Exclusively BF baby can't poop.. Help, Please!

Busola Jane - posted 3 days ago

My little girl had the same issues but i think its perfectly normal for breastfed babies to poo just once a week so no cause for alarm.

Shellie - posted on 09/08/2009

It is perfectly normal for breastfed babies not to have a dirty diaper every day. This is so because breast milk is more natural and has less unuseful ingredients that the baby's body needs to get rid of.....therefore less dirty diapers!

Sharmila - posted on 09/08/2009

The quality of your breast milk could be causing this problem. Eat plenty of green leaves, fruits and vegetables, and make sure you drink lots of water. Your food affects the quality of your breast milk directly. when my little girl was two months, she didn't have bowel movements for two days, but after i ate a few slices of papaw she became normal again. Ever since, i ensure that i eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Giving him gripe water or using suppositories could result in side-effects.

Carla - posted on 09/08/2009

i souly breastfeed and have found that if you are eating the wrong food this can happen
such as foods that are gasy or are a food that can constipate it may not constipate you but his belly is smaller
try eating fruits and stay away from the green veggies

Theresa - posted on 09/08/2009

I had the same problem with my first, when baby's are breast fed they dont have so much waste as they are taking only what they need, but my 1st stopped putting weight on, i was adviced it was my diet and told to try drinking 1pt of full fat milk a day, well it worked for his weight he put on nearly a pound in a week it also helped his pooing!! If your baby's stools are not extremely hard try having more fat in your diet. If they are hard maybe more liquid in either yours or maybe try giving your baby cooled boiled water. Don't give up on the feeding your self though, you'll probably have more problems if you put him on formula. x

Bree - posted on 09/07/2009

My daughter is almost four months and is exclusively breast fed. She was pooing every day until the last two weeks and was going every third day. But the days she doesn't go she screams and pulls her legs in to her belly and out again as though she is in pain and trying hard to poo. She also farts VERY often and VERY smelly on these days. It was suggested to me to offer her boiled (cooled) water in a bottle and this seems to work. She only drinks about 20mls, but does a poo within the hour and seems to be much more comfortable.

Sian - posted on 09/07/2009

when my baby had that prob my health visiotor told me that was because my milk had no bad bits in tit and the baby was just digusting all the milk so there was nothing to pooh . you are not failing him you are doing the best thing for him give yourself a pat on the back for your good work

Tonya - posted on 09/07/2009

formula may need to be changed have that ever been considered by your dr.

Shannon - posted on 09/07/2009

I had a similar situation with our little guy. He had dirties daily at first. Now he will go 3-5 days in between. The doc explained it to me pretty well to put me at ease. I would skip the suppositories. Breast milk is so fabulously designed for our babes that they really use all of the nutrients and have little to no waste...hence, no poo! Also, a suppository will clear out the lower half of the intestinal tract, but not always make it to the top half. With your doc's advice, a little fruit juice can help and it much more natural. *If your babe is projectile vomiting you should get him to the doc or to the ER as it could be a more serious problem like pyloric stenosis (where the pyloric valve of the stomach is not opening enough to allow for milk to fully enter the stomach). You are doing a great job & your baby is lucky to have such an attentive mommy!!

Anna - posted on 09/06/2009

I have read that although it might look bad when your baby is trying to go, turning all red and crying, it might not be actually hurting him. It's just that it can take quite a few months for the brain to learn to co-ordinate the right muscles. There are 2 sets of muscles required and one has to open, the other has to close. So when he's trying to go, he's putting in lots of effort but nothing's happening - it doesn't necessarily mean he's constipated.
My son used to go about 12 times a day when he was that young but he would cry and cry every time as if he was suffering badly - it was awful.

Wendi - posted on 09/06/2009

I had this same issue with my second child. He kept spitting up every time I fed him for 24 straight hours. I took him to the ER and they did a chest xray. We found out that he had colic and that he was spitting up b/c of all the gas. My ped. recommended we give him biogaia and he has stopped spitting up. It is a small bottle and it's about $35. It seemed to work miracles. My first son had colic and it lasted forever. We tried mylicon drops and gripe water but this biogaia stuff worked awesome and we have actually been able to stop giving it to him. My second son actually had trouble pooping as well. The doctor said not to worry about it. My doctor actually had us use the q-tip and vaseline to stimulate him to poop. He also said you could give 1ml of apple juice but to try the q-tip first. He said the juice will pass right through them and make them poop pretty quick.

