How do i know if he's constipated?

[Priscilla]

I'm not sure if Cameron (7mths) is constipated or not.... how can I tell? I've been told that one sign is that his poo are like pellets. Well they're not like little pellets... It's actually like playdough!!

For a while it was dark green (i was feeding him sweet potatoe with farex). They I started giving him some pear (again mix with farex) as I'd read on a couple of posts that it helps with the constipation, and also pumpkin (also with farex) and now, the colour is bright yellow, but sometimes is still dark green. The texture of it is still like playdough.

He poos only a little at a time and sometimes will poo a few times a day.

Is this constipation?

[Taylors_mum]

Is he straining when he does a poo??

Sometimes too much farex can cause constipation. Maybe try giving him pears on their own and see if this helps.

[jkate]

Is he breastfed or bottlefed??


I have been told, that constipation is when its hard poo, as long as he is still pooing and not causing too much stress. Feel is tummy as well, if it feels soft it is a good sign. Or did what I did take him to the doctor! They can feel and let you know what to look out for.

And give him extra water between meals, this will help and will be good for him even if he isnt consitpated.

[giggles]

Playdough is a good consistency......

You will know constipation if he has it. It will be like rabbit poo and take a lot of effort to get out.

When Ava had it we were both in tears while she was trying, it was terrible. Prunes sorted her out, stewed and mixed in with her brekky. Very yummy!

[Priscilla]

thanks so much for the replies and suggestions ladies!! :thumbsup:

I will try the extra water between meals and will keep on giving the pears.
Unfortunately, C will not have anything without the Farex (which is driving me nuts) so I am hoping it's not a case of too much Farex..... which, just as a side 'question', is there anyway to wean a baby OFF something he LOVES without turning every mealtime into world war 3??

He's not straining too much. Just a little more than what he used to, but i wouldn't say it's causing him pain. He doesn't cry or anything, just sits there and pushes.

Justcooked - my face was EXACTLY like your monkey picture when I read that bit in your reply where you say playdough is good consistency!!! Are you serious?!?!?! I thought it was supposed to be fairly runny or a bit pasty??

[Lunar]

Nope, playdough is about right!:p
You will definately know if it's constipation. Like the others have said, he will be quite upset and his poo will be hard and dry. He will not be going a few times a day, maybe a few times a week!
But water will do him no harm, it's actually very good even if he's not constipated.

[angel_one]

Unfortunately, C will not have anything without the Farex (which is driving me nuts) so I am hoping it's not a case of too much Farex..... which, just as a side 'question', is there anyway to wean a baby OFF something he LOVES without turning every mealtime into world war 3??

i sugest you try adding more pear to the mixture, so that over a period of a week or so hes getting less actual farex and more of the pear. with ds i have this problem, when i give him farex, he gets constipated, as he is now! lol - i try to only use the farex to thicken any foods for him if they need it as he prefers to eat thicker food then the runnier stuff, but this is backfireing everytime i use the farex, so i think im gonna ditch the farex all together and just make the baby food my self that way i can make it the consistancy he likes.

[Miaow]

I'm having a constipation prob with EJ at pres also - She's only doing real small solid poos and it is really hurting her to go sometimes - there was no change in her diet recently - previous to this she'd been going each day for a week before that about every 3-4 days (shes breastfed and 3 solid meals afted boob a day). I'm trying extra water - she has pear everyday anyway usually (with a little farex). Cause it was getting more and more solid when she was passing something i gave her one dose of coloxyl hoping that would do the trick but it didnt - I took her to the docs who said she wasnt distended so just to keep up normal amounts of food thats shes having and to keep giving her coloxyl until she does go... That was yesterday and as such it hasnt improved anything....Im hoping she goes really soon (a big one) cause of how its distressing her trying at pres... I dont want to give her coloxyl for too long cause it seems to give her stomach cramps also :(

Is it worth trying prune juice? i know that works fast on me but along with bad stomach pains which i dont want her to have to go through shes in enough pain trying to pass what she can as is....I might try dropping the farex from her breakfast though as per the above suggestions...

[Mummy_Johnno]

hi everyone

a question for you .....

my son is 8 weeks old and has gone from doing 2 /3 poos a day to one since`wednesday and now none today. usually they are yellow and runny. also he is not weeing as much.

he is breastfeeding only.

should i be worried or is it a normal slowing down of the bowels?

any advice / help would be great

[KrisFox]

Hi

My eldest DS was consitpated when he was about 2 mths old. We gave him watered down prune juice and that worked well, you could also water down juice for him as we.

If you are not sure how they will go try diluting it a great deal (25ml of juice to 100ml of water say) and gradually increase if needed.

Also I have heard a couple of teaspoons of camille tea in their milk bottles helps too (once they get the plug out, which can be difficult).

My youngest DS is constipated at the moment and i am using the camille tea at the moment (after a week he got the plug out so :fingerscrossed: that it will help him from going back to that), will let you know who it goes.