Glycerin Suppository

My daughter had the same constipation problems, and my pediatrician said the same thing. As long as the kid doesn't seem uncomfortable than there isn't too much to worry about. Have you tried prune juice or pear juice. I have been using the prune juice on my very constipated newborn, and it works wonders (as it did with my daughter). Or a thermometer rectally, using vasaline. These two techniques worked great. If that doesn't help then maybeuise the suppositories. Good luck.

I would listen to my pediatrician. If he is not uncom-
fortable, just wait another couple of days.

I used liquid glycerin suppository on my child. they work excellent.. and it's not as hard as the reg. suppository.. they are made for children. you don't even have to use a lot. I would use if after it's been 4 days.. because then they seem to have a hard time... good luck... I also would try vaseline on a q-tip... and just insert a little bit.. this will help too.

Hi A., I think your baby would thank you for some relief. Once he gets going he may need extra water or juice to keep regular. My best, Grandma Mary

It is normal for babies that age to go through a few month period when they have less frequent bowel movements. Their bodies start becoming more efficient. My daughter went through a few months when she would have a BM about every 3 - 6 days. Each time when she finally did have one, it all came out....so it was quite messy. My doctor also said it was normal. As she got older, the BMs became more frequent again. I think you should just wait a couple of more days and if still no BM, then speak to your doctor.

My advice is to wait - that is a very drastic measure as you said and he is not in discomfort. It is normal for them to go a few days without pooping at this age, especially if breastfed. I went through that with my son and people told me to do the "rectal stimulation" (ugh - what a phrase!) and it was not worth it. He was fine, sometimes it just takes a while. If they are exclusively breastfed they can go up to 10 days sometimes! If he is fine then don't worry about it.

both my kids had problem with BM when they were babies. our pediatricain recommend using the suppositories after 3 days with no BM. Even though we'd cut it in half so it's skinnier, they really hate it and screamed for at least 10 minutes afterwards. we tried to give them lots of veggies and fruits and liquids, and babyfood prunes (which yours might still be too young) and it helped a little. I think it's just their digestive system not maturing. My 8 yo is ok now, she poos almost every day but they looked like bunny poos (nuggets), and my 5 yo son still poos every 2 or 3 daysand still have mild constipation sometimes.

My cousin's son went for 7 days without BM around your son's age, but he was fine and eventually made a big one. Hope yours is the same way.

Hello,
My 6 month yr old just went thru something similiar. We went to the pediatrician after about 10 days and she recommended prune juice. She advised us to give her 3-4 oz of prune juice a day. It has worked like a charm! She started making BMs after one day of prune juice. It does not seem to cause any discomfort. Our pediatrician advised glycerin if the prune juice didnt work.

For about a month at around 7 - 8 months or so my daughter had constipation problems - my doctor had me use the suppositories on her and then she was fine. I have never heard anything about them being drastic measure, and my ped said we should use them after 2 days with no bm. Now that she is older I give her juice, but I think your son is a little young for that route.

Good luck!

Hi A.,

Rhannie's advice was excellent. I would suggest the same things. Not having a bowel movement for that long is NOT normal at any age and is not healthy. Toxins are excreted in your waste and the longer you hold onto that the more you absorb back into your body. Do not wait until 8-9 days.

Glycerin draws moisture from the walls of the bowels to soften the waste so that it can be excreted. But that doesn't solve the problem because now the bowels are further dehydrated perpetuating the problem and requiring more suppositories. Don't use them. But don't wait 8-9 days to do anything.

What is he eating? Foods, formula, breast milk? The digestive tract needs to have good intestinal flora in order function properly and the foods he is eating will have an affect on the intestinal flora. If he is strictly breastfed, then look at your diet and make sure to eliminate sugars. If he is on formula, check out www.westonaprice.org for homemade formulas, and if he has started foods, stop them and go back to what was working until he can tolerate the foods. Hope this helps. Feel free to respond to me for any questions. Blessings, T. E. www.LiveWellShopSmart.com www.LovinLifeWithHomeBiz.com

Do you know why they aren't supposed to be good? Our daughter was constipated at around 4 months and our ped told us to give it to her. She was fine and only needed it once. I'd love to know why b/c I can't find any info online about any negatives. Good luck!

