Baby Constipation

I agree with Dana. The AAP suggests waiting until 6 mos. Was there a certain reason your ped suggested it? I would hold off and wait a bit longer on anything other than breastmilk or formula.

Hi,my daughter used to get that all the time..try putting 1 or 2 teaspoons of the gerber prunes in his cereal. It worked for my daughter,hope that works for him. Goodluck!

Mona!

The extra Iron in the cereal combined with the Iron in his formula is making him constipated.

In all honesty your baby does not "need" to be eating any solids at this point...and actually the American Academy of Peds says that solids should not be introduced until at least 6months.

Hi H.,
My son is two, and he had a problem with Rice Cereal. It seemed to contipate him. So I stuck with the Oatmeal Cereal and that seemed to work. I know each baby can be different, but Rice Cereal has no fiber. Let me know how it works. Yes, the apple juice also works well, when ever there is a problem.
Good luck,
J.

Hi, I know you will get a lot of don't feed your baby until 6 months. That being said YOU know your baby. Mine was on rice ceral at 2 months. Long story. That being said constipation was an issue. I used & still do (she is 10 months now) the small gerber juces you buy next to the babyfood. They are already watered down for you. I give her a different juice almost everyday in her cereal. I would only try a new one every few day & never had a problem. This way she get to try new cereal and not the same old thing everyday.
Good Luck.
Cyndi

The introduction to solids first off is a change in your little man's system, so he needs to adjust, but they say to do the BRAT diet (Banana-RICE-Apples-Toast) if you have diarreah because it will stop you up- same is true during regular times. The week long run of rice cereal probably is your culprit. Now that you know he's OK with it, alternate days of Rice & Oatmeal (higher fiber) and things should work out OK. (I would still do with formula and use the juice for instances such that you did when he needs a little help.) I also would recommend this site for introduction to foods!
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/foodsbytypeandage.htm
Good luck! Take lots of messy face pictures! =o)

We put prune juice (1 tsp) in our daughters bottle once a day and this kept her going regularly. Also instead of rice cereal we used barley which is less constipating.

I`ve done both. Prunes/juice works great!

He really doesn't NEED the cereal. Giving any "food" at this age is really just practice for eating future solids. If it is causing a problem, I would stop for now. He may have an allergy to one of them causing tummy trouble. Nutritionally, breastmilk or formula suffices for a year.

I know you said your ped recommended it but my advice is to lay off on the solids for at least a few more months. It's obvious by his reaction to them that his gut isn't ready. The AAP says babies can survive on nothing but breastmilk or formula alone for the first year! Solids are just for fun at this age. My daughter didn't really get into solid foods until she was about 9/10 months old and now she eats very well (at her own pace) at 15 months.

Good luck!

I think it is a great idea to use just one of the cereals to determine which one is causing constipation.

The cereal already has sugar in it and then adding the apple juice is additional sugar, which your baby doesn't need.

As I am sure you know, even though he may not have teeth yet, the sugar will affect his teeth and immune system.

Hope everything works out!

M.

It probably has more to do with he isn't used to "solid" foods. Oats are high in fiber so once his system adjusts to it, he shouldn't have too many problems with being constipated. Mixing it with juice is a good idea. What I did with my son was I would put some cereal into the bowl, a little powdered formula and then mix it with apple juice or a prune/apple type juice. Only mix it with the juices a few times a week, because apples and prunes have a lot of fiber ... lots of poop. :) Good luck with your little one!

I agree with your friend as a mom of three and former pediatric nurse. Whenever contipation occurred I would make the cereal with apple juice and give the forumla separately. You may also want to ease up a bit on the oatmeal for a little while longer. Oatemal is so much bulkier than rice cereal and hard to "pass". So, go back to the rice cereal and juice while the contiation ends. Then slowly add the rice cereal and oatmeal together. Starting with more rice cereal than oatmeal for a week then adding a little more per week until you get to a 50/50 mixture. Hope this helps....

