He screams and cries so hard...?!

My poor little baby is having some issues. When he poops, it is every 3-5 days and very large and hard. He cries while he does it and its obveous it hurts him! I called the doc; changed the food and juice. I am still nursing him, so I even went down to just breastmilk for 2 weeks (with iron supp). This poor little guy is 8 months. I know it takes time to get their digestive system working properly, but this is aweful. I heard banannas, and apple juice could cause constipation... anything else? Any ideas? Other home safe remedies?? I feel so bad, and he looks at me like he is so scared and in pain and I cant do anythng about it.

We had an issue with constipation once (when our baby was 4 months; he is now 6 months) and used the remedy our ped gave us. It worked like a charm.

Get prune juice. You only need to give him 1 ounce of prune juice diluted in 2 ounces of water, twice a day. It took only one day of this to get things moving downstairs. He had two BMs in one day that were, I'm sure quite painful, but then the next diaper was back to normal. We've not had to do this since.

If you are only breastfeeding and your child had never had a bottle, skip the diluted prune juice and just feed him regular prunes (obviously the baby food version).

**someone suggested nuts - no nuts for quite some time! He's too young (8 months) and this could cause allergies, choking, and a myriad of other problems!

Your poor little guy, that sounds just awful!!! And poor you, too - watching our babies be in pain can be such a helpless feeling. :(

What about removing the iron supplement? Iron is a known cause of constipation. And as far as other food changes, have you tried removing dairy - and by that I mean not only from his diet (but at 8 months, I can't imagine he's having any cow's milk products just yet?) but also from yours. Dairy is also a known culprit of bowel issues (usually manifests as either constipation or diarrhea).

Congrats on breastfeeding at 8 months - this is awesome and so healthy for both of you. When you took him off of all solids and did only breastmilk for 2 weeks, did he still have the same issues w/ pooping?

Here's a link that I use for my kids - it's a well known pediatrician's website, talks about food intolerances and allergies (your guy may be intolerant to something he is eating directly OR to something you're eating that's reaching him via your breastmilk - but this is NOT a reason to stop nursing, just a chance to play detective and eliminate the offending food for a few months until your guy gets a little older):
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T041800.asp#T041803

Hope this helps!

Dr's probably won't tell you this but karo syrup works wonders. I had to put it in my baby bottles or a small bit of water. They will like it cuz it's sweet but it works. Good luck. I usually used a tbsp to a whole 8 oz bottle. Maybe a tsp in a few ounces of water?

I would definately cut out the iron suppliment or at least space it out to every other day. I know that with my own children apple juice goes straight through them, I also have used the prune juice with my son it didn't work for me but he was only 4 months old and had only every had breast milk. So if your son has had juice he may be a little more into it. I have also had people tell me about the kayro syrup.

Good luck!!

I never had problems that drastic, but I do know a few things from my doctor. Your iron supplement for your son will cause constipation. I nursed my daughter for a year and actually only gave into her every other day diluted in juice. (This also is better because it does not taste so awful for your child.) The vitamin C helps break down the iron so it is absorbed. He also said to give her pears and pear juice not diluted. These are natural laxatives. What type of cereal do you give? Rice will bind him up. We always gave oatmeal and still do today. I hope this bit of information works. It has worked for us. Also remember breast fed babies won't poop as often, but it shouldn't be uncomfortable.

Get him off iron. My iron was low before I had my baby and I refused to take supplements. Instead I ate leafy greens, broccoli, and dark chocolate. I got my levels up in two weeks.

Iron will make you constipated. It makes your stool and urine dark in color. So take him off of the iron. There is plenty of fruits and veggies that you can give him that can increase his iron levels. Good luck

Hi Meri,
Don't give your little guy any more apple juice...the sugar concentration is so high...apples in little pieces are good, of course remove the peel. If you are nursing him, you don't need to add the iron supplement, this will also make the stool hard. If you are going to continue to nurse him, you can try to improve what you are eating so that he gets better nutrition, eating more fiber foods will help too: Leafy green vegetables, fresh fruits, protein from raw nuts, fish, beef, chicken and whole grains. Avoid white breads and sugar cereal.
Juices are higher in sugar content so try limiting those to 100% juice and to once a day and watered down. Breast milk (some children can't digest cow's milk) & filtered water are the better choices, our bodies need water to properly digest and utilize food. If he is still having problems I would suggest taking him 1st to a chiropractor if you have not taken him already, and 2nd to a good Health Food store where they know what works. I have a friend who is a Mid-Wife that would give you more suggestions if you are interested. This is here website: www.freewebs.com/inspiredhealth
Tricia is very knowledgeable and would help you with further questions.
I have also included a story to check out about vaccinations. Please take the time to read it so you can make an informed decision.

http://wbns10tv.com/?sec=news&story=sites/10tv/content/pool/200706/156241063.html

Your in my prayers

Hi Meri,

So sorry that you have to watch your little one in pain. My son went trhough the same thing around 7 months when he was having more solid foods. One home remedy we found helped was dried prunes/dates. Chop them up small and add a little bit of water then cook them slowly just to make them soft. Add more water if too thick and give it to him ust as it is or mix it with yoghurt or cereal. Could also try diluted prune/date juice. This helped my son with in a day or so. Good luck.

