One Month Old Baby Not Pooping

Some newborns take a while for their digestive system to get on track (breastfed or bottle fed). A lot of formula fed babies do get constipated unfortunately. Cow's milk formula is hard on an infant. Maybe try switching formulas OR better yet, get back to totally breastfeeding, by taking mother's milk, black strap molasses, herbal formulas that can help enrich your milk. When you nurse, the baby needs to stay on a longer time to get that hind milk (the richer milk) to satisfy him. Instead of changing what he is drinking, change what you are doing by taking things that can help enrich your milk supply and eating and drinking well.

Mother of 4

2 moms found this helpful

Please please please stop feeding your baby that garbage. His digestion is all screwed up from that heinous stuff

Because we were unable to breast feed, we used Weston A Prices Homemade formula which consists of real food so you control the quality, not a bunch of dead powdered garbage in a can lined with Bisphenol-A.

My baby NEVER had a single problem and pooped everyday and now I consult with mothers all over helping them get going with this and guess what once they start their kids problems all go away. I have helped over 30 moms and ALL have had the same results.

Check it out
http://www.westonaprice.org/children/recipes.html

Let me know if you have any questions.
H.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi My son is almost 5 now. But I remember he had the same problem when he was 1 mo. old. I was so worried that kept switching to different brands of formular. Eventually, he responsed to GoodStart. It breaks down protein for infants to digest. Check with your ped. I hope it helps.
W

I have read a few blogs that have suggested safflower oil as this mother observed nurse's using it in a NICU on her baby, about 1 tsp in the bottle. She said it was because her child was getting so much iron he couldn't poop very well.

I had the same problem with my first child when I was breast feeding then went to formula. I can say they have improved formula since then and I looked at the enfamil which I used and they've got some formula's that seem to help alot of situation.

I understand stomach massage can help your baby as well, just light finger tip motions help baby with digestive issues. It's worth checking out and since you have a computer I bet some information about massage is at your finger tips.

I have read also to make sure you use some vasline on baby so when hard stool comes out it helps a bit.

I hope you consider maybe talking to someone at the hospital you delivered at they would usually help with breast feeding situation so that you don't have to use much formula, you may wan to consider a pump to keep milk flowing in. I can say at about 2 months old all my children changed a bit with pooping, it seemed more difficult and i had to give them mylicon drops for gas.

Pooping will also change as he gets on solid food and gets older. I think my boys changed around 2 months old and it seemed to me they pooped every other day to every 2-3 days.

My son went through something similar when he was an infant. His gastroenterologist switched him to Nutramigen formula, and we never had a problem again. One thing I was not aware of at the time, though, is that some babies are born with a rectum that is too small, which can lead to constipation. (My husband had this issue when he was a baby, which is how we ended up at the gastroenterologist's office to mke sure this wasn't my son's issue, which it wasn't, but I thought it might be something for you to consider.) I would say, though, that unless your baby appears uncomfortable, don't worry too much if he doesn't poop every day while his body is adjusting to new things; it takes time to acclimate to his new world and all that comes with it. Hope this helps!

Hi V.,

Formula itself is constipating. Karo Syrup is AS DANGEROUS as honey for an infant. Please don't give him any more. He needs to be at least a year old but I waited til the age of two for safety. Prune juice is fine for him as it has fiber and your formula does not. He needs fiber as a healthy digestive system will carry you a long way in life. If he's not pooping now, it is not just discomfort for him, but can lead to major medical problems down the road. Every human being, no matter what age, should "poop" after every feeding...

Go to a health food store and tell them your dilemma (a good pharmaceutical grade store like Peachtree Natural Foods or Vitamin Shoppe, avoid GNC and Vitamin World type places). They may be able to get your milk supply up so you don't need the formula any more. Other than the constipating effects, formula is full of chemicals that can cause additional problems as well.

God bless,

M.

Hi...my baby (now 20 years) did the same thing and it was a very uncomfortable feeling for my husband and me - not to mention him, so we thought! I tried everything that you have described. Finally someone suggested apple juice, diluted with a little water, and it worked. Hope this helps your precious little bundle!

As for the constipation which is the advice you actually wanted, not every baby will poop every day. It is an individual thing. So "constipation" is not the lack of a daily bowel movement, but the lack of a regular bowel movement which can be every other day or every few days.

