How long can a baby not have a bowel movement?

ileana264 · Newbie Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 1

Hello, I have a baby three months old. This was my first pregnancy and it went well. Everything was ok three months, but now we have a problem. How long can a baby not have a bowel movement? My son did not defecate for three days and it was happening usually once a day…

egon951 · Newbie Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

Well, there might be something going on here, but most probably it is nothing. I want to say that in some cases, even ten days without defecation is considered normal. Babies can sometimes use entire food (milk) they take, so there is not much left to be considered as waste. Of course, if you are worried, you can always take him to a doctor.

bbfeet9 · Moderator Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 943

If your baby was having a healthy bm every day but now has shifted to 2 or 3 days, that is okay.
Anything past 4 or 5 days i would talk to his Pedi. IMO, 10 days without a BM is not normal.

Guest · Guest

" IMO, 10 days without a BM is not normal." Yes it is. I took my daughter to he doc and the said its normal. i feel 4 her though today is day 14 with no poo...

missjg · Newbie Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 6 Location: Colorado

My son used to get very constipated starting from about 4 months old. My older two sons never once got constipated, so i was worried. He went for about 6 or 7 days without a bowel movement, and then finally he went, and it was a HUGE, very hard, ball of green, mucous covered poop. He cried and screamed, and I can't imagine how painful that was for him, I don't even know how something that big could even come out of such a little babies bottom. It was seriously the size of a softball, not a baseball. I used to have to give him enemas sometimes because it would be so bad. He would hold it in even when he felt the urge, because he knew it was going to be painful.

I believe it was because I was nursing him, but not eating healthy at all. He had constipation problems for more than 2 years. The doctor gave me a prescription for miralax, but it bothered me that they didn't seem to think something was seriously wrong if he couldn't naturally have regular bowel movements. I personally don't think it's healthy for ANYBODY to go even TWO days without a bowel movement.

I believe that my son's bowels were stretched out from his constipation problems because now he seems to have bowel incontinence. He can't hold his poop for very long. If we're not close to a bathroom when he has to go, he will have an accident. He is regular now, though, goes at least once a day. It all changed when he finally started eating fruits and high-fiber foods. He started doing that around age 3, and now he's 5. I think our diets today lack in these areas so much that so many people have digestive problems. Also some medications (especially antibiotics) contribute to digestive problems, and make people more susceptible to infections too.

I'd recommend you start by looking at what your child is eating, or medications they are taking. Make sure they are getting enough fruits, veggies, and high fiber foods. Doctors can make things seem insignificant sometimes, but it is very essential for everyone to empty their bowels on a regular basis, that is one way we rid our bodies of wastes, and how could that not be necessary?

How long can a baby not have a bowel movement?

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