left hand) place your thumb in the middle of her foot (in the arch, or where the arch would be) and rub clockwise, with your right hand place your thumb in the middle of her left foot (where her arch wold be) and rub clockwise. Do this for about 10 minutes (minimum 5 minutes) and she should be able to move her bowels within the next 30-45 minutes. You can also try Dark Karo Syrup. That's what my doc recommended to try with my oldest and it worked. mix 1tsp. with 1-2 oz warm water and let her drink it if she will. I recommend the feet thing first though.

Good luck!

Answer 11

Go talk to both her doctor, and yours..
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