Is my baby constipated?
Right after your baby is born, it may seem that you are changing dirty diapers after every single feeding, especially if your baby is breastfed. However, after the first several weeks of life, the frequency of stools may dramatically decrease in some babies, leaving a parent to worry that there are too few stools.
As long as your baby’s bowel movements are soft, the frequency is not important. It is perfectly normal for bowel movements to decrease to one time each day or less. Some babies, especially if they are breastfed, will even go up to a week with out a bowel movement, without seeming the least bit uncomfortable. Breast milk is so nutritious and easily digested that there is very little left over as waste. Some babies may strain and seem to have a hard time having a bowel movement, but as long as it is soft, there is nothing to worry about.
If your baby is passing stools that look like little pebbles or rocks, talk to your pediatrician about starting your baby on prunes or prune juice to help alleviate the constipation.
Reviewed by Dr. Sara Connolly, August 2019
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