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Family Forum / Pregnancy / Breastfeeding / June 2007She's soooo constipated!
Poor DD. I was about to call the doctor as she wasn't eating solids much (tho nursing fine), but this weekend she finally started eating more again. In the past I've given her prunes or prune juice when she appears to be a bit stopped up, but it's not been often. However,the past 2 weeks have been awful for her. Her sleep (never great but getting better) went down the tubes, she was cranky and miserable all the time. She is cutting 6 teeth as well, so we chalked it up to that. Then I noticed she hadn't been pooping. And when she does, it's small hard pellets. Her abdomen is also really hard and she's clearly in pain. I tried giving her prunes or prune juice and she just refuses to it, she also now refuses all other juice although she'll take water. I tried giving her prunes again tonight and she wouldn't eat them. I did manage to sneak some prune juice into her peas. I thought it was the cereal I'd been giving her - I thought it was multigrain but maybe it was rice, we bought it in Switzerland and had thrown away the box so I couldn't check. Anyway, I tossed that out on Thursday. Friday she pooped again and we thought all was better, but then she didn't poop at all Saturday, and when she finally did today, it was small, hard and very very black, almost like charcoal had been rubbed on her bum (powdery like). Also very very stinky - a different kind of stink, not usual poop smell. I put some crushed bran in her dinner and she pooped 2x more last night, but it was the same - black, hard, smelly, painful. It's more than she's pooped all week though. Today she pooped once, again small, hard pellets. Her diet consists of: b'fast : multigrain cereal (Earth's Best) with BM and a fruit lunch: 2-3 veg cubes snack: yoghurt + 1-2 fruit cubes dinner: 2-3 veg cubes + yoghurt+fruit BM throughout the day and night Cup with water offered at every meal (altho now she won't take it from the sippy, it has to be directly from the cup which means she takes a bit less) She has teething bisquits (barley or wheat) occasionally, but hasn't been too interested lately. Fruits are: papaya, mangoes, grapes, peaches, blueberries, cherries, sometimes pears altho she doesn't like them. No bananas (doesn't like those either) Veg are: beets, carrots, spinach, kale, cauliflower, peas, broccoli, sweet potato, zucchini, acorn and butternut squashes and another assortment of 'summer squash'. She has yoghurt at least 2x/day (she eats everything better with the yoghurt) - whole milk plain, I'd guess about 1-2 tablespoons each time. So what could be causing it? I've read excessive whole milk is a problem, so worried about the yoghurt, but also read that a yoghurt smoothie was a good treatment for constipation. I'll put some flax seed in her cereal tomorrow (just read on Dr Sears that it's good for constipation). What else can I do as she refuses all juice and tho she took some prunes yesterday, it didn't appear to do much? Now she's eating well, but she's still not pooping much. > Poor DD. I was about to call the doctor as she wasn't eating solids > much (tho nursing fine), but this weekend she finally started eating [quoted text clipped - 59 lines] > took some prunes yesterday, it didn't appear to do much? Now she's > eating well, but she's still not pooping much. I would prolly try a few days or so without the yogurt. What worked good for moving things quickly through my kids was pureed or regular cooked lentils. I mixed them in with various fruits when pureed, mostly pears since they both offer a good push. I know they aren't first choice, but I know that ki-wi and mandarin oranges always helped out as well. I don't know how old baby is, but I think I would skip the flax seeds for this purpose, unless ground up or something. Just seems to me that whole flax seeds can cause excess gas or something. I'm thinking that you should call the doctor and share that the stools are black in color as you describe. Usually, black and tarry is cause for alarm, but the black you describe would prolly have me passing it by the doc for an okay. Don't give her any more sweet potatoes, as they can be binding like that. Have you tried cubed Avacado or pureed Avacado; this is another thing that I saw move through faster from the natural oils within I presume. I would also avoid the gas-producing veggies like broccoli and cauliflower until things normalize for her again as well. I hope she feels better soon. you could temporarily cut out the yoghurt, a smootie is probably a reasonable treatment because of the fruit and liquid in, particularly if the child won't consume it any other way. I checked your lists of fruits and veggies, against one I found online, the only clash is cooked carrots, given she's eating a good mix, it wouldn't harm her to take that out to see if it makes any difference. There are a couple of the positive fruits you are missing, plums, apricots. If you remove the yoghurt and it means she eats less, she'll probably nurse more, which will at least mean dehydration isn't an issue. Other things to try would be activity, have her on her back and pump her legs, massage her tummy to get things going - I can't remember where you are on the activity levels, is she crawling? If she's not, but is being challenged by these foods that do require activity to get through, then doing her exercise for her could help. A final trick is teaspoon of karo corn syrup, looking at