Can Exclusively Breastfed Babies Get Constipated?

As others have said it's normal for breastfed babies to go up to a week to ten days without pooping. As a matter of fact, though, many children and adults are once a week'ers, although that tends to freak once a day'ers out.

It just breaks my heart when I seem parents shoving enemas, shoving fingers up and wiggling them around, forcing milk of magnesia, and forcing fibers on kids just because their digestive systems are different than their parents. Poor traumatized little tykes. (While some children DO get constipated I've seen more terrified kids in the office who just happened to have a totally normal poo schedule that their parents didn't like).

Constipated means that the poop is THERE but is too solid to pass. It comes with a lot of pain and discomfort. An extremely efficient digestive system, however, doesn't create enough poop to eliminate for several days.

My pediatrician always said there is no 'normal' when it comes to breastfed babies and pooping. As long as he acts ok, don't worry about it! :)

Perfectly normal to go several days with no poopy diaper. My son went 12 days between poopy diapers at about 5 or 6 months! As long as he's not fussy or showing other signs of distress, I wouldn't worry about it!

I'm in the perfectly normal camp! My oldest would go up to a week without pooping. Breastmilk is very easily absorbed, and sometimes your baby will just use it all up! As long as he isn't fussy or in pain, he's fine! Just watch out for when he does let go...you may get the dreaded blowout :-)

I wish I had read all these responses when my son was a baby and not pooping. He would go over a week between poops, but our pediatrician kept telling us to give suppositories and even sent us to a GI doctor, who scared the living daylights out of us by giving us worst-case-scenarios and telling us he would need surgery and "painful radiation." Then he told me that I would have to stop breastfeeding because he was having trouble digesting my breastmilk. It was horrible. My son was perfectly fine, he just digested his breastmilk really well and didn't need to poop! What really angered me was that both the pediatrician AND the GI doc told me "they just don't get that much from breastmilk." Thankfully I did not listen to them, and my little guy (now 2) is one of the healthiest kids I've ever known, and he poops regularly. So anyway, I'm glad to see all these responses that it's normal, and I hope you don't stress yourself out too much about it. As long as he seems happy and comfortable, just go with it. Once my son got on solids, he started pooping. A lot. =) Maybe yours will be the same.

I can't remember how old my son was when that happened to him but he didn't have a bm for over a week. When we finally got into the doctor he said it wasn't a big thing because he wan't acting fussy. It's just something that happens sometimes. And yes my son was breastfeed exclusively.

Ditto D.C.--Try not to worry too much. These things work themselves out--no pun intended (well, maybe a little!)

My son was also exclusively breastfed and would go for a while without pooping. Then he would squeeze just a little out for a couple of days. He was a cranky little guy, too.

My sister kept telling me to take him to the chiropractor and I finally listened. I swear to you, one adjustment and he's never been constipated again. Babies get pulled and twisted when they're born, and all of those nerves need a clear path for everything to work well. It was a miracle in our lives...we never wanted him to be on a drug for a prolonged period of time. I have a friend whose little boy is 6 and still takes a stool softener every day of his life. Will he ever be able to have normal bowels without pharmaceutical help? I hope so, but it seems pretty damaging.

So if you want to explore this route, ask around and find a recommendation for a good chiropractor. They are very gentle with babies, and you'll be amazed at how much it helps! I was talking with a chiropractor recently who said it is NOT normal for babies, breastfed or not, to go days and days without pooping.

Good luck!

At about 4 months my son could go over a week between poops and then watch out! It was a mess to end all messes, but he was never constipated.

yes- we had the same things....i have cut all 8 top allergens out:) And yes breastfed babies can go longer in between BM's......if there is no pain or fussiness it may be normal:)
However, I just added probiotics to my sons diet- now that he is older we added flax- ground. I think your son may be too young...but probiotics work wonders:) I would also say away from miralax- not as great as they claim, especially for a 5 month old:)

Totally normal. If you're concerned, you could eat some dried fruit (apricots, prunes, etc.) and that should help. But my son went over a week regularly. But, as some moms have mentioned, be wary of the diaper that DOES finally come, as it will be really full...