Helena - posted on 09/06/2009

you're not failing him!!! my 4 month old daughter was and is just like your boy, having gone from every diaper being poopy to now only going once every 4-5 days. My pediatrician suggested using a rectal thermometer only about an inch in to help stimulate the muscles. The first time I did it, I had to repeat the action a couple of hours later before it worked. Then I found myself doing it every 4-5 days and became concerned that she would learn to go using only the thermometer stimulation. I decided to stop and see what she did and if necessary try the alternative solution the pediatrician gave me, which was a total of 2 oz. of store bought baby juice just a couple of drops at a time (using a dropper) at different times of day. It hasn't been necessary since it seems that she doesn't go beyond 5 days without pushing out a huge poop, but I'll be readdressing my concerns at her next appointment. It's true that babies find their own bowel rhythm but don't feel intimidated by your pediatrician not appearing to be concerned, voice your feelings and seek more information or change pediatrician. Do be wary of having your boy getting used to the suppositories...

Monika - posted on 09/06/2009

it is normal for a baby who is breastfed to not have a poop for sometimes up to 10 days. I know it sound crazy but it happened to my daughter too. My pediatrician said to mix 1 tsp sugar to 4 oz of water, warm it up a little and let them drink it. Within a day my lil one finally pooped. Also, since then I have been using a product called tummy soothers, it has a pic of winnie the pooh on it and you can find it in the food store in the baby section. It is all natural with chamomile and ginger in it. She has been regular ever since.

Camilla - posted on 09/05/2009

Hi Heather im sorry that i cant help but i have exactly the same problem! My daughter will be 3months in a few days time. When she was a few weeks old she had a 3-4 dirty nappies every day. Then all of a sudden she just stopped making dirty nappies, at about 10days she made a dirty nappy but not on her own i had to encourage it. I used a ear bud with olive oil and inserted it into her anus ( not deep just the head of the ear bud) this some how this relaxed her muscles and she made a dirty nappy. Now i have to encourage it every time. My le leche league tutor said that as long as she was not crying when making a poo then it should be fine. When it comes to vomiting up the milk after a feed i have found that sitting still with baby for about 20min after a feed usually helps.

Briana - posted on 09/05/2009

Well i BF until my daughter was 2 1/2 but it happened to me and are you changing up your diet at all any thing you eat goes to them and sometimes that can be a problem.Because that was n my case where i changed up on my diet so she was basically getting constipated for a week at a time.

Jessica - posted on 09/05/2009

Quoting Heather:

Exclusively BF baby can't poop.. Help, Please!

My little boy is 2 months old now and exclusively breastfed, He pooped about every diaper for the first 2-3 weeks.. then all of a sudden it was a whole week and he didn't go ( I asked the pediatrician and they stated BF babies could go every diaper or once a week and it wasn't a big deal). However, it was to us.. his belly hurt so I decided to try the glycerin suppositories.. they worked in about a minute! And a totally new baby afterwards.. since that time (5-6 weeks now) He can't poop unless he has a suppository.. I let it go for about 4 days to a week hoping he'll go on his own but I end up giving the suppository bc he's in so much pain.. About 3 days ago he's taken to throwing up when he eats.. He goes for his 2 months check up later this week and I"m so scared they're going to blow it off or say he's not handling the breast milk.. ?? Any ideas? Things to try? Has this happened to anyone else?? I"m at a loss and I'm feeling like I'm failing him as a mommy!

Carlena - posted on 09/05/2009

Quoting Heather:

Exclusively BF baby can't poop.. Help, Please!

My little boy is 2 months old now and exclusively breastfed, He pooped about every diaper for the first 2-3 weeks.. then all of a sudden it was a whole week and he didn't go ( I asked the pediatrician and they stated BF babies could go every diaper or once a week and it wasn't a big deal). However, it was to us.. his belly hurt so I decided to try the glycerin suppositories.. they worked in about a minute! And a totally new baby afterwards.. since that time (5-6 weeks now) He can't poop unless he has a suppository.. I let it go for about 4 days to a week hoping he'll go on his own but I end up giving the suppository bc he's in so much pain.. About 3 days ago he's taken to throwing up when he eats.. He goes for his 2 months check up later this week and I"m so scared they're going to blow it off or say he's not handling the breast milk.. ?? Any ideas? Things to try? Has this happened to anyone else?? I"m at a loss and I'm feeling like I'm failing him as a mommy!

