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What Causes Constipation In An Infant?
Question: My 2 weeks old daughter has an irregular poop frequency. After the first 4 days of life, it took her 6 days to poop, then 3 days and then 4 days.. for her last poop a dr recommended fleet liquid glycerin but the pharmacy I went to gave me an adult suppository and I gave her half of it rectally. This was 2 days ago. She had 3 dirty diapers immediately and another 3 dirty diapers yesterday morning.
Today, she has not pooped at all. Since yesterday her tummy has been rumbling loudly and she cries when she wants to pass gas.
She on combined feeding. She takes about 4-6oz of formula daily and the rest of feeding is breast milk. I can hear her swallow breastmilk when she's feeding but she feeds for an average of 5 mins and sleeps off. Sometimes she cries and detaches from the breast and if she looks sleepy I put her to sleep else I supplement her feeding with formula.
1. Did I give her an overdose of the suppository?
2. Is the tummy rumbling and discomfort as a result of the dosage I gave her?
3. What should I do to make her poop?
4. How can I fix the tummy trouble?
Today, she has not pooped at all. Since yesterday her tummy has been rumbling loudly and she cries when she wants to pass gas.
She on combined feeding. She takes about 4-6oz of formula daily and the rest of feeding is breast milk. I can hear her swallow breastmilk when she's feeding but she feeds for an average of 5 mins and sleeps off. Sometimes she cries and detaches from the breast and if she looks sleepy I put her to sleep else I supplement her feeding with formula.
1. Did I give her an overdose of the suppository?
2. Is the tummy rumbling and discomfort as a result of the dosage I gave her?
3. What should I do to make her poop?
4. How can I fix the tummy trouble?
Brief Answer:
It is normal for the babies to poop once in few days
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have carefully gone through the entire details. I think that your doctor has not been able to provide you with the right guidance. Let me inform you that for a child below 6 months, it is normal to pass stool 10 times a day or once in 10 days. Both are equally normal and require no interventions. So, the suppository was meaningless. Now, coming to your questions:
1. Not an overdose. Just a meaningless dose.
2. Babies may swallow air along with the food. This causes abdominal distention and uneasiness. Rumbling sound can be heard due to normal peristaltic movements.
3. You should simply continue to exclusively breast feed the baby. Take no attempts to make the baby poop. Expectations from a baby should be different from that you have from an adult.
4. If there is abdominal distention or if the baby is crying incessantly without a known cause, give Decolic / Coliza / Colicaid / Colimax Drops 6 drops when required. It should help in reducing the distention and discomfort. Nothing else needs to be done.
Hope that helps.
Regards
It is normal for the babies to poop once in few days
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have carefully gone through the entire details. I think that your doctor has not been able to provide you with the right guidance. Let me inform you that for a child below 6 months, it is normal to pass stool 10 times a day or once in 10 days. Both are equally normal and require no interventions. So, the suppository was meaningless. Now, coming to your questions:
1. Not an overdose. Just a meaningless dose.
2. Babies may swallow air along with the food. This causes abdominal distention and uneasiness. Rumbling sound can be heard due to normal peristaltic movements.
3. You should simply continue to exclusively breast feed the baby. Take no attempts to make the baby poop. Expectations from a baby should be different from that you have from an adult.
4. If there is abdominal distention or if the baby is crying incessantly without a known cause, give Decolic / Coliza / Colicaid / Colimax Drops 6 drops when required. It should help in reducing the distention and discomfort. Nothing else needs to be done.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for the reply. I was worried that she was constipated. Her tummy was hard and she was passing very smelly fart. When I released the squeeze on the glycerin bulb, stool was sucked into the bulb. it seemed like she wanted to poop but found it difficult.
After pooping her farts weren't smelly anymore.
1. was she constipated?
2. do you advice that I eliminate formula from her feeding? (she's taking powdered similac)
3. can I give her gripe water too?
After pooping her farts weren't smelly anymore.
1. was she constipated?
2. do you advice that I eliminate formula from her feeding? (she's taking powdered similac)
3. can I give her gripe water too?
Brief Answer:
Breast milk is the best possible feed for your baby
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
1. Unless the stool is hard and pellet like and the child is straining hard to pass the stool, she is not constipated.
2. If possible, definitely eliminate formula from her diet. Breast milk is the best possible feed for your baby. The production of breast milk depends upon the hunger of the baby and would increase with increase in demand.
3. Gripe water is similar to the drops I mentioned. It serves the same purpose. I would prefer those drops but gripe water can indeed be given as required (not routinely).
Hope that helps.
Regards
Brief Answer:
Proper burping is essential
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
A baby often swallows much air while sucking in feeds. This makes her uneasy and restless. Proper burping is essential for its relief. Just hold the baby erect (head end up) on your lap for about 15-20 mins after each feed. Feed from the other breast in the next feed, using only one breast at a time feeding at 2 hourly intervals but not for more than 20 mins at a time.
Regards
Breast milk is the best possible feed for your baby
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
1. Unless the stool is hard and pellet like and the child is straining hard to pass the stool, she is not constipated.
2. If possible, definitely eliminate formula from her diet. Breast milk is the best possible feed for your baby. The production of breast milk depends upon the hunger of the baby and would increase with increase in demand.
3. Gripe water is similar to the drops I mentioned. It serves the same purpose. I would prefer those drops but gripe water can indeed be given as required (not routinely).
Hope that helps.
Regards
Brief Answer:
Proper burping is essential
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back.
A baby often swallows much air while sucking in feeds. This makes her uneasy and restless. Proper burping is essential for its relief. Just hold the baby erect (head end up) on your lap for about 15-20 mins after each feed. Feed from the other breast in the next feed, using only one breast at a time feeding at 2 hourly intervals but not for more than 20 mins at a time.
Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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