Hi A.,

I would agree with Melissa K - my daughter is 6.5 months as well and we just switched her to some solids in addition to breast milk. She went about six/seven days without a BM and in reading up about it, it seems that there bodies just become more efficient in using the nutrients and that it might sometimes take longer for them to go. She was fine, in no apparent discomfort and laughed and played and ate as usual. When she finally went, it was a very big one, reflecting the solids she was eating (organic blended peas that I cooked and mashed and homecooked organic sweet potatoes). And she didn't go with any discomfort either. So perhaps wait like the pediatrician says and see if she goes, before doing anything.

i'm sure you've tried prune or pear juice, giving him plenty of water and all the other good stuff on the "inbound" side. Something a little less drastic than the suppository on the "outbound" is take a qtip put a little baby oil (or cream) on it, and poke him VERY gently in the butt. It sounds a little gross, but it works like a charm! in a minute or two there will be a volcano coming out (so be ready). And if nothing comes out, then i wouldn't worry about it, it just means he doesn't have to go.
Is he breastfed? breastfed babies tend to poop less, it's totally normal. my daughter used to poop only once every 5 -7 days for the first 5 - 6 months of her life until she started taking in solids.
Good luck and don't worry too much about it. if your baby is in pain, he will let you know.

Hi A.,
I wouldn't use them if your doctor advised you not to. I had used them a couple of times when my son was a year and transitioned to whole milk when I weaned at 13-14 months, it's pretty icky. I would try more natural means first like a little prune juice or other dietary means. You didn't mention if your baby is breastfed or bottle fed. It's not uncommon for a breastfed baby to go a week without bowel movements after you start giving solids and it's really not considered constipation.
Good luck and I hope things get moving soon!

My son didn't poop for 8 days when I switched him from breastmilk to formula. My Dr. suggested the suppository or the sticking a thermometer up his rectal to loosen things up. I couldn't do either! A mom had told me to put some prune juice in his bottle and it worked! You can also massage the tummy - rub in a clockwise motion. A massage therapist told me that. If he's isn't showing much discomfort then I wouldn't be too worried. I would suggest a little prune juice in the bottle and give it a few days. If still nothing don't feel bad calling your Dr. to keep them updated. I don't think they get too concerned unless the baby is uncomfortable or it's been closer to 2 wks. Good luck! Just know this is completely normal!

My son had the same problem and after going to a pediatric GI when he was about 3 months old, they told us to give him infant glycerin suppossitories - up to once a day if he was uncomfortable and there were no issues. Once he was able to start eating, we started with oatmeal (rice is constipating) and prunes as the first food and now he is perfectly fine. As soon as they are eating a variety of food, they will naturally regulate.

I hope that he feels better!

A.,

I never tried the suppositories with my son, but avacados and prune juice worked great.

-R.

I would follow your doctor's advice. My son had "spotty" bowel movemets in the first several months of his life because he was breastfed. All the literature I read was that a baby's body can truly utilize all the nutrients in breatsmilk because it is so well suited for human consumption and thus have fewer bowel movements sometimes. However you baby is a little older, if you are giving solids and are more concerned, use the suppository once your doctor gives the okay. Prune juice works, I found pear baby food REALLY worked and any massage that you can do on his tummy or hiney can also get things moving.
Good Luck!

Chill out. Would you like a suppository put up there? I'd try to see if there is any other way to accomplish the same result without that. Sometimes the career woman instincts gets can in the way of just being a CONCERNED-yet-relaxed mom.

I have used glycerin and other suppositories for my daughter once for constipation and another time when she was throwing up continuously and the doctor had to use another way to get the medicine in. Both times we got positive results. She was 4 yr and 7yr respectively. Since your child is not even one year old I really cannot suggest either way for lack of experience.

A.,
When my daughter was about 6 months old, she got very constipated. She was in pain and didn't poop for a few days. We gave her the Pedialax suppository. It is actually a liquid suppository, so it's much less uncomfortable and it worked great. She pooped later that day. The reason we gave it to her was that she was in pain. If you have talked to your doctor, and your son doesn't seem to be in any pain, I would wait the 8-9 days, however if he does seem to get more uncomfortable, I would consider it.

My son, who is now 13 months old, continuously had constipation problems. I have given him suppositories at 6 months old. I too was a bit nervous giving it to him, but he did make a BM within 10 minutes and the suppository comes right out with the poo.my son still gets constipated occasionally and I have even given him the Fleet liquid enema and wow did that work!! You can use half of a suppository if you want. I have done that before and that too worked. If you don't want to go that route, prunes worked too and lots of water. Good luck!

It seems scary when they don't go, I went through the same thing when I switched my son from bm to formula. It was 8 days before he went! So in my limited experience, I think it just happens sometimes. I heard it was consistency and not frequnency to worry about and I tried to keep saying that to myself! Good luck!

