Can switching to formula cause constipation

Newborn Constipation in Formula-Fed Infants: What to Do

The only thing worse than the dreaded poopy diaper? Worrying about why your baby isn’t having one.

If your baby has gone several days without a dirty diaper, you may be ready to tear out your hair trying to figure out what’s wrong.

As you run through all the potential causes, one thing likely to cross your mind is their diet — especially if you’ve recently started them on formula.

Is it true that formula can cause constipation? What should you do if your baby is constipated? When do you need to contact your child’s pediatrician? Let’s take a look.

It’s true: Formula-fed babies are more likely to be constipated than those exclusively on breast milk. Why is this?

Well, breast milk is generally easier for babies to digest and considered a natural laxative.

Formula, on the other hand, is thicker. It has larger proteins that can be harder to digest. This makes gastrointestinal problems — including constipation — more likely.

But keep in mind that this doesn’t mean it’s impossible for a breastfed baby to become constipated or that all babies on formula will be constipated.

Every baby is different. Also, whether formula-fed or breastfed, your baby may show signs of constipation when you introduce solids into their diet.

One other note: Some babies fed exclusively with breast milk don’t poop frequently, but in those cases it’s likely because their bodies are absorbing all the nutrient-filled breast milk they’re eating.

Wondering if your baby is constipated? Signs of constipation include:

infrequent or less common bowel movements
hard bowel movements that can appear like pellets, rocks, or hard balls
blood on the surface of the stool or when wiping
pain while passing bowel movements — for a baby who can’t communicate with words, this may appear as an arched back, a red face, and crying
a tight belly
lack of interest in food

The number of poop-filled diapers a baby will have each day or week can vary greatly. Use your baby’s normal — not your neighbor’s baby or your brother’s baby — as the baseline to help you determine if they’re constipated.

And it’s important to remember that constipation isn’t just about how frequently your infant is pooping, but also about how hard it is for them to do so.

If they poop once every 3 to 4 days, but the poop is soft and seems to pass easily, they may be just fine. On the other hand, if your baby poops every other day but is straining and crying while pooping and the poop is hard, they may be constipated.

If you’ve recently switched to formula after exclusively breastfeeding your baby, you may notice changes in your baby’s poop. It’s not uncommon for it to become harder or change color.

You may also notice an increase in gas, particularly if your baby is transitioning to using a bottle. Every baby is different though, and you may not notice much of a change.

Looking at supermarket formula displays can be enough to set your head spinning.

First, there are three different forms of formula you can choose from:

powders
concentrates
ready-to-use

Then, within these forms, they may be:

milk-based (cow or goat) formulas
soy-based formulas
specialty formulas, like organic options

Some formulas advertise themselves as easier to digest.

This can be because they are homogenized, which means they’re processed in a way that breaks down molecules for easier absorption. Or they may be made with ingredients designed to be easier on the digestive system.

Despite this advertisement, there’s no guarantee that any formula will sit well in baby’s stomach. So, how do you choose?

For many parents, the answer lies in asking fellow parents and caregivers about their experiences with formula and researching the ingredients to find one that feels right.

After choosing a formula, you might decide that you’d like to change to another one. Is this a good idea?

Switching your baby’s formula may make a difference in their poop, since their sensitivity to some of the ingredients in the original formula may have led to their constipation.

However, changing formula styles or brands can also make things worse, especially if you do it too often.

In other words, it’s not a good plan to give your baby one formula for 1 or 2 days, then changing to another formula right away when you see that they’re constipated. Instead, try giving baby a few weeks to adjust to any newly introduced formula.

In some cases, though, changing formulas might be wise. Even so, it’s best to speak with your child’s pediatrician first.

Reasons to consider changing formulas can include:

food allergies
extreme fussiness
a need for more iron in a baby’s diet, as determined by a doctor (though most infant formulas do contain iron)
weakness or fatigue
vomiting (more than just spit-up)
bloody stools
diarrhea

Especially if your child is showing signs of allergies or wheat or dairy aversions, changing to a brand with different ingredients may make digestion easier.

