Advice History

Will my baby have the same sensitive stomach that I do?  I am frequently constipated...how can I make sure my child doesn't feel this way too?

Doctors also say that your digestive system is often reflected in your child's so if you tend to get constipated from too much dairy, your kid probably will too. Prunes really are "nature's fruit" and if you can add them to your child's diet early on, they will come in handy on those constipated days. Either in baby food jars or diluted with water in a sippy, you will see that it quickly alleviates the pain and cramping of constipation. Be careful though, too much can have the opposite effect.

If my child has a change in stool color or texture, do I need to call the doctor immediately?

It depends. If the stool has mucous in it, is watery, shows any signs of blood or the child has excessive diarrhea, you should call your doctor. Otherwise, color and texture changes are completely normal. You'll find that whatever comes out often has some resemblance to what went in. For example, a few meals of orange foods, like sweet potatoes and carrots, can result in stool with a slight orange color. When your child moves from purees to chunkier foods, you'll also notice the texture will change, as some bits of food aren't digested and pass through.