Babys First Year Blog
How Long Can Newborns Safely Go Without Pooping!?
Desperately seeking poop-related advice!
While Nicole is over there dealing with explosions that truly define the word explosions – I mean, did someone stick a grenade down her kid’s pants? – I am over here praying for one.
We are going on day four of no poop. Well, that isn’t exactly true. Violet is pooping plenty. Giant, stinky, mac and cheese toddler poop that leaves me longing for those days of sweetish-smelling breast milk poop. So don’t you worry, there is plenty of poop to go around chez Bielanko.
I suppose, that in the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that I’ve been slipping Henry the occasional bottle of formula. Wait, don’t get all judgmental! Let me explain. Remember how I told you about all the cluster feeding? It was INSANE. The kid had to be surgically removed from the boob, I’m serious. I couldn’t play with Violet or walk the dogs without the little guy clamoring for booby. Reminded me of my college days when my boobies were in high demand. Hey-OH! KIDDING!
Kind of.
ANYWAY… All of his crying made me wonder if he was getting enough. I know, I know, the pediatrician will tell you that of course he’s getting enough – but I just wanted to witness a particular amount of milk doing down the hatch, you know what I mean? And sometimes, while in the middle of cooking dinner, it’s nice to let Serge feed him. He was on the boob so much I couldn’t even pump an ounce to freeze, so we gave him some soy, milk-free lactose-free formula. I’d say he got a total of three or four bottles last week. Not a whole lot. He’s maybe had one or two bottles of formula this week. So we’re still at about 90% breast milk.
Thing is, he pooped fine last week while drinking formula so I kind of ruled out formula as the culprit. I googled newborn pooping and discovered this, wherein moms talk about how their babies don’t poop for days and days and days without pooping and it’s totally normal. I’m not SUPER worried, but he does seem fussier than normal.
So what have you got? What’re your theories? Is no poop for days normal? What’s the longest your baby went without pooping? One other question! Is Henry still considered a newborn at nearly three months? Probably not, right?
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12 Comments
LK commented on May 13 11 at 11:59 amWe had what we call the “eight day poop strike” when Jack was born – after he pooped out the meconium right after birth, there was no more poop for 8 days!! We were freaking out, but the doctor said it was fine (and so did the internets – some people were like “my kid didn’t poop for three weeks,” so I felt a bit better). I think you have a while before you should start worrying. I will say that when the poop strike ended, it ended in a BIG way – we even took a picture of it we were so excited (new parents celebrating poop – one of our finer moments, I’m sure).
Kelsey commented on May 13 11 at 12:00 pmMine is only nearly two months, but at his first pediatrician visit, the nurse was dutifully asking us about poops and said, “Then, at three months, they promptly stop pooping and everyone panics. But it’s normal.” So, there’s that. It’s normal and causes panic. Sounds like you’re on track!
Jennifer commented on May 13 11 at 12:14 pmBetween two/three months and about six months, both mine regularly went for 7 to 8 days between pooping. Pediatrician said that as long as the poop was still wet and fairly regular-looking when it came out, and as long as they never seemed to be in great discomfort, I shouldn’t worry about it. So I didn’t. Honestly, it was really convenient- hardly any nasty diapers, no smelly baby clothing. It all changed when I introduced solids. Of course, on that 7th or 8th day, the disaster was horrific, but we learned to deal with it.
PlumbLucky commented on May 13 11 at 12:15 pmBabe the Younger from age 3 months til about 5 months would go between 5-8 days with nothing, then P-O-O-O-O-P. Its just what she did. Her doctor said due to the EBF, if she wasn’t in distress then up to 8 days was fine without even a phonecall. I have no experience with formula so I do not know how that impacts the whole mess, no pun intended…
Lindsey commented on May 13 11 at 2:32 pmYup, mine did the same thing. Of course I was super worried about it, but on day 7 there it was. He is exclusively breastfed so I don’t think the formula has too much to do with it. Around this age something just switches and bowels aren’t as regular.
Julie commented on May 13 11 at 5:22 pmI’d say just chill for a while (hard, I know). If when he finally does poop, you find little hard constipated pebble-like poops, THEN talk to your doc. Hang in there, babe!
Kate commented on May 13 11 at 8:48 pmMy babe was being supplemented with regular ol’ formula (Good Start, specifically) because he was quite jaundiced when he was born. We’re talking a bottle a day. We tried Enfamil and we were good for a week or so, then BAM! out of nowhere, constipation city. Poor kid went a week without pooping, and then with the aid of a vaseline-coated q-tip, pushed out these dense, smooth sandy, mustard coloured turds.After he went back to just breastmilk, all was well. So I don’t know, maybe the formula just stopped agreeing with him? It doesn’t sound like you need to worry, though.
K commented on May 13 11 at 11:23 pmMy little one, now 2, routinely went 7 days between poops with a record of 11 days. I waited to see who would explode first- my baby or my husband!
Dayna commented on May 15 11 at 11:23 amI don’t wish to come off as the typical commenter who decries “You’re doing something wroooonnnng!” but I wanted to mention that I have read a lot lately about the dangers of soy. Prior to stumbling across the information, I never would have imagined that soy was not good for you… another commenter mentioned Good Start – when I supplemented my babies, I took the advice of a work friend and tried that with no incident. The proteins break down in a way that mimics breast milk, which made sense to me. Just a thought and hopefully not overstepping assvice.
Sarah commented on May 15 11 at 1:25 pmMy little girl is 4 months old and started going a day here and there without pooping. I breastfeed exclusively so I started eating a fiber bar and also drinking a cup of prune juice in the morning. I was told what I’m eating she gets and I think it helps, after I started doing that she’s been pooping every day. Also you could try taking probiotics. I took several rounds, you can get them at any health food store. My pediatrician told me it’s good for the baby at this age to help develop their flora in their intestine so they can digest their food better. Just some suggestions in case you want to try. My pediatrician’s nurse told me if it had been several days and I was concerned because she looked uncomfortable or upset that I could mix an ounce of prune juice and an ounce of apple juice in a bottle and feed it to her. You should call your pediatrician and see what they say.
Sara commented on May 16 11 at 10:07 amOur son was exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months and only got about 2-3 oz of milk at a sitting (my boobs don’t produce, man!), but he was a fat little guy, grew just fine, and only pooped once every 10 days – and it was explosive! Hey, when you get that little milk at a time, you gotta squeeze out every last nutrient… ;)
phd commented on May 16 11 at 10:26 amSoy milk formula is very high in estrogen and does have the effect of relaxing the involuntary muscles.
I wouldn’t give a baby boy any soy milk.
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