Stupid question: After how many days should I consider her constipated. She used to 3-1o!!!!!!!!

SHe is all over the place with her BM- now has not gone in 4



Does malox constipate? I want to know cause she is off all meds, but on malox, and no improvements in BMS yet.


thanks

We were told by our feeding specialist that Bethany should have 1-2 good sized BMs per day, and that they should ideally be the consistency of applesauce. (Too much information, I know!)

I know that some books will tell you that it is normal for some babies to skip a few days here and there; however, when dealing with a GERDling, I'd much rather play it safe than sorry. Our feeding specialist has told us countless times that when kids have regular BMs, they are more comfortable and eat better. I must say that I've seen this firsthand with Bethany; therefore, I'd probably say you should contact your ped or GI to see what they think. We often give suppositories to get the ball rolling.

Also, we use Maalox to help stooling--it won't constipate. I *think* Mylanta is along those same lines, too. (Shouldn't constipate--should help with stooling)

Sorry for the long winded answer--I hope this helps!

Constipation isn't necessarily about frequency. It's more about the consistency of the poop. If she poops hard pellets or big balls and has to work painfully hard to get the pooh out. Then she's constipated. My son's anus would bleed as he pooped rocks, but he did this pretty much everyday.
I know some babies that go only once a week, but it's texture/consistency is fine so no constipation there.

I guess it a waiting game at this point, but it wouldn't hurt if she seems in any discomfort by it to use a glycerin suppository, this will stimulate her to push out whatever is in there and then you would know if she is constipated. They aren't absorbed by the body and are considered pretty safe for infants.

I had to use them a lot with Eric and he poops just fine and didn't develop any problems from them.

Here's some info on maalox
http://www.gicare.com/pated/maalox.htm

It's not a constipater as far as I know.

And aren't you a breast feeder too? Hum... could mean a sensitivity/allergy to something you are eating. Most likely milk and/or soy

Read about this here
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/food-sensitivity.html

Thanks- she is MSPI so I have eliminated all of those, plus wheat and nuts.

She strains and strains, but the consistency is not that bad?????????

Our GI told us to use this "unofficial guideline" to determine if the consistency is considered "constipated" or not. Constipation does not just mean the amount of time that passes between bowel movements, (although that's part of it), but whether or not it is painful to pass.

Pea Soup Consistency = too loose
Applesauce Consistency = perfect
Mashed Potato Consistency = perfect
Meatloaf or harder Consistency = constipated

Emma was constipated her entire first 7 months, until the GI put her on Milk of Magnesia. The consistency was like meatloaf/clay, and she would only poop two or three times a week.

We have recently discovered that she is MSPI and after being put on Alimentum, the consistency was better but she was so used to thinking that pooping was painful that she learned to hold it in. Our GI has labeled her as a "stool holder", and she will be on Milk of Magnesia for some time so she will hopefully "forget" that pooping is a painful thing to do. The goal is for her to poop on her own without medicine, but she is just not there yet.

she could just be a strainer.

My DD pooped fine after every feeding when she was a new bee, but you'd think she was giving birth. Her face would turn all red and she would grunt and grimus. even as a toddler she always put on a "show" when she poohed.

Minnie;

You are probably right. It is hard to watch her like this if it has been 5-6 days. But the consistency is like applesauce- no meatloaf here



Thanks again - feeling much better

Noah will sometimes produce a BM every day, but its usually rock hard. Now that he's back on Alimentum, they seem to be softening up some, but that just goes to show that its all about consistency. I don't know, though, 5-6 days seems alarming.

Maalox actually works AS a laxative for Noah, because it has magnesium, which is the ingredient in MOM in it. If I give him 3-4 large doses in one day, he always ends up blowing out, whether he needs to or not, the next day. Fun fun fun. lol.