you meal plan, I'd stick it in at breakfast time, with the BM that gets added to the cereal. If it goes away, just a phase that passed, then I wouldn't worry, but there are a few different problems that can cause this, so you would want that checked out. I've heard the tendancy then is for a child to loose all control, dealable with for a baby in nappies, but not do easier in an older child. If you go to the doctors, let them give you a diagnosis and brief overview of treatment, but have another appointment to determine treatment. What you don't what to end up with is turning constipation problem into a child not having any control over her bowels in future. Anne HI -- Oddly enough, one of the common symptoms of cow's milk protein intolerance in children is ... (drum roll) ... constipation! So the first thing I'd be inclined to do would be to cut out the yogurt. The second thing I'd be inclined to do is cut down on the quantity of solids your baby is eating. Although they look like a good mix of foods, infants need time to get accustomed to the process of digesting fiber, etc. Third, be sure you nurse first, then feed the solids. Breastmilk aids digestion, but it's also a fluid, and sufficient fluids can conquer most types of constipation. (You can also offer some water after each feeding of solids.) I hope these suggestions help, --Beth Kevles bethkevles@aol.com http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner. NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would like me to reply. > HI -- > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > foods, infants need time to get accustomed to the process of digesting > fiber, etc. Hmmm, for the first 2 weeks of this (we're now into week 3), she wasn't eating much at all, about half of the usual amount of solids. So we kind of cut back but not by choice. That didn't seem to make a difference. Even so, her normal intake is well under that suggested in sample menus such as in the SUper Baby Food diet or Wholesomefoods.com So I'm inclined to think it's not really a quantity issue overall, although perhaps yoghurt is a problem. She's had it for awhile with no issues, but she does seem to be having it more recently, so we've started to cut back on that. Alas, it's the best way to get her to eat prunes! > Third, be sure you nurse first, then feed the solids. Breastmilk aids > digestion, but it's also a fluid, and sufficient fluids can conquer most > types of constipation. (You can also offer some water after each > feeding of solids.) Yes, we always nurse first, and on the weekend nurse A LOT. I _always_ offer water every time she eats solids. She doesn't always drink it. She now refuses juice which she used to take (baby juice cut with water). However, I've noticed it's the sippy she's refusing, so when I give it directly from the cup she'll take it. She used to be the poop machine, now I'm begging her to poop! > you could temporarily cut out the yoghurt, a smootie is probably a > reasonable treatment because of the fruit and liquid in, particularly if [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > Anne I know I used Caro syrup with my first baby, but since then, there has been a warning issued about the potential bacterial contaminations of Caro syrup and it is no longer a recommendation for treating constipation in babies. It might be light versus dark though too, and I just don't remember that. lol. > you could temporarily cut out the yoghurt, a smootie is probably a > reasonable treatment because of the fruit and liquid in, particularly if [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > that out to see if it makes any difference. There are a couple of the > positive fruits you are missing, plums, apricots. Ok, I'll throw those in too. > If you remove the yoghurt and it means she eats less, she'll probably > nurse more, which will at least mean dehydration isn't an issue. She will eat every fruit mixed with yoghurt, but often will push away fruits on their own. Sometimes when she won't eat the veg, if we mix with yoghurt she will. But I'll just cut back. My concern is her 'snack' at daycare....I'd rather she have fruit + yoghurt than crackers. I sent dried fruit pieces today, we'll see how she likes those. > Other things to try would be activity, have her on her back and pump her > legs, massage her tummy to get things going - I can't remember where you > are on the activity levels, is she crawling? If she's not, but is being > challenged by these foods that do require activity to get through, then > doing her exercise for her could help. She's a bum scooter. Doesn't crawl on all fours, but gets all over the place scooting on her bum. I do often bicycle her legs and massage her belly. > A final trick is teaspoon of karo corn syrup, looking at you meal plan, > I'd stick it in at breakfast time, with the BM that gets added to the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > constipation problem into a child not having any control over her bowels > in future. If it continues another week, I may call the doctor. She seems to be feeling better now, so I'm less worried. The first 2 weeks she was pretty miserable and not eating. We'd assumed it was just teething - which is part of it - but now I'm not so sure. > > you could temporarily cut out the yoghurt, a smootie is probably a > > reasonable treatment because of the fruit and liquid in, particularly if [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > pretty miserable and not eating. We'd assumed it was just