Below is a link to an article about a UNICEF Dr. who sees a link between
feeding babies pureed foods, and constipation. I think it is an interesting
idea.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2104921,00.html


In regard to  Jennifer's post (copied below) I am concerned that advising
Moms that a breastfed baby (beyond the newborn period) must stool so often
could be harmful to breastfeeding. I remember when my first baby was about 4
months old and I called our hospital LC and asked if her stooling just once
a week was normal--the stool was profuse, soft and was not painful. She said
yes, and I have since gone on to breastfeed 5 happy, healthy babies who did
not stool daily while exclusively breastfeeding after the first month or so.
Would I have continued breastfeeding if the LC had convinced me that there
was something wrong? Certainly if I had switched to formula the stools would
have come more often. I think rather than looking to farm animals, adults or
formula babies, we should look at the many, many happy healthy breastfed
babies who do not stool that often.

Jennifer posted:
"Actually, we do not all "know" that babies do not need to stool every day.
Most LCs and others may believe it to be true, but there are those of us who
"know" that it may well be common, but it is not normal.? Having been raised
around many animals, from dogs and cats to horses and goats, I always knew
that when an animal did not eat or did not have normal stooling patterns, he
was not well. My father raised thoroughbreds and he was fanatical about
their diets and their digestive health. There was no range of normal among
healthy animals. (Of course, many domesticated animals today are no longer
eating healthy diets and manifest the same diseases that their humans do).
We worry about children not eating, but we don't seem to know we should also
worry about children not stooling. As biological beings, I do not believe we
have a range of normal either. One bowel movement per meal per human is
normal. So, IMO, babies who eat 8-10 X per day should poop 6-8 X per
day--adults 2-3X per day. So, a 7 month old who eats, say 6X per day, is
missing 8-17 bms if she has a bm every third day. I personally think that is
a big deal."


Michele Call, LLLL

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