My 5 Month Old Is Always Constipated!?!?!?!?

If you are still breastfeeding I would stop giving him solids. A bf baby doesn't even need solids til 12 months. I would look for a food allergy. Try eliminating dairy and wheat from your diet for a few weeks and see if he improves. It may be that something you are eating that is constipating him. Have you taken a good look at your diet? Also, you can start eating food that promote healthy bowel movements. My daughter has always been sensitive to what I eat. If I eat something that constipates/or loosen she gets the same results. I would also suggest some good acidophillus. They make it for babies and you can find it in the refrigerator section at Sprouts with the supplements. Good bacteria in the digestive track is always a plus. Also, I agree with adding a few ounces of water a day to his diet. I would definately try and find a solution before solids. Good Luck!

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If you read all of the questions about constipated babies on Mammasource you will see the common link is food. Many mothers are starting their babies on solid food WAY too soon. You will also notice that they or their doctors have used mineral oil and/or medications to try to kickstart the bowel system. If you wait until the body is ready for food the bowel system will work naturally. Also 1 food should be started at a time and continued for weeks before introducing another. I'm a little puzzled why doctors are not sharing with mothers the proper age for food introduction and not explaining that the bowel system would not have to be forced to process if they would wait until it does so naturally. I posted some other suggestions to "Suzzane/with 10 month old constipated Lucy" that you will find helpful.
Love and support to you Bittany, I know it is both scarey and Wonderful to be a new mommy.

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LISTEN TO YOUR INSTINCT!!!!! My daughter went through the same thing. I also breast fed and was fed that same line by several pedatricians. We tryed the prune juice, feeding certian high fiber foods... nothing worked. She would be constipated and miserable for a week or so, have a massive "BM" (bowl movement)and be fine for a few weeks, then it would start all over again. For nearly a year I believed the pedatrician that that was normal. It finally got to the point that she was miserable all the time... she would go days/weeks with out a "BM" and then it would be so large it would rip her poor little bottom. I even got so desperate as to freeze her "BM" and take it to the doctor to show how BIG it was. I documented her "BM's" and the tings she ate, took pictures of her bloated belly. (it got so big, she looked pregnate) I went through 15 pedatricians in a year before I found the one that listned to me. I cant even tell you how many hospital ER's we were in. Finally we found Dr. Babarinde she reffered us to a wonderfull peds. gastro. Dr. (DR. Patterson) She had MANY MANY tests done before we figured out what was wrong with her. She ended up having stomach ulcers, gastritus, G.E.R.D, and CHRONIC CONSTIPATION. She now takes MIRILAX laxative every day and PREVACID (shes been on her meds. for 2 years) and is a happy healthy 4 year old. You have the right to demand refferals to specalists. I was not aware of that for a very long time. Tell your childs Dr. you think he needs a refferal to a gastro dr. I wish you and your baby the best of luck!!

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B., I have found that having your baby drink water frequently is very helpful. Since you are nursing, you should also incorporate ALOT of fresh apples in your diet. I would also juice some organic apples and dilute it with water and that cleans them out too. Do the juice every few days but water is fine daily. Fresh juice is more effective than pasteurized. It always helped with my daughter. And you should always check with your doc in case there are other circumstances that you should be aware of. Bananas will plug a baby up so don't go too crazy with them.

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Does he act like he is in distress? Is he crying and uncomfortable when he passes his stools? If not I would move right along and not be worried. My first child went once for 11 days without a bowel movement. (I nursed him for a year, didn't introduce solids until he was nine months old.) he was fine.

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