It’s never a good idea to create your own homemade formula, however. Your child’s doctor can help you find an approved formula if your little one needs something special.

For many babies, a simple home remedy or two is all you’ll need to relieve constipation.

For an older baby, you can consider a dietary change.

If your child is over 6 months old, offer them a small amount of 100 percent apple, prune, or pear juice diluted with water. These include sorbitol, a type of sugar. It acts like a laxative and may be able to help with constipation.

Extra water can soften their poop, too. Of course, don’t forget to check with your doctor first for their recommendations on amount and types of liquids.

And if your baby is already eating solids, you may want to consider offering them fiber-filled options like peas and prunes. You may also consider baby cereals with whole wheat or barley instead of rice, since they include more fiber.

For younger babies, you can try the following:

Bicycle kicks. Gently bend baby’s legs toward their chest or circle their legs in a gentle bicycling motion. (It’s easier to get a poop out in a squat position than lying flat!)
Infant massage. Massaging their stomach and having skin-to-skin time may improve your little one’s digestive system.
Bathing. A warm bath can help your little one’s muscles relax and allow poop to pass.

If these remedies aren’t working, your doctor may suggest other treatments. It’s not recommended to use mineral oil, stimulant laxatives, or enemas to solve constipation in infants, so speak with your pediatrician for safer methods.

Most of the time, infant constipation isn’t a sign of a serious problem, and it can be easily addressed. On very rare occasions, constipation may be a sign of another underlying condition.

Reach out to your baby’s doctor if you notice:

consistent issues with constipation despite dietary changes to attempt to address it
vomiting
weakness
refusal to eat
blood in stools
black stools (after your baby has already passed their meconium, which occurs during the first few days of life)

A constipated baby is one of the few things worse than the smell of a really poopy diaper.

If you’ve recently switched your little one to formula, you may notice that their poops are a little harder and less frequent. You might also notice a change in bowel movements if you’ve introduced solids to your little one’s diet.

If constipation becomes severe or you notice other warning signs of poor health, don’t hesitate to reach out to your baby’s doctor. They can assist you in creating a plan to get your little one feeling better ASAP.

Newborn Constipation in Formula-Fed Infants: What to Do

The only thing worse than the dreaded poopy diaper? Worrying about why your baby isn’t having one.

If your baby has gone several days without a dirty diaper, you may be ready to tear out your hair trying to figure out what’s wrong.

As you run through all the potential causes, one thing likely to cross your mind is their diet — especially if you’ve recently started them on formula.

Is it true that formula can cause constipation? What should you do if your baby is constipated? When do you need to contact your child’s pediatrician? Let’s take a look.

It’s true: Formula-fed babies are more likely to be constipated than those exclusively on breast milk. Why is this?

Well, breast milk is generally easier for babies to digest and considered a natural laxative.

Formula, on the other hand, is thicker. It has larger proteins that can be harder to digest. This makes gastrointestinal problems — including constipation — more likely.

But keep in mind that this doesn’t mean it’s impossible for a breastfed baby to become constipated or that all babies on formula will be constipated.

Every baby is different. Also, whether formula-fed or breastfed, your baby may show signs of constipation when you introduce solids into their diet.

Wondering if your baby is constipated? Signs of constipation include:

infrequent or less common bowel movements
hard bowel movements that can appear like pellets, rocks, or hard balls
blood on the surface of the stool or when wiping
pain while passing bowel movements — for a baby who can’t communicate with words, this may appear as an arched back, a red face, and crying
a tight belly
lack of interest in food

And it’s important to remember that constipation isn’t just about how frequently your infant is pooping, but also about how hard it is for them to do so.

If you’ve recently switched to formula after exclusively breastfeeding your baby, you may notice changes in your baby’s poop. It’s not uncommon for it to become harder or change color.

You may also notice an increase in gas, particularly if your baby is transitioning to using a bottle. Every baby is different though, and you may not notice much of a change.