My little one had something similar, he was going only once every 6-7 days. Now that he's on food, it's much better. What I did for him was recommended by a dietician who works in an NICU, this is what they would do for their preemies, adapted to a baby his size - in a 4 oz bottle, I would do about 1/2 oz prune juice and the rest water, then add formula as usual. It looks the color of like a cold frappacino but it worked in like 24 hours. He even liked it! We don't do it anymore since he is more regular, but it got us through....hope this helps!

Hi Meri,

Your poor little guy! My son had similar issues, still does from time to time. Try apricot nectar. I mixed his in a bottle half breast milk/ half AN. It helped wonderfully!

Good luck!

My oldest daughter had a bad bout with constipation at about 8 months as well. She would scream and cry and the poop was so hard it made her little bottom bleed. :(
What worked for us was plain old fashioned prune juice. Gerber has it in 4 oz individual packs that you can get at any grocery store. I put it in her bottle (even though I was still nursing and she'd never had a bottle before) and it worked after about 2 days. You have to give them a lot to "get the ball rolling," but after it begins to work, it REALLY works. This method came suggested by our pediatrician. Good luck!

Sorry about your baby, I feel your pain(although, haven't had a baby in 8 years, will always remember.) Anyway, the problem is that you were feeding him both breast milk and formula I presume. The exact same thing happened with my fourth child and the doc said apple of prune juice and and either pick formula or the breast, strictly. I picked the formula, Carnation Good Start. It has smaller protein enzymes so they break down easier and much faster than Similac. Hate Similac, didn't use it with any of my five kids after the first one became allergic. He is also old enough to eat jarred food. Just one thing to all the moms that go by doc's orders strictly. ASK YOUR MOTHER WHAT SHE DID OR AN OLDER WOMAN, AND THEY WILL ALL TELL YOU THAT THEY BARELY LISTENED TO THEIR DOC'S. YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILD. I started feeding ALL of my children table food from my mouth and jarred food at four months old. All of my kids are extremely healthy, only has one cold every 2-3 years. No ear infections, and since I introduced them to vegetables at an early age, they all love just about every vegetable known to man, even brussel sprouts, greens, peas, green beans, broccoli (which is their favorite) so introduce him to good green leafy vegetables from Gerber, his digestive system will become steady in no time. Good luck and let us know how things went.

Prunes work wonders. They have Stage 2 prunes and plums (I think some are mixed with apple). This always worked for us along with lots of fluids. Good luck--poor guy!

Hi Meri,

Stick away from rice cereal, pasta etc. Try prunes - i found the gerber second food prunes worked awesome (applesauce too) and I increased the liquids he took!!

Hope your little one gets better soon.

Val

Dear Meri,

You poor thing it is so horrible when there is something wrong and you can't fix it for them in that instance.

My nephew who is nine months just went through this problem too, he is strictly on formula though. My sister gave him prune juice mixed with water and if that didn't help she would put a little Karo (clear) syrup in every other bottle. Usually within the day he would go to the bathroom and be a happy little guy again. If you don't give your child a bottle they do make transition sippy cups by Nuk that have a soft spout which are also wonderful. Hope your problem works it self out.

Hi Meri,

Although my son hasn't had may constipation issues, when he did, I gave him a Beechnut brand baby food that has Sunsweet Prunes with Pears convined; that did the trick really fast every time, it works even for adults and its tasty.

You can also cook some pureed pears for him and they'te good on their own for constipation also.

Also, make sure to not give him any rice cereal or things containing rice (like rice milk) because it can constipate him. Although he's very young to eat cheese, if you give him any cheese stop that also, since that's another constipation cause.

Good luck!

my 4 year old son did the same thing. he would go a week with no BM so i asked his doctor what to do. she recommended Fleet (a mild suppository) you can get at the grocery. that really helped. also cutting back yogurt and cheese. that really helped. something else that i do is get the benefiber and he gets about 1/2 tsp with his morning drink. (it dissolves in his drink)

hope that helps :)

Hello Meri

I am no doctor but i am a preschool teacher. I have had a few children in my care that have delt with this problem, He has way to much iron in his diet. As he gets older this might not go away and you might have to get a stool softner It is a pill that you can give him every day and once he is two give him skim milk the fat in cows milk sometimes makes the stools hard. Just keep pushing your doctor, lots of children go through this and it dose hurt and he will not want to go and hold it when he gets older ( which makes it worse) My firend even went has far as giving her grandson a diet tea that would clean him out. If you go that way it will blow out of the diaper so be prepared.
good luck
mary

have you tried soy milk
also watch what you drink go to skim milk your self because you are breast feeding. He might be getting to much iron from you