Now, since he was previously going more often, the formula is likely making him constipated. Your ped is giving you weird advice- if you want to breastfeed then you should continue breastfeeding. Supplementing 3.5 ounces every three hours is the end of your breastfeeding time- you will stop producing adequate milk.

Is the baby gaining weight appropriately, hitting developmental milestones, and having regular pees and poops on breastmilk? Those are the ways to know if your breastmilk supply is adequate, not if the baby is willing to take formula- the formula tends to go down so quickly the baby has no choice, they seem satisfied becuase formula is very difficult for them to digest so they do not eat as soon the next time, leading to your milk supply diminishing. If you want to breastfeed and you feel your supply is low then you need to increase milk supply- more feedings, possibly adding some pumping to increase breast stimulation, considering some milk increasing herbs like fenugreek, oatmeal, blessed thistle, etc.

If you want to breastfeed I would consult a qualified lactation consultant (international board certified) or a different pediatrician. If you desire to wean then you have started the process, you simply add more formula and slowly decrease the breastfeeding until you have weaned completely.

I don't mean to be down on formula feeding- all three of my kids received formula to some degree. It just really makes me mad when doctors give out such terrible advice and so contrary to what they should tell people. In this time of swine flu and economic troubles women should be encouraged to breastfeed and helped rather than sabotaged. Please feel free to send me a message if you would like some milk supply increasing advice and I hope that my post hasn't caused any offense- I so often see women who would like to breastfeed derailed by health care providers (I am one myself).

I am no Doctor but it seems like they jump to supplementing fairly quick. Are you still breastfeeding too? Why no try going to Breast milk exclusively? Maybe the formula is not agreeing with your little ones system. Perhaps breastmilk and adding small amounts of water after a feeding would help. It's ok to try different options. Also, check with your lactation nurse and see if she has any suggestions. If you don't have one, check out the laleche website. I hope this helps!!

K.
www.balterbaby.com

Carnation good start is much more like breast milk and I've never heard of giving a baby dark Karo. I've always heard light Karo. That is what I used to have to give my daughter because Enfamil used to make her constipated. I never had an issue with my son using Good Start.

Good luck
S.

My daughter had the same problem and we were having to use the suppositories until we changed her to soy formula. Try that for a few days and see if it helps! I hope it does.

Have you tried him on soy formula? Both my kids got gas from regular formula so I switched to Enfamil Soy Gentlease. If you are still breast feeding, that usually is the most easily digestible though. I would continue to take him to Dr though if it doesn't start to improve ASAP.

After each feeding try placing a warm towel on the baby's stomach and rub it gently. My daughter had the same problem and my mother told me to do this, it worked and it was better than giving her all the medicine. T.

Stop the formula. It's what's constipating him. Formula is based on cow's milk, which is for baby cow's - not humans. While it is good to have a back-up, you have been able to successfully breastfeed. Now, there are two kinds of breastmilk that you produce, foremilk and hind milk. If he's still restless AFTER feeding, then he's not getting enough hind milk which is the last to come during a nursing session and it's the milk that's the most filling. The old advice of ten minutes on each side, DOESN'T WORK. Let him fully drain one breast before switching. And let HIM set the pace and length of the nursing session.

And I believe I've give this advice to you before: Get a pump and pump between nursing sessions. Supplement with THAT later on, and it will also increase your supply.

My Dr suggested that I give my grandson Pear Juice instead of Apple. The apple juice wasn't helping him and the Dr said that sometimes the pectin in Apple Juice will further add to the constipation. The Pear juice works like a charm. He suggested 4 oz of it for my then 1 year old grandson, but that will be too much for you little guy. I would try 1/2 an ounce and see how that does. When Jude drinks too much it gives him the runs, so be prepared and it usually works within an hour of him drinking it.
Good Luck!

Most constipation issues are magnesium deficiencies. Try a little powdered or liquid magnesium in his formula. There is a powder called Calm for kids. and E-Lyte makes liquid minerals.

If you can, get your milk going again, and breastfeed as often as possible. My son was very restless and dissatisfied until 3 mos -- he was born lean and mean and hungry:) Doctor's don't use breastfed-baby growth charts (mine didn't) so I went to http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/growth/growthcharts....

During the first 3 mos, I breastfed every 90 min for around 20 min each side, then if still hungry, would feed 1-2 oz only of Parent's Choice (Walmart brand). He woke as often as 2-3x a night during this time, but grew like gang-busters.