Try introducing prunes. They work fabulously!!! My daughter will go great for days and LOVES the prunes!

Very well said Lacy. I couldnt agree more!!!

**Oh yes, ABSOLUTELY ask your ped before you start Karo (thought that was a no-brainer :))...but it's a very old trick used for generations. Unfortunately, people think our parents and grandparents were stupid and knew nothing!**

Hi H.~
Im assuming you are a smart mom and you are aware of the AAP *suggestions* (which most docs don't follow anyway), and that you, in partner with your doc, are very capable of knowing/doing what is best for YOUR baby. You don't need people who never ask advice but always give it to answer your question with a reprimand, like you are incapable of your own thought! :) Can you imagine not feeding your baby solids until a year? I can't! My kids were eager to get foods into their mouths to feel, chew on, taste and just experience from WAY before 1 year!

Okay...off of my soapbox and onto the question at hand. Rice is constipating, so is iron sometimes. My kids were very constipated no matter what I fed them and in fact, they still take a maintenance dose of about 1/8 dose of Miralax daily. As babies, the ONLY way to keep them going was dark Karo syrup in every bottle...about a Tbs or so (no need to measure). It stays in their dig. tract and makes everything softer. It won't make them fat, I was afraid of that but was reassured by the doc. It does, however, make them not want plain formula anymore but that wasn't a concern b/c I had to put it in EVERY bottle to keep them going. Worked like a charm. As toddlers I tried everything...EVERYTHING to keep them regular. No food, or combination of food worked. After 2 impactions I stopped messing around with foods and had to turn to the Miralax. You may not get to that point and even if you do, it would be a ways down the road.

Try the Karo...it can't hurt and it just may help! Oh yes, btw...there is no sugar in baby cereal or juice that is 100% juice. You can mix them, my kids loved it that way! Sugar that occurs naturally in whole foods is fine for your kids.

Good luck!

Hey H.,

Whoa, I would really filter any advise you are given here. I do agree with somethings that everyone has said. Yes, iron in BOTH the formula and cereal is a possible culprit for constipation. Maybe try just giving the oatmeal cereal instead of the rice. Just remember, at this point there is no nutritional benefit for solids, it is just a "practice" part of eating right now.

I am a bit concerned though about the advise of the use of Karo syrup (I'm really not trying to make anyone mad) But this is something you need and should speak with your peds doc before trying. The only reason I say this is because Karo syrup can help, yes, but it can cause you a whole lot of trouble to. If given wrong, or too much it can cause loose watery stool, which can then cause dehydration and then screw up the electolytes in your son's system. Also the manufatures of Karo syrup don't pasturize their product, and can't guarantee that there will be no bacteria present in the syrup, and we would be talking about the same bacteria that some fourty something women love because of what it does for wrinkles.... yes botulism. Go to http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/karo-syrup-for-constipat... And do some reading for yourself.

Sorry I'll get off my soap box.

I agree with the partnership of parents and doctors, but remember, doctors do have a better understanding of the way our bodies work, and why somethings should be used and NOT used. Now saying that, I will say, they don't know everything, that is why we have instincts, so use them.

If you have to use something to "help" have a BM on a regular basis, there is a problem, and the need of a doctor is in order.

My first son had issues with consipation, and it was because of the formula and cereal on his little system. Formula itself does a number on the baby's GI tract, it's just not a natural food, and can and does cause allergy and other issues. So when I had my next baby, I chose to breastfeed, and never had another issue with constipation, and the same with my next after that.

Now I have a three month old, and I will start him on solids when he shows me the signs of being ready, and not sooner that that.

sorry for the ranting.

Please research it, talk with your doctor, use your intincts and make an informed choice!

Good luck

Hi H.,

I have two children and the Rice Cereal definitely constipated my youngest. I just switched her to the oatmeal and she did just fine after that. Good luck!