Do breastfed babies get constipated?
Some parents think that a baby, even a breastfed baby is constipated if she isn’t having a bowel movement every day. That’s not necessarily so. As long as the movement is very soft, there is no reason why a baby needs to have a bowel movement every day. Each baby is different – some will have two a day, others will have one every other day. The important thing is the stool must have a soft consistency.
Once solid foods start being introduced into her diet, it may take a while for your little one’s bowels to adjust to digesting more complicated food. At this point, her stools will firm up and she’ll have a movement less often. That’s normal, but if the stools seem hard and uncomfortable to pass, tell your baby’s doctor. He will probably OK giving her a little prune juice or stewed prunes. Most babies seem to take to prunes fairly well.
Constipation should be just a temporary problem. If it lasts longer than a week, check with your baby’s doc or nurse practitioner for ways to correct it.
Tags: Baby, breastfed, breastfeeding, constipation, infant