Hi there from nomail, still trying to catch up land...I have a mom with a 10
month old baby who appears to be constipated...maybe.  I'd really like all
of your opinions on this (please respond privately as well as to the
list...TIA).  Here's the deal...
Healthy 10 mo old baby boy started having very infrequent stools (7-14 days
apart) at about 3 months of age.  Solids were not introduced until about 7
months.  Baby is growing very well and meeting or exceeding all milestones.
He is chubby and happy, and just started walking today.  Other that the 5-10
minutes right before finally stooling, he has no signs of discomfort.  When
pooping, he strains, turns red, clenches is fists and has shaking hands.
His stools are firm and long, not pellets or rock hard.  A naturopath
examined the rectum and said it was not excessively tight.  I examined the
baby's abdomen and found it unremarkable and not tender even 10 days since
last stool.

I showed the parents how to do the I Love You massage several months ago,
which they do daily along with pumping his legs.  They have been using a
glycerine suppository when he starts to strain and 5-10 min later he poops.
I don't think the suppository could actually be working that fast and I
think it is more of a stimulation issue.  Mom has done a cow milk
elimination for 2 weeks and not noticed any difference.  Baby doesn't have
explosive diarrhea after the initial passing of stool; doesn't vomit;
doesn't have blood in stool; doesn't have ezcema.    Dad wants to use senna
tea to "get the ball rolling", which I warned could be  very harsh and
painful.  These are great attachment parenting parents who don't want to do
anything extreme.  The family practice doc wants to do a barium enema and
scan on him.   I suggested lycopodium first.  Any other thoughts?  Is it
possible that this baby is merely at one end of the spectrum of normal and
is absorbing all those great nutrients in breastmilk?
Warmly,
Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC
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