My baby hasn't pooped in 8 days and i am wondering what is going on? he is 5 1/2 months and just started solids. he loves sweet potatoes, but since he has been getting backed up, i have been giving him water in a sippy cup and pears for his meal. he is br

Constipation : Constipation is the passage of a dry, hard stool - not necessarily the absence of daily stool. After 8 days, however, it's probably time to give him a little extra help. Starting solid foods definitely change things up a bit! that being said, constipation is common in infants and here are a couple things you can do to help. 1.) give pear or prune juice - 1oz/age in months/day so in your case 5 oz. Not only does prune or pear juice have sugar which can help soften bms, but also has fiber (notice the gritty texture when you drink it?). This does not mean that you should be feeding your baby juice as a part of his regular diet, but it's ok in daily small amounts to treat constipation. 2.) if juice does not work, then you can try a glycerine suppository which you can buy over the counter. Just cut a pea-sized piece of the glycerine and place it in the baby's anus to lubricate the hard stool. This is not meant for daily use, so if you find that your baby needs a suppository in order to have a bm despite dietary changes, discuss with your child's doctor. 3.) do not use mineral oil, laxatives or enemas. These methods are not safe for infants. 4.) finally, if constipation is persistent and not improved with any of the above recommendations, be sure to contact your baby's doctor. There are some very rare underlying disorders such as hirschprung's disease, cystic fibrosis or hypothyroidism that can cause chronic constipation. Good luck!