Straining is TOTALLY normal in a young baby and it does not at all indicate constipation. Not at all. Constipation would be hard, solid, pellet-like bowel movements. When a pediatrician indicates that it's not frequency, it's consistency, they do mean that, but they don't mean that anything other than seedy and runny equals constipation. It has to be hard and formed to be constipation. So when you say "solid-ish" what, exactly, do you mean? If you mean that it's not runny, but that it's actually pasty, like what you might get out of a toothpaste tube or something, that's not constipation. If you mean that it's actually small, formed, turds (lol) then yes, that would be constipation. Babies go through all kinds of changes in BMs, and while there may be something unusual going on, not all babies have seedy poops until they're on lots of solids. Neither of mine did, once we were past the first few weeks. So if he's not having actual turds, then he's not constipated. Unless something besides straining is going on to suggest that he's uncomfortable, there's probably nothing wrong. Straining is absolutely normal. Heck, look up grunting baby syndrome. Some babies strain for HOURS before they're able to poop. Mine both did that, too. And it's normal.