Looking at supermarket formula displays can be enough to set your head spinning.

First, there are three different forms of formula you can choose from:

powders
concentrates
ready-to-use

Then, within these forms, they may be:

milk-based (cow or goat) formulas
soy-based formulas
specialty formulas, like organic options

Some formulas advertise themselves as easier to digest.

Despite this advertisement, there’s no guarantee that any formula will sit well in baby’s stomach. So, how do you choose?

For many parents, the answer lies in asking fellow parents and caregivers about their experiences with formula and researching the ingredients to find one that feels right.

After choosing a formula, you might decide that you’d like to change to another one. Is this a good idea?

Switching your baby’s formula may make a difference in their poop, since their sensitivity to some of the ingredients in the original formula may have led to their constipation.

However, changing formula styles or brands can also make things worse, especially if you do it too often.

In some cases, though, changing formulas might be wise. Even so, it’s best to speak with your child’s pediatrician first.

Reasons to consider changing formulas can include:

food allergies
extreme fussiness
a need for more iron in a baby’s diet, as determined by a doctor (though most infant formulas do contain iron)
weakness or fatigue
vomiting (more than just spit-up)
bloody stools
diarrhea

Especially if your child is showing signs of allergies or wheat or dairy aversions, changing to a brand with different ingredients may make digestion easier.

It’s never a good idea to create your own homemade formula, however. Your child’s doctor can help you find an approved formula if your little one needs something special.

For many babies, a simple home remedy or two is all you’ll need to relieve constipation.

For an older baby, you can consider a dietary change.

Extra water can soften their poop, too. Of course, don’t forget to check with your doctor first for their recommendations on amount and types of liquids.

For younger babies, you can try the following:

Bicycle kicks. Gently bend baby’s legs toward their chest or circle their legs in a gentle bicycling motion. (It’s easier to get a poop out in a squat position than lying flat!)
Infant massage. Massaging their stomach and having skin-to-skin time may improve your little one’s digestive system.
Bathing. A warm bath can help your little one’s muscles relax and allow poop to pass.

Most of the time, infant constipation isn’t a sign of a serious problem, and it can be easily addressed. On very rare occasions, constipation may be a sign of another underlying condition.

Reach out to your baby’s doctor if you notice:

consistent issues with constipation despite dietary changes to attempt to address it
vomiting
weakness
refusal to eat
blood in stools
black stools (after your baby has already passed their meconium, which occurs during the first few days of life)

A constipated baby is one of the few things worse than the smell of a really poopy diaper.

Constipation in a formula-fed or mixed-fed newborn

Of course, the ideal food for babies is breast milk, which, in addition to the main nutrients, contains prebiotics (which stimulate the growth of beneficial microflora in the intestines), digestive enzymes (break down food into the simplest substances that are then absorbed into the body) and other useful for bowel substance ¹ .

Constipation in babies during breastfeeding occurs infrequently ² . If constipation still occurs, then how best to help the baby? First of all, the mother’s diet should be adjusted, especially if she also periodically encounters such a phenomenon as constipation. It is better to reduce the consumption of semolina and rice porridge, whole milk, muffins, refined foods, coffee, cocoa, black tea ³ . These products can lead to constipation in the mother, and therefore in the baby.

Also, it is better to exclude foods that contribute to excessive gas formation from the diet of a nursing mother:

tomatoes;
legumes;
mushrooms;
black bread;
cabbage.

In addition, massaging the baby's tummy can help.

An unpleasant phenomenon - constipation in a child - can also be faced by young mothers whose babies are bottle-fed. Do not panic, because constipation with artificial feeding is quite common ² . First of all, it is worth finding out the causes of constipation, as well as methods for eliminating or preventing this problem.

How do you know if your baby is constipated?

Normally, in a newborn baby who is breastfed, the intestines are cleared after each feeding (8–9 times a day). But the same baby, fed with an artificial mixture, has a stool 1-4 times a day. As the baby grows older, the frequency of his stool decreases, and the amount of stool increases ⁴ .