teething - > which is part of it - but now I'm not so sure. My kids all developed a certain-smelly type of loose bowel movement while they were teething. After the first baby had it, I was immediately able to tell when the other two were teething based on that BM alone. lol. > > > you could temporarily cut out the yoghurt, a smootie is probably a > > > reasonable treatment because of the fruit and liquid in, particularly if [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > immediately able to tell when the other two were teething based on > that BM alone. lol. yeah, I heard diarrhea is a common teething symptom, but not the opposite. > If it continues another week, I may call the doctor. Please call your doctor today. You describe two separate problems: one is constipation. The other sounds exactly like melena, blood in the stool from an origin high in the gastrointestinal tract. That is not an emergency but also not normal and it does require medical attention because it can be an early sign of a serious problem. Given her other symptoms (reluctance to eat, distress, hard abdomen), please don't wait any longer. Pologirl > > If it continues another week, I may call the doctor. > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > her other symptoms (reluctance to eat, distress, hard abdomen), please > don't wait any longer. Thanks for the concern, however she hasn't had any blood in her stool. They've been black, but no blood. > Thanks for the concern, however she hasn't had any blood in her stool. > They've been black, but no blood. Did you test them for blood? Bleeding in the upper GI tract will result in black and foul smelling stool. Blood in the stool looks like fresh blood only when it *is* fresh blood, ie from the lower GI tract. Pologirl > Did you test them for blood? > > Bleeding in the upper GI tract will result in black and foul smelling > stool. Blood in the stool looks like fresh blood only when it *is* > fresh blood, ie from the lower GI tract. regardless of blood or not, when cjra said waiting another week before even calling, it didn't seem right, based on my incomplete knowledge, I was going to suggest before rather than after the weekend if a couple of days of trying other things didn't help. On the additional info Pologirl provided sooner rather than later sounds better. The pain and stomach hardness troubles me, years ago, I was having jaw problems and had to eat a soft diet for a while, never having had any bowel problems, I wasn't eating significant fibre in a soft form, so my diet suddenly lost quite a lot of fibre and I got constipation, but not the kind where it's there, right at the anus, but difficult to get out, which is can get jolly uncomfortable, but isn't quite the same sensation as pain, but backed up higher up, which really was agonisingly painful, but even then, my stomach wasn't hard, though I'm thin enough that if you felt in the right place you could feel the solid in the bowel - I must be pretty prone to it as it's happened twice since, again without any outward signs. I wish I knew why sometimes it was that way, not the normal way, I've had the normal way a gazillion times with pregnancy, iron tablets, painkillers etc. Anne > > > If it continues another week, I may call the doctor. > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Thanks for the concern, however she hasn't had any blood in her stool. > They've been black, but no blood. Black in the stool *can* be cause for alarm, but not always, so it would be better if you ran it by the ped. They may just tell you via phone to bring in a stool sample. I mentioned black and tarry earlier and that is because that is how blood can appear in certain conditions. Blood in the stool can appear as black for a number of reasons. Things in the lower tract, such as a rectal fissure or anal hemorrhoid, would cause the blood to be close by and then result in the red that you would expect to see. Black tarry stools is blood in the stools and it can be a sign of something wrong.  SignatureSue >> > If it continues another week, I may call the doctor. >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Thanks for the concern, however she hasn't had any blood in her stool. > They've been black, but no blood. > O > Thanks for the concern, however she hasn't had any blood in her stool. > They've been black, but no blood. Black stools = digested blood. She needs to go to the doc. Michelle Flutist > > O > > Thanks for the concern, however she hasn't had any blood in her stool. > > They've been black, but no blood. > > Black stools = digested blood. She needs to go to the doc. Thanks all for the concern. I did speak with the pedi this am, and she said the black stools did not sound like blood (and that she's seen black stools which were not blood). She suggested that as DD *is* improving this week, albeit slowly, to push the water as much as possible and if she's still not better by Monday, call again (or if she worsens, to call immediately). She didn't feel it was a blockage since she is passing now, but that the slowness in improving was due to being backed up for 2 weeks. A week ago DD was pretty miserable, but now, though she's still constipated, she IS passing stools and is otherwise fine and happy except for when she's pushing. > > > O > > > Thanks for the concern, however she hasn't had any blood in her stool. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > constipated, she IS passing stools and is otherwise fine and happy > except for when she's pushing. That's good to hear. I'm glad she is feeling better. I know that black does not always equal blood in the stool because something as simple as an oreo cookie can turn it that way. lol. Green jello also does interesting things. tee-hee. This morning I talked to the pedi in my office, and she wasn't too concerned but said to push the water and watch her for a few days. Also to add some pedialyte to make sure we didn't overdo it with water. (once I explained we'd tried all the usual foods and juices). She wasn't too worried about the black stool just yet. After talking some more, she said it couldn't hurt to call our regular pedi's office, so I did. Initially they said just to use a suppository. But after discussing the black stool more, suggested we come in. The NP recommended we bring in a stool sample, checked her out and said she was otherwise fine although she could feel the stool inside her... she recommened the suppository and upping the bran, as well as water (we always give water, but it has been hot lately and she is sweating more). I joked that since we decided to come into the doc's office, today she'd suddenly start pooping well. Guess what? Tonight after dinner, she pooped! Ok, it wasn't as soft as I'd have liked, but it wasn't black and it wasn't hard pellets. We'll still bring in a sample and push the fiber laden foods, and see how the next few days go. > Poor DD. I was about to call the doctor as she wasn't eating solids > much (tho nursing fine), but this weekend she finally started eating [quoted text clipped - 59 lines] > took some prunes yesterday, it didn't appear to do much? Now she's > eating well, but she's still not pooping much. > This morning I talked to the pedi in my office, and she wasn't too > concerned but said to push the water and watch her for a few days. [quoted text clipped - 82 lines] > > - Show quoted text - My daughter has always pretty much consistently had harder formed balled stools. I sprinkle a fiber bran I buy from the grocery store onto everything we eat. It is virtually undectable. Heck, when I was pregnant and suffering from that myself, I actually added it to my drinks. The floaties were hard to ignore, but it was undetectable taste-wise. Afterall, they say that we all barely even get half of the daily fiber we need. It seems to be agreeable to everyone in my household. lol. Anyway, I'm glad she is making some process. I just got my hair done today and the hairdresser was talking about her 5-y/o getting so bound up they did some x-rays on her. They had put her on two different drugs, an antibiotic for what they first thought was vaginosis and then MiraLax, a stool softener. Her tummy got really upset from that combination and it didn't seem to help anything for her either. > > This morning I talked to the pedi in my office, and she wasn't too > > concerned but said to push the water and watch her for a few days. [quoted text clipped - 86 lines] > balled stools. I sprinkle a fiber bran I buy from the grocery store > onto everything we eat. I've been adding ground up bran to her food for the past week. . I just > got my hair done today and the hairdresser was talking about her 5-y/o > getting so bound up they did some x-rays on her. They had put her on > two different drugs, an antibiotic for what they first thought was > vaginosis and then MiraLax, a stool softener. Her tummy got really > upset from that combination and it didn't seem to help anything for > her either. ouch, poor kid!! Cjra wrote: >Tonight after dinner, she pooped! Ok, it wasn't as soft as > I'd have liked, but it wasn't black and it wasn't hard pellets. Yay! I am glad you talked to your pediatrician. And so glad that her difficulties appear to have passed. Yes, some foods and drugs can produce black stools, but your little girl probably isn't getting any of those. She may have had an upper GI bleed, now resolved. Or there was no bleed. But if you see that nasty black again, please follow up with your ped! For Monkey Boy (3yo), constipation is linked to insufficient fluid intake. A high fiber diet can make constipation worse, if fluid intake is not sufficient. > Cjra wrote: > >Tonight after dinner, she pooped! Ok, it wasn't as soft as [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > intake. A high fiber diet can make constipation worse, if fluid > intake is not sufficient. I suspect this might be it. Though I usually give her lots of water - I give it to her with every meal and always have a sippy cup with water around as it's been very hot these days, due to the teething she's not really liked the sippy cup and it took about a week for me to notice she wasn't drinking from it much. Now I just give her the cup straight, which is helping, > > Cjra wrote: > > >Tonight after dinner, she pooped! Ok, it wasn't as soft as [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > to notice she wasn't drinking from it much. Now I just give her the > cup straight, which is helping, I noticed with all 3 of my kids that they literally used a sippy cup to take sips and walk away from the cup. I had better luck getting them to drink water when I diluted white grape juice like 3 parts water to 1 part juice in the sippy cups. I had better luck with water in baby bottles. My 1-year-old calls his water juice, even though it is only water. lol. I nursed/offered formula (they were fed differently) first and then offered their juice/water combo or water bottle with the solids they were eating. |
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