Hello Haether?

I understand what your going through, the same thing was happening with my daughter at about the same age! Yes i even called the doc. and they said the same thing! but i ended up getting tired of waiting 3-4 days for her to have a BM! so what i started doing was giveing her a little formula during the day. not a 4oz bottle but like maybe 1oz! and BF the rest! And you know what that did the trick. after 1-2 days she started having BM's once or twice a day! Regularly!!!!! Now she 3 months old and doing fine! The emotions are very controlling but once you r able to control them motherhood fells great!! And you have not failed as a mommy!! Oh and dont think that if you give your baby a bottle that he's not going to BF any more? Better think again!!!! The appatiete gets more and more! Good luck!! 

Valerie - posted on 09/05/2009

Breastmilk is the perfect food for a baby. They use EVERYTHING in it, so they don't have a lot to expel afterwords. That is why they don't poop as often. My baby is 4 1/2 months old, and he might go every week and a half, two weeks. When he does go, it's a lot, but it's completely runny. As long as your babies poo is hard, he is not constipated. Just give him time to get it out on his own. He may be cranky because of a gas bubble or something else altogether.

Minnie - posted on 09/05/2009

It's very rare for an infant to be lactose intolerant. And she won't be avoiding her son getting lactose if she avoids dairy. Human milk has the highest percentage of lactose of any mammal. That's because lactose is a sugar very important for brain development.



The vomiting and fussiness not an issue of lactose itself, but more than likely too much in too little a time because baby is probably getting too much foremilk.

LeeAnn - posted on 09/05/2009

First of all, you are doing a wonderful job, and breastfeeding a baby is both amazing, and challenging at times. I tried to BF my oldest, but could only do if for about 3 months. My youngest was BF for 14 months. I would tell you the same about a BF baby's Pooping being different than formula fed babies...trust me, I have seen them both! I would talk to your doc about your diet. Do you eat/drink a lot of dairy? Your son may be Lactose intolerant, and you may have to avoid milk in you diet to resolve this. Try keeping a journal of your diet, and his response to it. When you go to the doc it will help to answer the questions he/she will ask. My youngest did have several periods of no poop, and some where it was daily, and several times a day. Hang in there, I know it can be tough, but you are a good mommy, and you are doing your best. Hope this helped you, Good Luck, and God Bless!

Crystal - posted on 09/04/2009

I feel for u:( My baby was 3 m. old on the 20th of August and soon after he went 6 days before pooping. I was really worried and by the 6th day I wanted to try anything!! I went with a friend to a city about an hours drive away and it must've shook the poo right out! LOL he made one HUGE mess. Thank god we were in a parents room @ Babies r us:) Anyways, now he cries and strains and is VERY gassy for the 3days between poops. I give him Ovol gas drops from Walmart and they help alot. Also I just started attending a baby class on infant massage and it has also helped some. If u want some info on the infant massage I could ask the lady who teaches the class for a website....

Ivanna - posted on 09/04/2009

Probiotics and tummy massages worked for me with my 3 kids.

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Jamie - posted on 09/04/2009

hello! my little one is 4 months old and has had the smae problem. my dr. explained it to me in a way that i can undersdtand. Breastfed babies under2 months old poop like crazy because the initial breast milk works as a laxative.. once the milk is mature(usually around 2 months or so) it contains just the amount of nutrients that the baby needs with no extra to waste.. therefore they wont poop as much... he told me that breastfed babies CANNOT be constipated ... if u think of it.. there poop is really runny and whatnot. there really is no way possible that that could happen. he will poop when he is ready.. maybe giving him the suppositories was helping him poop but he prob wasnt uncomfortable from not being able to poop.. maybe he was gassy or something. he once had a patient that only went every 26 days or something like that! crazy i know! my little one right now.. poops maybe once a week if i am lucky..

