Re: My 15 wk old baby is constipated

Samantha, if you go down a couple of posts, you will find my philosophy on feeding babies. I don't know how old your mother is, but, if she's any where near my age, in her defense, this is what our mothers told us to do and what the doctors used to say we should do. The problem is that a 15 week old baby really does not need anything except it's mother's milk. Rice is a grain and is very difficult to digest, which is why the baby is constipated. This can be very miserable and my heart goes out to you!

There are several different ways to handle this: the first one I would suggest is the use of Castor oil on the abdomen. Put a generous amount of castor oil on the baby's abdomen, then lay a warm, wet washcloth on the baby's abdomen over the castor oil. Keep the washcloth warm and moist. Every 10 minutes or so, put your hand under the washcloth to make sure the skin is still oily, as the body will begin to pull the oil in. If the skin does not still feel oily, then add more. I would sit in a rocking chair and do this for 1 - 2 hours, if necessary. The castor oil will penetrate through the skin and help to soften everything up, so the baby can move his bowels.

Another idea, in an emergency, is to use an infant glycerine suppository. You gently insert these into the rectum. It will break down whatever is close to the opening and allow the baby to pass the blockage.

You could also do an enema. You would use a bulb syringe and some warm catnip tea. Pull some tea into the syringe, put some olive oil on the tip of the syringe and very gently insert the tip of the syringe into the rectum. Don't ever use force or push very hard! Release a small amount of the tea into the colon and pull the syringe out without letting go of the pressure you have on the bulb.

Since you are nursing, you can also help him by drinking some fresh apple juice or prune juice to stimulate his bowels to move. However, since it has been six days, you need to break up what is sitting there and move it out first. Otherwise, you will have his bowels stimulated and trying to move a soft bowel movement behind the hard, blocked impaction.

Good luck and let me know how he does.