If you can get your milk going again, be sure you're eating lots of protein and 2x the fat you normally would, drinking 2x the water, and get as much hind milk in him as you can. Not many tell you, but squeezing from back to front on your breasts as you nurse (like milking a cow) helps your hind milk come faster and increase your production drastically faster then without this action (our breasts have no pumps:) ).

If you can get your milk going, he should start pooping again by himself -- use the suppositories (they won't become a "habit"), try a warm towel on his abdomen, and get his legs "cycling" like you would for gas to help his bowels move more fluidly.

Good luck:)

I've gone through babyhood with 3 in the last 4 years and all 3 of them were exclusively breastfed for at least 4 months (then solids were added in). All 3 of them went through this at 1 month. They pooped daily - multiple times a day even - until about a month when their GI tract changes a bit and they start going every 3 days or so. They were fussy and had to WORK at going poop and were more gassy for a few weeks, then things settled into a routine of every other day or so. During the transition time it was distressful for me (esp the first time around!). My once totally blissed out newborn seemed to be uncomfortable and irritable. What worked for me was laying them on their backs and slowly pumping their legs from straight full out extended to completely flexed up at their chest. It helped get gas out and seemed to help move the bowels. When it was really bad, I stimulated their bum by taking a rectal temp... several times they went shortly after having their temp taken. My first went for 5 days without having a BM when he hit this phase. As long as they are drinking/nursing and urinating fine and are having happy phases of the day I wouldn't worry too much.

I do agree with Courtney. Drs just LOVE to give you an easy answer - just give them formula from a fast flowing bottle. That sure will make them seem happier b/c they will fill up fast and then have to sleep b/c of their full tummy. If you still want to nurse, you MUST pump any time you give him formula. The stimulus for you to produce more milk is for your breast to be empty. Your baby knows this. If you let your baby lead and nurse him when he wants - he will nurse like crazy when he is in a growth spurt or hungry and in response a few days later you will be exhausted from no sleep but will be a walking milk fountain. Make sure you drink plenty of water. Avoid caffeine. Oatmeal has seemed to help me. I've never tried milk thistle. If you want to nurse, I would wean off of the formula. Nursing provides antibodies and is best. 4 years ago they were just starting to put the DHA omega fatty acids in the formula that they are now all adding b/c it has been proven to improve brain and eye development. It is in breast milk. Babies fed formula before that weren't getting them. What will they find and add to the formula in another 4 years that they haven't figured out yet. Our bodies have been doing an amazing job of nourishing babies since human life began. Trust that.

You're doing a great job! Just hang in there. By 3 months things will really start getting easier.

Best wishes to you and your precious little one,
K.

V.,
You might want to recheck with Pediatrician...

yeeeaars back my daughter had a similar problem, she couldn't poop, her stool got so hard she couldn't evacuate.... turns out, her intestine wasn't retaining water for the formity of the stool, thus, making the stool almost as hard as a rock, and even harder to expell and painful. Dr. gave her a prescription of something, I don't recall cuz it was many years back, she was wearing diapers at the time, so it must have been between < 1 y.o to < 2 y.o.; my daughter is about to turn 9 in January....

anyway, after a short while on prescrption that helped to retain liquid in stool, allowing for regular bowel movements, we decided to take off the drug, and started adding aloe juice to her water or juice, sometimes we even added to her formula, she drank it without noticing a difference in flavor.

Aloe juice does marvels for the digestive tract as well as ginger ( notice: upset stomach home remedy? ginger-ale!!), but I am not sure if ginger it is ok to give to babies, I know for a fact aloe is.

YOU can find aloe juice in Publix and in health food stores...

If you are nursing, you might wanna consider drinking the aloe juice yourself, so she may have the nutrients thru your milk....

If nursing, are you drinking coffee or sodas? That could have a negative effect on her stool as well....coffee, as delicious as it is, it WILL dehydrate you, possibly making your milk a bit thicker, cuz you are lacking water; sodas will cause decalcifiaction in you by leaps and bounds, specially if you are nursing, and baby will intake too many sugars, thus stimulating her tiny pancreas and liver more than what it should at that age, or any age for that matter...

although they say that nature has the perfect formula when it comes to making mama milk, it is also crucial that you eat what your milk needs to be quality milk..... !!

AND DRINK LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER... TILL YOU PEE IS CLEAR !!!

whatever excesses you may consume, those excesses will be manifested in your milk, so eat lots of fiber as well, and make sure you continue taking your pre-natal vits, now with added calcium.