Rebecca - posted on 09/04/2009

Glad to hear that your Dr is reasuring you that it is normal for an EBF baby. I know that it is so hard to see your little one uncomfortable. I really hope that as the time goes on it will get better for him and it will all just be in the past! Take care!!

Heather - posted on 09/04/2009

Thanks everyone for the support and recommendations! It's just so frustrating. So many of you are going through the same thing.. It's so sad when the poor little one's aren't feeling so well. I think we're working our way through it.. I'm just hoping it gets better sooner than later. We had his dr. appt. today and she said the same thing as almost everyone on here .. 'it's normal' and he will work it out. It's just a matter of time for him to figure out how his body works, especially since i'd been using the suppositories and he didnt have to figure it out. Thanks again! :)

Sheena - posted on 09/04/2009

BF babies tend to take in almost every nutrient in from the breast milk, so generally wont have a ton of BM anyway. I would deffinatly stop the suppositories. You could always try putting baby in a nice warm bath that will generally stimulate the anus and they will poop. Try putting some vasoline on the tip of your finger or cotton swab put that just around and slightly in the anus that will help the poop come out a little easier. Try not to worry as much! If the baby was in tons of pain he/she would let you know. Good luck

Jillian - posted on 09/04/2009

My daughter is three months old and we have the same problem. She is also exclusively breast fed. Her doctor told me to give her two ounces of prune juice with one ounce of water.Depending on how she feels I give it to her on the fourth day of no poop. Its the only thing that is helping her go. =( I'm hoping when she is ready for cereal things will get better. Its so frustrating is'nt it?

Samantha - posted on 09/04/2009

Quoting Heather:

Exclusively BF baby can't poop.. Help, Please!

My little boy is 2 months old now and exclusively breastfed, He pooped about every diaper for the first 2-3 weeks.. then all of a sudden it was a whole week and he didn't go ( I asked the pediatrician and they stated BF babies could go every diaper or once a week and it wasn't a big deal). However, it was to us.. his belly hurt so I decided to try the glycerin suppositories.. they worked in about a minute! And a totally new baby afterwards.. since that time (5-6 weeks now) He can't poop unless he has a suppository.. I let it go for about 4 days to a week hoping he'll go on his own but I end up giving the suppository bc he's in so much pain.. About 3 days ago he's taken to throwing up when he eats.. He goes for his 2 months check up later this week and I"m so scared they're going to blow it off or say he's not handling the breast milk.. ?? Any ideas? Things to try? Has this happened to anyone else?? I"m at a loss and I'm feeling like I'm failing him as a mommy!

wow i cant beleive your doctor said this was normal. i would definately go see a pedi. a baby has to poop!! goodluck and dont take no for an answer! its not normal!

Lisa - posted on 09/04/2009

This is well know in BF babies, there is no need to worry about it. My daughter had this and i was also worried. I was told to try baby massage to help with the bowel movements and it did actually work a treat. They should run these baby massages at a sure start or any other baby groups. Also you could try freshly sqeezed orange juice in water that's also good. Any more info just ask as i am a Peer Supporter at BF group and if i don't know, i will find it out for you.

Arifah A - posted on 09/04/2009

Mabye even a bit of prune juice but ask your baby's pediatrician first!

Judy - posted on 09/04/2009

They can go once every day or one a week. but try some gripe water :)

Arifah A - posted on 09/04/2009

Try adding LOTS more liquid to your diet!

Ruby - posted on 09/04/2009

OH MY!!! im soo sorry to hear about your babys tummy problems. Ok im a big on natural med's, so one thing that i would try is chamomole tea, it wont hurt the baby (if it doesn't work). And i see that your breastfeeding him, so you may want to watch what your eating. i hear that some babys tummy lining are very sensitive, my grandma told me to stay away from like oranges and lemons. Oh yeah broccoli gives them gas, (when you eat it). Hope he gets better! i would hate for you to stop breastfeeding the little guy ...

Michele - posted on 09/04/2009

Both my sons were breastfeed, i had to start them both on cereal early because they had reflux. When ever i laid them flat they would throw up everything. I It is really hard i know, i have been there twice. After he eats keep him elevated for about an hour after wards and see if that helps with the throwing up. You are doing a great job just relax, he will be fine.

