All Communities > Breastfeeding Moms > Constipation with a breast fed baby?!?

Constipation with a breast fed baby?!?

Arianna - posted on 05/01/2010 ( 2 moms have responded )

3

12

I have exclusively breast fed my six month old son, and just recently started him on some solids. I noticed before the solids he would poo only once or twice a week. As soon as we tried solids he is having hard difficult poo. I had to skip the rice cereal and now only feed him fruits and veggies that shouldn't bind him up, and still having problems. Anyone else delt with breast feeding constipation I thought it was a problem with formula only!?!?

Join Circle of Moms

Sign up for Circle of Moms and be a part of this community! Membership is just one click away.

Join Circle of Moms

2 Comments

View replies by

Kristin - posted on 05/02/2010

1,645

40

Yep, this happened with both of mine when they first started solids. I started pumping just enough to mix their cereal. They also only got it once a day and after a partial breastfeed. If they ate well and were done, I would pump the rest for next day. I started with oat cereal rather than rice. It's higher fiber and definitely higher soluble fiber, keeps things moving and soft.

As you give him solids, stick with one meal of solids a day and introduce only one new food at a time 3 to 7 days apart. Stay away from the BRAT diet foods for now. They are bananas, rice, apple juice or sauce, and toast (espcially wheat) as they are binding to halt diarrhea. Stock up on pureed prunes for now. You can give some juice to help move things along, but dilute to half juice/half water; more water is better. Breastfeed as often as he likes right now. As easy as it is to slip into giving lots of different foods to them, for balanced nutrition, he's still getting that from you through your breastmilk. So, don't do more than one at a time for now.

One thing that will really help will be to keep a food journal. Track what you eat and drink and when, when he breastfeeds, what and when he eats solids, and what's going on with his poo. You should be able to pinpoint what exactly is bothering his system after about a week.

Hope this helps.

Jacqueline - posted on 05/01/2010

51

34

Now, the poo itself is hard correct? I would say maybe try changing your diet... Try taking out a small "food group" for a week at a time to see if that helps... Still keep feeding him the fruits but keep away from the rice cereal until you know what it is... As far as the food groups to take out, try taking out Dairy or red meat... JUST FOR A WEEK :) Also DRINK ALOT of water... Maybe try to drink just only water and slow down on any sugar drinks (if you drink them).

Other than that I would just take him in and talk to your pediatrician...



I hope this helps a little bit...



Good Luck

Want to find out the opinions of this community?

Add Poll