Difficult Bowel Movements in Infant

“My infant (6 weeks old today) has had very difficult bowel movements the past 2 weeks. He struggles to poo a lot during the day, passes gas, but only has a bowel movement (huge and loose) every 2-3 days.

We have given him glycerin suppositories a couple of the times because he seems so uncomfortable (screams while trying to poo). He is healthy otherwise and has gained 4 lbs since birth.

Do you think there could be blockage of the colon of a sort? The straining to poo is what concerns me the most. Red, Red face and lots of noise with straightened legs.”

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There are several good signs here: good weight gain, passing gas, and large, loose bowel movements. It doesn’t sound like a blockage to worry about. I often see babies go through a bit of a “poop transition” around this age.

They seem to go from many stools a day, to only one or less. When I see a baby like yours in my office, and my exam doesn’t reveal any worry signs, then I try the following: if formula-fed, give the baby an extra 2 ounces of water per day (just add the water to one or two of her formula bottles).

If breast-fed, I make sure mom goes off any cow milk products. Usually, these make the problem go away. If not, then time to go see the doctor.