But it is worth remembering that each baby has its own rhythm of bowel cleansing. The most important thing is the general condition of the child. If the newborn is calm, has a normal temperature, does not suffer from increased gas formation, defecation is painless, and the consistency of the stool is soft, then even irregular stools are not a cause for concern. In this case, we are not talking about constipation in a child with artificial feeding ¹ .

Causes of constipation

Causes of constipation in children under one year old (both bottle-fed and breast-fed with complementary foods) can be ¹ :

lack of vegetable fiber products;
insufficient drinking regimen;
introducing complementary foods too quickly;
incorrect choice of milk mixture;
excess fat in food;
frequent and rapid transitions from one mixture to another;
deviations in bowel function;
violations of the intestinal microflora due to infectious diseases, the appointment of drugs.

Prevention of constipation in babies

To prevent constipation, you should try to keep breastfeeding your baby as long as possible.

Transfer to artificial nutrition should be smooth.
If your baby becomes constipated when switching to milk formula, it is better to try to choose a different food.
It is important to know that artificially feeding a baby needs an extra amount of liquid, so between feedings he needs to be given boiled water.
Improves baby's digestion and massage of the tummy in a clockwise direction, as well as walks, meals strictly on the clock and a lot of positive emotions.

If all of the above does not help, you can try a laxative.

Laxative Duphalac® has a high safety profile, it can be used in children from the first days of life ⁵ . Dufalac has a double action: it gently cleanses the intestines and restores its microflora, establishing regular stools ⁵ . It can be used for as long as needed ^5.6 and is non-addictive*. The duration of treatment for constipation can be 2 months and 1 month after the disappearance of all symptoms ⁷ . Duphalac® syrup is easy to use - it can be added to porridge, baby food, yogurt, diluted with water or given directly to the baby ⁵ .

More information about the dosage, features of the use of the drug in children can be found here.

Constipation when switching to formula - Pediatrics - 02.05.2016

Elena Lubkova, Man, 27 years old

Good afternoon, a newly-made mother writes. We are now 5 weeks old. For the first 1.5 weeks, the child ate from the tit, but by the end of 2 weeks it was clear that the child did not eat enough, instead of milk, it was just water. Doctors advised me not to give a lot of the mixture as complementary foods, they purchased a mixture of similac. As a result... Constipation began... Yes, you might say it's normal, you need to get used to it. ... But another 2 weeks have passed, there is no result. During the second bypass, the doctor took the following advice to purchase a mixture of Nestigen or Nutrilon Comfort. Bought nestizhen, gave the child ... Immediately poured out a strong allergy. We drink suprastin :(, I feel better. (Speaking of this mixture ... Since my husband managed to buy a large package at once, it was a pity to throw it away, my sister is 10 years old. Mom took the mixture for herself supposedly pancakes, you can make pancakes or something else, tried to drink , my sister sprinkled red spots all over her body, it itched terribly ... (I can imagine how the baby felt) they quickly drowned out the allergy, everything is fine. This is such a good mixture, be careful). nutrilak is hypoallergenic, the reaction is the same as for similac, we eat, but do not poop.We decided to buy nutrilak antireflux, the doctor approved because the mixtures of the same manufacturer, you can even mix them.Reaction: we don’t sleep for days, yelling, kicking with legs and arms . .. Spasms that do not lead to excretion of feces.The child only suffers.Advise what to do... I am afraid that later the child will not be able to control his desire to go to the toilet and this is frightening

Korsakova Elena Sergeevna answers

pharmacist

Good afternoon! Often this gives milk protein, which is difficult to digest in children, there is a lot of it in ordinary mixtures. It can cause inflammation, dysbacteriosis, stool retention, allergies, since the child does not have enough enzymes to digest it. Therefore, I advise you to change the mixture to frisopep or fries or nutrilon pepti gastro. These mixtures contain hydrolyzed milk protein which is easier to digest and stool becomes regular. Nestogen simply contains a lot of this milk protein in its whole form, therefore it is considered an allergenic mixture. Health to you!