Do glad to hear you are exclusively breastfeeding! It's the best food on earth for your baby. I've had 3 exclusively breastfed babies (my youngest is just 8 months) and all 3 have had a period of time between 4 and 6 months where they would go 7-10 days without having a bowel movement. This is totally normal for a healthy baby! My pediatrician and lactation consultant both say this is because breastmilk is so easily digested that there is little to no waste since at this time in the baby's development the bowel is becoming most efficient in absorbing the breastmilk as it passes through. So, don't change your diet, and no need for that chiro visit. Just relax and know that your baby is completely normal. Don't be tempted to use laxatives or home remedies, since this is NOT constipation. I know how worrisome this event is, but please just relax and wait. Best wishes.....R., midwife mom of 3

My son was exclusively BF as well and had the occassional constipation. But never for 3 days I don't recall.

Call the pediatrician and see what they say. I've heard to give karo syrup (a few drops) in a bottle for them. It contains PECTIN which helps move things along. I've also heard to 'rectally stimulate' them by taking their temperature rectally. The stimulation makes some kiddos go.

I breast fed my baby too. The Pediatrician told me that they can sometimes go as long as 4 or 5 days without a bowel movement. My son wasn't constipated, I was just eating right. I would not worry about constipation unless he is fussy and acts constipated. It is good to seek out the pediatrician though, just in case.

D. P.

That does NOT mean he is constipated.
MANY babies, breastfed, do not poop everyday and it is normal.
Do NOT do things to him, just to get him to poop.
He will.
Some babies go even 1 week or more, without pooping.
I would talk to your Pediatrician... to feel better about it.

I'm with everyone else. This can be completely normal. Constipation is having hard stools, and since your baby hasn't gone, you don't know that he is constipated. Most likely he is just absorbing everything well. BF babies can go up to 2 weeks without stooling and just like everyone said, if they seem happy and aren't in pain, no intervention is necessary. I'm on my 4th exclusively breastfed child and all of them at some point have gone long intervals without stooling. My 7 week old has currently gone almost 10 days but is happy. As we use cloth diapers, I just see the lack of poop as a blessing. ;)

I am also a pediatrician and am constantly getting parents who were told they should intervene. You should not do anything unless he is acting fussy or unless his stools are hard. If they are hard, we usually always recommend increasing the fiber and raw fruits/ juices to your own diet and/ or giving him a small amount of pear or prune juice daily. Both those juices work really well as they have sorbital in them which draws water back into the intestines to make stool softer. It is safe for even newborns, but of course, only for constipation. We do not typically start miralax unless the juice doesn't work. You should also ALWAYS try to change things from above (dietary) before sticking anything in his rectum as many babies start to get dependent on the stimulation to have a BM. Also, as he gets older, note that rice cereals and the introduction of cow's milk can be constipating in some children. Anyway your baby sounds fine... no worries. :)

If your pediatrician thinks he may be constipated, I would ask him/her how they feel about giving your son some Miralax. My sister is an NP and she said that it's safe and very effective for people and babies of any age you just have to adjust the dosage. Again, he propbably isn't constipated now but later on when he gets older and starts eating food, it may be handy information to have. :)

they can get constipated but just because he hasn't gone in 3 days it doesn't mean he is. Breastfed babies can a week or so w/o pooping. As long as he isn't fussy he's probably fine :)

Updated

they can get constipated but just because he hasn't gone in 3 days it doesn't mean he is. Breastfed babies can a week or so w/o pooping. As long as he isn't fussy he's probably fine :)

My pediatrician said that is totally normal for breastfed babies to not have a bm up to 6 or 7 days. The breast milk is so efficiently absorbed into their systems.

Breastfed babies dont usually poop everyday. Breastmilk is so good for them that their bodies use all of whats in it and there isnt anything to poop. My baby didnt poop for 3 or 4 days usually