Tabitha - posted on 09/04/2009

My daughter is only bf and she had the same problem my dr said to give her a little bit of apple juice add water. ask your dr about that. My daughter used to poop every dipper and now she is at once a week and some times we have to use suppository to help her but with the apple juice and with the baby food (food that cuases loose stoll) she is doing a lot better. you are doing nothing wrong you are trying to help him so thats not failing him as a mom, keep up the good work.

Helen - posted on 09/04/2009

Try Gripe Water.. and also massaging his belly and anus... my baby girl did the same and I did what I am recomending you (per doctors advise) to do and also sometimes baby are affraid of pooping because it hurt, even though they are small they know. So my doc recomending massaging her anus (which I though it was gross) but it help her easy her bowl movements more ... so no more trouble here. Hope I was any help. Good Luck!

Pamela - posted on 09/03/2009

I also BF and my son went to that 1 week constipation when he was 2 months. The pediatrician told me to give him 1/2 oz of pear juice diluted with 1/2oz of water. I was shocked when he told me this. There's some food that we ate that made them constipated. The pediatrician told me to eat fiber and lots of fluid. You are doing well.

Erin - posted on 09/03/2009

my son went a couple days without pooping too and the dr said it was normal. he suggested moving his legs in a running motion and other exercise for him to get his bowels moving. my son would get in pain when he ate so the dr said that if it got worse and he still didnt go that i should try putting a couple teaspoon fulls of karo syrup in a bottle of breastmilk (or water if you'd rather) and give it to him that way. my son is now 7 months old and he still sometimes goes a day or 2 without pooping. I would talk to your dr about it because my dr said if it's causing him pain all the time or causing him to act differently they should try something different.

Rebecca - posted on 09/03/2009

I know it sounds like a long time but breastfed babies can go 7-10 days without a bowel movement. At about 6 weeks their stooling pattern changes because there is no more colostrum in the breastmilk (which is the laxative property of early breastmilk) What you can do to help your baby is give a probiotic to help babies gut to digest and mature. Its called Biogaia. I have been giving it to my daughter since she was 2 weeks old and she is now 4 months. It works great for gas issues and digestion problems. The reason your baby might be needing the suppositories to have a bowel movement is that he hasnt learned how to contol his bowels on his own. The suppository makes his bowels contract on their own and because you have been using them exclusivly for the last 6 weeks or so he hasnt learned to move his bowels on his own power. This can make him have "lazy" bowels which would explain why he is in pain and unable to have a bowel movement on his own. I would suggest to talk to your Dr and see what they suggest and maybe, if you can, stop using the suppositories.

Shana - posted on 09/03/2009

I didn't quite have this problem, but I noticed you said your son is throwing up...are you sure it is throw up and not spit up? If so, you might consider asking the pediatrician if he might have allergies. I have heard babies may react to something the mom eats. My daughter threw up when she overate...she was overeating for comfort when she had digestion problems. I have read that babies will want to nurse more than necessary if they have tummy trouble because it soothes. Perhaps your son did the same thing. You are not failing as a mommy! You obviously care and are reaching out for help!

It seems like your pediatrician might do better at providing information...maybe you need to look for a different one! You know, even if your appointment is coming up, don't feel like you can't call the pediatrician if you are truly concerned. They are used to it I am sure, and it's their job to help you care for your little one. It might at least give you peace of mind.

Jela - posted on 09/03/2009

I wouldnt give him the suppositories that often. That can dehydrate a baby

Jela - posted on 09/03/2009

I had the same problem with my first he went 15 days and I took him to the dr did the suppositories and he pooped like a mad man. Then did the same thing again went 10 days. The dr said that especially breastfed babies sometimes dont poop for a while because they are absorbing almost everything they get from the breast milk. Its not a huge deal. Trust me I know I went through the same thing with my first child. As long as he is gaining weight at a good pace and he isnt acting like he is in pain then everything is fine!

Angel - posted on 09/03/2009

The thing about breastmilk is there isn't that much to it that the body can't absorb and use. This is why it is so perfect, there isn't that much waste. Don't forget, what is coming out the other end is the part we can't digest. since he is getting the perfect food, he should be able to digest it fine. Spitting up is normal, you may need to burp him more often, or avoid gas causing foods. Definatley don't fuss. He's probably fine.

