Baby constipation and stool frequency Posted: 02-10-07 09:10am
I have a 2 week week old newborn who is
bottle fed (Similac Advanced). She has
been constipated now for almost more than
a week. The doctor said to use glycerine
suppositories. I try these and my baby
pushes them out to try a BM every time I
insert one. Her stools are hard and pellet
like. Is over a week to long to have
constipation and be using the
suppositories? Is there anything else I
can do. The doctor did not tell me how
long or what to do if this does not work.
Please help, she is becoming fussier with
each day that goes by and cries whenever
she has to have a BM.
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DoctorAnswer
Doctor Answer
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Caring for Your Newborn Answer A2358 Posted: 02-23-07 05:44am
The frequency of bowel movements varies
widely from one baby to another. Many
babies pass a stool soon after each
feeding. This is a result of the
gastrocolic reflex, which causes the
digestive system to become active whenever
the stomach is filled with food.
By 3 to 6 weeks of age, some breastfed
babies have only one bowel movement a week
and still are normal. This happens because
breastmilk leaves very little solid waste
to be eliminated from the child's
digestive system. Thus, infrequent stools
are not a sign of constipation and should
not be considered a problem as long as the
stools are soft (no firmer than peanut
butter). Infrequent stools shuold not be
considered a problem if your infant is
otherwise normal, gaining weight steadily
and nursing regularly, too.
If your baby is formula (bottle)-fed, she
should have at least one bowel movement a
day. If she has fewer than this and
appears to be straining because of hard
stools, she may be constipated. You can
check with your pediatrician for advice on
how to handle this problem.
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