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Starting formula really constipated baby!?

Hi I have breastfed my baby until now he is 4 months old. I have struggled all along with not having enough supply of milk and one breast has a one stream so he gets really upset eating. I decided it would be best to start formula after him being a pound less than he should be at his 4 month check up. So we started formula he was having really bad gas pains so our pediatrician said to switch to soy so we did. he is on gerber good start soy his gas pains went away but now as of today he has really hard poop i had to take his diaper off to help him pass it i would say it was about the texture of play do maybe a little more formed. My question is do babies get constipated when going onto formula or is something wrong with him. What can I do to help him. Should I try re lactating? or is there something that will help him with formula?

Update:

I should add i completely stopped breastfeeding 5 days ago. and still have some milk

7 Answers

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  • 8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Babies that are exclusively breastfed, or have it as their main food do not get constipated. Is the formula made up exactly as it says on the tin? Does anyone apart from you prepare the formula - someone who might think you add 'one for the pot as when making tea?'

    Re lactating is worth considering.

    Re-Lactation and Induced Lactation - Take Action ...

    Re-lactation is the method of rebuilding the milk supply of a birth mother, which has decreased after weeks or months of not breastfeeding. Induced lactation is the ...

    www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/24684/29488/... - Cached

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    Re-Lactation - BreastNotes.com Breast Information

    The First Drop! Inducing lactation is a true labor of love. It takes a strict adherence to a schedule of breast ...

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    I've found some sites that might help.

    -----------------

    I have just seen your edit. Just put you baby to your breast frequently. I stopped breastfeeding a week after my daughter's 1st birthday as planned, but went back to it at night a week later, as she got gastroenteritis.

  • Bobbi
    Lv 7
    8 years ago

    One pound less? Breast fed babies gain weight slower than formula babies. Docs are so obsessed with how many ounces baby drank, or how many pounds baby gained they do not take in the difference in breast fed babies. You are in for a long struggle with formula. Some babies just cannot digest that stuff.

    http://kellymom.com/

    here is a site for more help. The site will tell you if you have enough wet diapers than that means you have enough milk. Who told you you do not have enough milk? One stream is OK, this is more of an over active letdown. Can you see a lactation consultant to help you?

  • ?
    Lv 4
    8 years ago

    Speak to a lactation consultant about breast feeding him again. In nine cases out of ten, there is no reason why it shouldn't be possible to breast feed for as long as necessary, as long as you feed him only breast milk, and feed him on demand. Just because your son was 1 lb under what the average baby is, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with his growth, or your breastfeeding him. Doctors often don't give the best advice concerning breast feeding, because they're not trained in it. Your breasts will produce milk as long as they're being sucked. All of these issues with his constipation and gas seem like they correlate strongly to the formula switch; and really, breast is best.

  • Pippin
    Lv 7
    8 years ago

    If you are willing and able, I would definitely go back to breastfeeding. You don't say how long he's been on bottles, but with help, you should be able to get him nursing again and get your supply back.

    (What do you mean by 'a pound less than he should be?' A pound below the 50th percentile? A pound below his percentile at birth? A pound below the bottom of the growth charts? There is no 'should be' about size -- healthy babies do come in a wide range of sizes and shapes and unless he's actually been losing weight or is off the bottom on the charts, he's likely the size he is meant to be.)

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  • orson
    Lv 4
    4 years ago

    a toddler's digestive gadget is designed to technique breast milk. formula supplies you sufficient supplementations and nutrition for appropriate strengthen and progression so it quite is a superb determination to breast milk. regardless of the shown fact that, the climate in formula are actually not as actual processed which may bring about digestive subjects. it quite is a hassle-loose false impression that the iron in formula reasons the constipation, however the fashion of iron utilized in formula is diverse than the fashion of iron present in issues like iron pills, that could reason constipation in adults. modern scientific learn and learn has not correct the iron in commercially arranged toddler formula with constipation. additionally, what sounds like constipation in babies is surely a classic reaction to the nonetheless arising digestive gadget. babies usually grunt, get crimson-confronted, tension, and fuss whilst pooping. it quite is not a solid sign of constipation. genuine constipation many times leads to tiny, stressful, dry, pebble-like stool. Stool in formula fed babies does tend to sniff worse than stool in a breast fed toddler with the aid of aspects present in formula. it quite is unusual for breast fed babies to get constipation with the aid of fact breast milk is a organic laxative.

  • Ellen
    Lv 7
    8 years ago

    Constipation in a baby is a hard stool that's difficult to pass. Your baby's stool is not hard, so he is not truly constipated.. It is not unusual to see a change in the baby's stool with a change in diet.

    You might try to supply at least part of your baby's diet with breastmilk.. If you were recently breastfeeding, you might be able to get some supply back.

    Source(s): hospital IBCLC and mothers' group leader 20+ years mom to 3
  • 8 years ago

    All babies get constipated when you change from breast to formula. If he is really struggling try and give him sips of cooled boiled water inbetween feeds. If this doesn't help him within the next few days speak to your health visitor x

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