Danae - posted on 09/03/2009

we use probiotics and love them. It puts the good bacteria back into their tummy and helps with digestion

Jessica - posted on 09/03/2009

My son went 18 days without a bowel movement in the beggining around 2 months old and I was a wreak but the pediatrician was fine as long as he was urinating apparently breastfed babies can go a while without bowel movements because the nutrients are all being used if his stomach is hurting though try white grape juice as much as I was skeptical the ped suggested about an ounce and it worked like a charm. Good luck!

Jannette - posted on 09/03/2009

My daughter had the same problem. She went really good for the first while and then stopped. They prescribed suppositories and they worked but I was afraid she would get dependent on them so I only used them once every week or so. When she went for her check up the doctor told me it was completely normal and that it would work itself out. her tummy was hurting and everything. I massaged her tummy to get her colon working and I fed her like normal. And soon enough, her body took care of itself and voila....she poops like a trooper! hehehe She's a year old now and all is fine. Good luck.

Jenny - posted on 09/03/2009

I had oversupply hindmilk/foremilk imbalance too and I did the block feeding thing, maybe 4 feeding sessions on one side and then 4 on the other. Personally I feel that pumping CAUSED my imbalance to begin with so my advice would be to directly breastfeed as much as possible. If you have to pump while at work, I would think you would need to do block pumping too...just pump/stimulate one side every couple hours. Pumps do not stimulate the breast to produce milk the same way a suckling baby does. Be forewarned about block feeding, the pain and engorgement on the other side can be tough and can lead to plugged ducts and mastitis so listen to your body. Manage it with ice packs, cabbage leaves and drinking LOTS of water and maybe taking lecithin supplements. Good luck, hang in there, be persistent with your doctors, cut yourself some slack and don't worry (stress and worry inhibits let down of hindmilk), make sure you are getting enough rest when you can (lack of sleep inhibits milk production-IRONIC I know but true).

Katie - posted on 09/03/2009

It gets better! My daughter, now 17 months, used to have this problem about once a month (sometimes twice a month). It never lasted longer than a week. As long as when he finally does go poop it isn't hard or dry. Some babies just have a harder time figuring out how to poop regularly on their own, but I guess you kinda have to let them. He may start to get the hang of things right about the time when you start introducing cereals and solid foods... then it's round two of figuring it out all over again. It's normal. I know you probably hate to hear that by now, but it's true. I felt the same way, since I only have one child. I just knew there had to be something wrong and was super frustrated with her pediatrician telling me not to worry about it.



As for getting thru the crabbiness in the meantime, I never did find anything that helped that. The only thing that got me thru was knowing it would get better soon. Hope that helps, even if it's just a little!

Raquel - posted on 09/03/2009

I have the same issues with my 2mo old BF daughter. Peds said it was fine.. if i was really worried about it, I could put the tip of the lubed thermometer into her to help stimulate a BM, but that it wasn't necessary. he says even though things were fine for weeks, she is still trying to get everything right and sometimes when she bears down to push out a BM, she's also clenching up her sphincter, which causes her to not go. it worked. I agree that you can overuse the suppositories. you don't want your child to become dehydrated.. I can feel your pain with the crying though... it seems quite painful when they can't eliminate. I have, against my better judgment resorted to gas drops / gripe water. turns out she has colic and building up all that gas doesn't help with the tummy pain or BM's either. I give them to her after every BF and that seems to help lessen the issues at night. she farts like a champ! and it eases my mind about BM's not happening every day. as long as she passes gas, the system isn't backed up and functioning properly.



on a side note, does any other mommy find that BF babies get more colic? Have been told that by doc.. she is an insufficient eater so she's longer at the breast.. hence increasing her amount of swallowed air.. I have to go back to work on Tuesday :( and think that her colic may decrease with the introduction of the bottle (with BM in it). .. less air intake and quicker feeding time.. any thoughts????

Dawn - posted on 09/03/2009

I recently learned that it is normal for babies that age to go a couple of weeks without pooing but when they do it is huge and if you continue breastfeeding this will sort it self out given a little time, if hes in pain it might be wind you could try a warm bath and baby massage it is possible that he has a bit of reflux and the doc should be able to help dont worry your doing great everyone feels a bit helpless sometimes.