Question

My baby used to have a bowel movement every other day when exclusively breastfed, with yellow, soft stool that was easy to pass. Recently, since I’ve started working, I’ve been feeding him formula, and now he only has a bowel movement every three days, and the stool is black and hard, requiring a lot of effort to pass. Is this due to the formula being too hot? Do I need to transition in any way, or is there something I can feed him along with the formula to prevent it from being too hot? The baby is three months old.

Answer

Hello, breast milk is composed of over 90% water, so babies who are exclusively breastfed generally have more frequent bowel movements. Babies on formula feeding need to drink more water to avoid constipation. It’s recommended to give your baby more water between feedings and you can also give him some fruit juice in small amounts. You can also massage your baby’s abdomen in a clockwise direction around the navel to promote gastrointestinal motility. Do this for ten minutes each time, three times a day.