[MsGrizzle]

My 6 week old ds has pooped every 3-ish days since birth. The poop used to be runny and seedy but each time it is getting thicker and thicker. I would describe the consistency now like peanut butter. He is often in pain from gas so I don't necessarily know if he is in pain from the poop as well or not. Is this anything to be concerned about? What can I do to help it? I am already on a dairy/soy/peanut-free diet for 11 days now and I drink tons and tons of water....

Thanks in advance!

 

[alegna]

I think it's normal. Frequency of poop changes in lots of babies. They can go a week or longer and be fine.

-Angela

 

[MsGrizzle]

thanks. I'm not worried as much about the frequency as I am the consistency...shouldn't it be looser?

 

[alegna]

Consistency seems to vary greatly. It's not a worry unless it's hard little pellets.

-Angela

 

[marisa724]

Cori -- the consistency you describe sounds right to me, for a baby who is pooping less frequently. That's just how I described my DS's first movement after five days of holding out on me -- he was about 4 months old at the time.

As Angela said, as long as it's not dry pellets, it's not constipation.

 

[TurboClaudia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna Consistency seems to vary greatly. It's not a worry unless it's hard little pellets. -Angela

i disagree. the change in consistency can be a concern if you are getting other signs of your babe not getting enough to eat. how many soaking wet diapers is your baby having each day? is your baby gaining weight well? is your baby alert and active at times during the day or more lethargic and sleepy? see www.kellymom.com for more info about "is my baby getting enough milk?" if the answer is less than 4-6 soaking wet diapers, babe is not gaining weight well or i'm not sure and baby seems more lethargic and sleepy.

~claudia

 

[MsGrizzle]

Quote:

how many soaking wet diapers is your baby having each day? is your baby gaining weight well? is your baby alert and active at times during the day or more lethargic and sleepy? see www.kellymom.com for more info about "is my baby getting enough milk?" if the answer is less than 4-6 soaking wet diapers, babe is not gaining weight well or i'm not sure and baby seems more lethargic and sleepy.

He is gaining very well and does have active, alert periods during the day. He soaks lots of diapers as well, so I've not been concerned about him not getting enough milk. My supply seems to be good. He started out as 8lbs 6oz at birth and was 10lbs 1oz at a month and he definitely feels even heavier now.

 

[JBaxter]

Nathan could go 6 days without a bm. ( then we would have poo fest) They were a little more solid but not hard by any means (TMI but over ripe banana consistancy) sounds like your little one is doing well. I wouldnt worry.
ETA I have a Nathan too!

 

[mimim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soapdiva My 6 week old ds has pooped every 3-ish days since birth. The poop used to be runny and seedy but each time it is getting thicker and thicker.

This doesn't seem normal to me. I'd be worried about that too.

I assume you have an adequate supply? And baby is gaining?

Unfortunately, I don't know what to suggest other than what you're already doing. If you don't get results from the eliminations your doing, you might try eliminating gluten for a trial.

 

[josybear]

it sounds normal to me. ds has had thicker and looser bms at different times. it often correlates to how often he has them, but not always. if you're concerned, give him a bit of prune juice (we use an eye dropper) the worst that will happen with that is that he'll poop like he's never pooped before.
it's hard to know what's normal with little guys, since they're all so different. try not to worry too much.

 

[TurboClaudia]

soapdiva: since your babe is gaining well and having adequate wet dipes and active, alert periods during the day, it sounds like the pasty consistency to the poops might just be normal for him and the frequency might be normal for him, too. if it seems to bother him, you might consider looking at foods in your diet that he is sensitive to (i.e. do an elimination diet for a few weeks and watch for a change in poop frequency and consistency, then introduce foods to watch for a change back). also, probiotics might be beneficial to your babe's gut. at least a few companies make a high quality probiotic for infants in powdered form that you can dust onto your nipples before he nurses or simply dip your finger in for him to suck off before or after nursings.

one more question: is the poop more stinky when it's pasty than when it's more liquidy? if so, that would be a sign to me that something is slowing down his digestion and it may just be normal for him but then again, it may not.

~claudia

 

[MsGrizzle]

Thanks everyone...I do give him a probiotic and I'm currently dairy, soy and peanut free. Haven't seen a change at all (except getting more pasty) since I changed the diet 13 days ago. I'm not sure if the smell is different or not! He poops so infrequently that I can't remember - and it's been a while since it was liquidy! He is due to go today or tomorrow so I'll try to pay attention to that.

 

[cpop]

My daughter is 3yrs old now and still has constipation issues and she was just like this as an infant.
I don't know if this is your situation but it seemed to us that the rare pooping caused her a lot of discomfort because she would cry for a couple of hours every time before she succeeded in pooping.
We found that a little baby acidophilous from the health food store helped her.
It's worth a try.

 

[Marsupialmom]

Actually I am concerned. It isn't really normal that a baby from birth only to go every 3 days or so. This can be a sign of a motility disorder. If he started pooping every 3 days at six weeks or so I wouldn't be concern but from birth does.

How quickly did your child pass meconium?

Hirschsprung's disease can be missed at birth. http://www.iffgd.org/GIDisorders/GIK...ml#hirchsprung

 

[MsGrizzle]

Thanks for the link - took me awhile to respond. I don't think he has that disease. He passed meconium as he was being born (vaginal breech birth) and then had 3 meconium dipes that evening (and didn't have the other symptoms listed). For the first 3-4 days he had 1 movement each day (normal, liquidy, seedy), then it started to spread to 3 days, then 4, then 6. Tomorrow will be 7!!! He is still gaining, growing and very alert.

He seems to be particularly gassy and in pain the day before the movement. Lots of screaming while passing gas. His belly doesn't seem distended. When he goes, the color and smell is normal.

Today the ped's nurse suggested sticking a thermometer in his butt (!!) or giving prune juice.