We had a similar situation when my son was 4 months old. Our pediatrician recommended that we stimulate his anus. I know - sounds crazy! I stripped him down on the changing table, dipped a rectal thermometer into Vaseline and inserted the tip. Within 30 seconds, it was a success. Put your son on a towel, burp cloth or (better yet) a disposable diaper. It was indeed pretty gross, but we all felt much better afterwards!
Good luck!

my son, now 3, had some constipation issues when he was a baby...i have two suggestions for you (thanks to my pediatrician)...warning...one is gross but it works...

not gross - gerber prunes....they are stage 1 (if i'm remembering right) and they are sweet enough for the kids to eat it...also prune juice (just a little - works like a charm) - it is a harder sell...

gross - take a qtip and put a lot of vasaline on it....place it in the babys rectum....worked for us 9 times out of 10....you will most likely see poop on the qtip and then watch out...the poop usually follows soon after...just stimulates the whole poop process....

we never had to use asuppository with those options...

good luck to u

Have you tried other things first?

Rectal thermometer
Prune juice (1/2 watered down)
Baby mango food
or any of the other things other mom's suggested.

I would try one after every meal today and see what happens.

I think at this point, if you have tried everything else and it hasn't worked, then you need to. 6 days is a long time, I would not let it go any longer as it will just get harder and harder for him to go and possibly painful, which can start a horrible circle of him learning to hold it because he is afraid of the pain of going.

I think they don't want you using the suppositories as sometimes parents over use them and then the child can get dependent on them. My neice has had several bouts with constipation and our ped suggested to try everything else first, but said that after 5 days, to try the suppository.

When my daughter was that age my doc suggested giving fruit. Any of the "P" fruits...peaches pears prunes and apricots. Also stay away from the BRAT diet (Banana's rice applesauce and toast). They will only make it worse. However if he gets diahhrea then BRAT is the way to go.

When my son had this issue, my ped advised taking his temp with a rectal thermometer. The stimulation almost always got things going. Good luck.

My daughter hadn't gone for about 3-4 days when she was only a month old and several drs at the a well repected practice said to just cut the tip off of the childrens suppository (found over the counter in the grocery store) -never saying that this was a drastic measure or dangerous. I would just cut a little bit off and give it a try, you will feel better when he goes and even though he isn't acting uncomfortable, he will too:-)

Good luck!

A.,

I has this problem with my daughter, yet she was younger. My doctor recommended prune juice really diluted with water. I would add 2tsp in her bottle twice a day, and within 2 days it worked like a charm.

Prune juice or pureed prunes works wonders. Give him some a few times a day. You should see some movement by tomorrow.

Hi A.,
I used it only once when my daughter was around a year and it worked very well. But then, someone told me not to put it inside but estimulate the annus, kind of intermediate solution....never had to use it again but I think, I'll do this before puting one directly (as other moms said but with the thermometer...).
Good luck!
F.

Before resorting to this try warm baths (epsom salt bath is great), belly massage (clockwise circles), stimulating the anus (wipe around the bum and anus with a warm wash cloth), prunes/other laxative fruit/juice, increase liquids, give him some flax goo (flax seed/meal soaked in water) and if you're breastfeeding him lots and lots of breast milk is good too ;)

If you are feeding him any iron fortified cereals or vitamin supplements, stop them for a few days as iron supplements are often constipating. It's also a good idea to avoid any other constipating (bananas, apples, rice, dairy . . .) foods until he becomes regular again.

A.,

When my son was a baby, he had colic, and all sorts of problems with his bowels, due to the iron in his formula. The only way I could get him to have a bowel movement was to use a glycerin suppository every day. I did this right up until he began eating fruits and vegetables, along with his cereal, which finally straightened out his bowels, so he could go on his own.

If I used them on my son every day, at that age, I seriously doubt if using one occasionally with your son will be that big a deal....my son is now 29 and is 6 feet tall, and it didn't hurt him a bit! Sometimes I think these pediatricians just like to be alarmists about using any sort of laxative. However they do work.

Another thing you can try, if he isn't moving his bowels, is to put a teaspoonful of liquid Phillips Milk of Magnesia in his bedtime bottle. Its very gentle, and he will probably have a bowel movement for you the following morning. Your pediatrician probably won't want you to do that either, but again, it does work.

My grandmother, who raised 5 kids, told me to do both of these things, and they both worked great, and made my son much more comfortable. She said that today's pediatricans are very knowledgeable, but sometimes the old ways work just as well, and she was right!

Give either of them a try, and I'm sure your son will go regularly, and be much more comfortable!

try using a rectal thermometer first put vasoline on the tip and just slide it in a litttle bit i slide it back and forth and it should stimulate the mucsle and he should go but be prepared have a towel under him so you dont waste a diaper he will go alot but dont stick it in to far just the tip ok if that does not work the use infant suppository ok good luck

R.