My son is 12 days old and he has has several bowel movements a day but has a very hard time getting it out. Sometimes he will push off and on for an hour before he can poop and when it comes out it is really runny, which seems strange to me. It seems like it should be hard if he is having such a hard time getting it out. He is both breast and formula fed but does get more formula because I dont make enough milk. Does anyone know if this is normal or has this happened to anyone else?
constipation relates to how hard the stool istself is not how hard it is to get it out. Babies (especially really new ones) don't quite know how to push out the poop and relax their rectum to let it out at the same time. It's a hard skill to master which is why it probably sounds like there is an explosion in his pants. Runny is normal. Don't worry.....
I would first try to increase your milk supply so that your son is getting just breast milk, as it is so much easier for babies to digest and move through their systems & is so much better for them all around. You can try pumping, but the best way to increase your supply is nurse, nurse, nurse!!! The more you nurse, the more you make, and even if your breasts feel empty, they are always producing milk - ALWAYS. Most people don't know that and end up giving up bf'ing. Look on La Leche League's website (www.llli.org) for more info, and call on of the leaders for more help w/ nursing/increasing supply, as well as other ideas to help your baby w/ constipation (they have helped me w/ so many topics, and I don't know what I would have done w/out them). Good luck, and keep nursing!!!!
He's not const1pated - just hav1ng trouble learn1ng how to poop. Talk w/your Ped about what to do for h1m.
If you drink prune juice it should get to him through your milk. Also cut out dairy, it is mucus forming, which may be causing the runny part. There are herbs you can take to help your milk supply, there are tons of posts on that. If you can't I heard one doctor suggest raw goat's milk mixed with fresh carrot and celery juice. My friend did it with her adopted baby and he was very healthy if a little orange. Good luck.
My son was the same and I did try lots of remedial actions but babies magic tea did the final job. He is now no more constipated and very good with poop time.
My son had this problem. Did the rectum stretch and all the other stuff. Took him to a chiroprator for babies and adjusted his hips shwich were out of place from the birth and fine ever since! Pooped right there on the table. Yeah.
Ditto Evelyn's post. Diagnosed as anal stenosis - basically she was just not comfortable with the new feeling of pooping, so was not relaxing well through the experience. It basically took repetition -- that it happened enough times for her to get comfortable with it,to relax. Things turned around at about 2 months. And now even tho sometimes she acts like a dinosaur is going to come out of her butt, she is going pretty normally. Good luck, and welcome to the world of moms--PhDs in poop!
We went through this with our first baby, too. He's not constipated, but probably needs a little help. With our baby, the Dr. had to stretch out his little rectum a little bit (which was a very simple thing to do) and he was fine.
Congratulations!
Don't give him formula or pacifier. He needs to be on your breast as much a possible so you can establish a milk supply. Also try Mother's Milk Tea and oatmeal. It helps increasing your milk.
As far as the pooping. This sounds very familiar to me. Many babies are straining because they don't know how to poop. They push and close their anus at the same time. It's just something he needs to learn to do.
My daughter was very sensitive to this sensation. She was always screaming and straining and it was breaking my heart seeing her like this. Same with gas. It has stopped at about 2 1/2 months. Now she only turns red and her eyes get really big *lol*
Your baby is NOT constipated if he has a "runny" poop.
K., I would suggest you call your infant's doctor now. (Talk to the on-call physician if your
physcian isn't available). The symptoms your son is having would be the symptoms of an impaction in an adult. An impaction is a very hard stool that is lodged in the rectum or bowel. The person is unable to push it out, but often some liquid stool is able to be forced out around it and that is what comes out. It is always best to be safe. Then you might need to change the formula you are using if it is making him constipated. You can discuss that with your pediatrician also. Good luck and I hope it is an easily remedied situation for your son.
Deb
K., Are you commited to breastfeeding? If so, the more you breastfeed the more milk you will have. Also, make sure you are getting plenty of water. If you are dehydrated you will not make enough milk. His stomach is the size of a quarter right now. As long as he gains weight at his Dr. visits then you have enough milk.
As far as his poops. Baby's poops should not be runny with liquid in them. However, they are generally not solid either. They are generally the consistancy of thick pudding. If you are seeing liquid poops, go to the doctor immediately. Babies get dehydrated very easily.
Good luck to you. I promise breastfeeding gets easier. I had such a hard time with my first but it definetly got easier.
Hi K.,
Congratulations on new baby.
I have a little baby too and she is 4 weeks old.
She is my #3.
The condition which you describing is very normal at this age. Babies also have a loose stools becuase of colostrum whcih you still produce.
If baby has a problem with BM, I usually use a termomether.
One which you may have to take a rectal or underarm temperature. The method is the same as you take babies temperature. Just wait for a minute and everything will come out and baby might be much happier.
If you have a problem with milk supply, I would recommend to try pumping after each feeding. ( Only if you decide to stick with it). :)
Good luck,
L..
He'sjust learning to poop. Talk to your pediatrician about it. I wa told that DR.s offer the parents a suppository if 'it would make the parents feel better' but really,it is unnecessary and the baby will have it down in a couple of months. they jsut don't know how to relax teh rectumas they push down so it is hitting a closed door. No worries if it is still runny.
Hi K.,
My daughter used to "squeak" when she was trying to poop and then it would come out very forcefully (she actually shot poop about 3 feet and hit the wall - it was really gross but funny!). :) When we asked our pediatrician about this, she said that newborns are just learning how to poop, so sometimes they work harder than they need to . . . Maybe that is what you are noticing!
Also, breastfed babies tend to have runnier poop so that may be normal too. Just talk to your doc - - they're used to all these questions from new parents.
B.
Hello!
I just talked to me doctor last week on Tuesday as a matter of fact about the same thing. He told me not to worry and as long as my daugheter is pooping and its soft and about the color of mustard I'm not to worry. He also said that babies that breastfeed will not have a bowl movement everday even those babies who breast and formuala feed (my daughter does this too) will not have a bowl movement everyday. He did say that if she goes and it comes out very hard a like pebbles and has a hard time going that we may want to consider giving her something, but usually things will work them selves out. Hope it helps.
COngratulations on the little one. Nurse him more. Get at least 1 gallon of water for yourself and get some B vitamins especially b-12. Brewers yeast is also recommended to help build up milk supply. Formulas tend to make pooping more of an issue, because they are man made. Lots of green leafy vegies will help a lot. When my daughter was a baby, she actually when almost 2 weeks without a BM, but didn't show signs of distress, so I didn't panic. She was in a growth spurt.
My son is 19mos old and is still having that problem. We did all the formula changing when he was still on it and it didnt seem to matter. Check with your doctor. Me personally, Im looking for a 2nd opinion because mine says nothing is wrong and this has been going on since he was born. Have him/her checked out because the behavior will be learned later that they have to strain to go and it will drive you crazy!!! I guarantee. With being only 12 days old there isnt much you can do but make sure he is fully developed in that area. Good luck, I can honestly say I know what your feeling!
Ditto what Laurel M. said! Get him off formula and let him nurse, nurse, nurse to increase your supply. He will be so much better if his little body is digesting only breastmilk. Don't give up, and definitely seek advice from LLL if you need help. :)
my doctor said that babies go through a period when they are learning to poop on purpose. they tighten their bottom when they try. there really isn't too much we can do to help out. i would just let him learn, and not worry.
