My LO is constipated. He has been like this since Wednesday. We had a pediatrician appointment on Thursday and she gave him an enema. She told us we could buy some at Walmart incase it happened again.

Well, it has happened. Every day. He hasn't pooped on his own since 7am on Wednesday! We have given him three enemas and every time he poops tons. He just isn't doing it on his own.

We swapped his formula from Similac to Good Start. But he was constipated before we swapped it. We actually swapped it to see if it would get better (we had to swap anyways, but were going to wait until we used up all our Similac), but it hasn't. We completely swapped his formula Thursday night.

I dont know what to do. We have another pedi appointment on Monday, but that seems so far away. I hate giving him the enemas because he cries so much, and I dont want it to be hurting him.

We have tried some clear Karo syrup in his last two bottles of formula because everyone has told us it will help loosen it up. Nothing yet, though. And I dont know if we are putting enough in there. I dont want to put too much and upset his stomach, but I feel so bad that he isn't able to poop. He is straining and pushing, but nothing.

Is there anything else I can do? I feel bad for my poor baby.

When they do empty their bowels is it hard and painful? Do they have colic like pains?(that's when they do it naturally without the enema)

It is perfectly normal for a baby on formula to have a bowel movement once a week.

yeah i was gonna say the same health nurse told me its completely normal for them not to for up to 9 days.

Relieving constipation in Babies:

Massage your baby's tummy and move your baby's legs in a cycling motion

Give your baby a plenty of nice warm baths.

When you wash your baby's bottom, apply Vaseline around the outside of the anus.

Check you are making formula correctly

Give cooled boiled water

What's the difference between good start and your previous formula? We have something called comfort in the UK which is made to be easier for babies to digest....

When he does it, with the enema, it is thick. My OH describes it like "clay", but I dont think it is quite that thick. Alot of it is kind of chunky. (sorry if tmi)
Sometimes he cries when pushing, but I dont know if it's just because he is cold and doesn't like having his diaper off. Other times he is okay pushing after receiving the enema.

We just dont want him to get really backed up. He went from pooping at least 5 times a day, to not pooping at all. Every time we give him the enema though he poops quite a bit.

He will have had bowel movements alot because babies do after labour....

The Similac is supposed to be an expesive, 'good' brand. It's what they used at the hospital. Good Start is what I get on my WIC (we get 10 cans a month), and it has "Comfort Proteins" for easy digestion.

Massage your baby's tummy and move your baby's legs in a cycling motion -- we have been doing this. OH has been massaging his tummy since he first got constipated and I noticed the other day that after we gave him the enema. When we though he was done and lifted his legs to wipe him he would poop more. So we have been raising his legs and moving them around to try and help him.
Give your baby a plenty of nice warm baths. -- we have been sponge bathing him two times a day because the doctor thinks he has a staff infection. We cannot completely bath him though because he still has the thing on his belly button.
When you wash your baby's bottom, apply Vaseline around the outside of the anus. -- we could definitally try this.
Check you are making formula correctly -- we have been using powdered, and do one scoop to 2oz of formula. Thats following the directions so it shouldn't be too think, should it? or too runny.
Give cooled boiled water -- haven't tried this. How much would you give them though? Can too much upset his stomach?

I didn't know that.
Wednesday night he was definitally constipated though because he was up all night crying and wouldn't sleep -- which he hasn't done before (or yet). Then when we went to the doctor she checked before giving him the enema and it was hard as a rock. He had a big chunk that was like a rock. I just dont want him to be in that much pain again.

Dunno if this helps but I've been told by a number of people pure orange (not concentrated) watered down helps.

Another might not help is when I changed her food for another reason I was told it may make her a bit constipated up until a week after change.

My Caitlin didn't poo much when she was first born & was quite solid at first but that soon changed.

I didnt read what everyone else has told you because I have limited time so if I'm repeating what some one else had told you I'm sorry.


Rylee has had the same issue since she was 5 days old.... we changed her formula too. We have tried everything! from water to suppositories. She was going once every 2 to 3 days. She would just scream at points in the day because it hurt so bad.

The doctor told us not to use the suppositories every day because she didn't want her to get used to having them because she might not start going with out them even when she does get better, so we would give them to her every other day if she hadn't pooped yet and we would do it at 5pm so she would go before bed time so she wouldn't be hurting.

I will tell you what worked the best so far..... prune juice! We started giving it to her Thursday and she was still going once a day (if that) but starting yesterday she went 4 times! Its wonderful!!! We give her 3ml in 2oz of water in the morning and after two days she has started getting back to normal.

At first I was scared to give her anything other then formula but the prune juice has really worked.

Try that if nothing else has worked.