Apple juice for 4 month old???

[Anonymous]

I just came back from the ped, and they suggested it was about time I could start introducing diluted juice (apple and white grape they said) to DD. I was a little confused as I thought babies that young should be drinking only milk/formula. My DD is EBF. The juice idea was brought up because I asked what else I could do to help her with her pooping. She has a very hard time going and will go days without a BM. We often have to use glycerin suppositories.

My question is: If we go ahead and give her apple juice (1 oz water, 1 oz juice) will it interfere with her BFing? Will she want less milk? Will she start preferring the juice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just came back from the ped, and they suggested it was about time I could start introducing diluted juice (apple and white grape they said) to DD. I was a little confused as I thought babies that young should be drinking only milk/formula. My DD is EBF. The juice idea was brought up because I asked what else I could do to help her with her pooping. She has a very hard time going and will go days without a BM. We often have to use glycerin suppositories.

My question is: If we go ahead and give her apple juice (1 oz water, 1 oz juice) will it interfere with her BFing? Will she want less milk? Will she start preferring the juice?

Yes, that is young to start juice, but it's preferable to having to use laxatives. I don't think you have to worry about your daughter preferring juice to BM--I would just start slowly, maybe half an ounce at first. She may not even want it at first because it's so different than anything she's had before. Has she ever even taken breast milk from a bottle?

[Anonymous]

OP here--yes she does take EBM from a bottle. And we just tried the apple juice, she wasn't a fan. She had half an ounce and then spit it all out. All throughout eating it she kept pushing it out with her tongue.

[Anonymous]

For exclusively breast feed babies it is not uncommon for them to go up to a week without pooping. Does she seem to be in pain if she hasn't pooped? I would recommend juice over the suppositories, but I wonder if either is really needed? Your dr. didn't say anything about several days without a bm is not uncommon?

[Anonymous]

A few questions:
1. Have you introduced any foods?
2. Are her movements firm?

I ask as my 2 children only had Breast Milk until 6 MO. For both children, at around 4 months their digestive process became more efficient and they went a few days without a poop. My Dr was not concerned at all - said this was within the normal spectrum. When my children pooped it was still the infant breast milk poop, not hard.

It is my understanding (I am not a Dr or a medical professional) that there are 2 components: frequency and firmness. If your child is still pooping just less frequently I don't think you need to be concerned and there is no need to use juice OR supositories.

When I introduced food at 6 months, 1 child did become constipated and went over a week without pooping. In this situation I changed the diet and eliminated foods that bind (Rice Cereal) and introduced juice to help get things moving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A few questions:
1. Have you introduced any foods?
2. Are her movements firm?

I ask as my 2 children only had Breast Milk until 6 MO. For both children, at around 4 months their digestive process became more efficient and they went a few days without a poop. My Dr was not concerned at all - said this was within the normal spectrum. When my children pooped it was still the infant breast milk poop, not hard.

It is my understanding (I am not a Dr or a medical professional) that there are 2 components: frequency and firmness. If your child is still pooping just less frequently I don't think you need to be concerned and there is no need to use juice OR supositories.

When I introduced food at 6 months, 1 child did become constipated and went over a week without pooping. In this situation I changed the diet and eliminated foods that bind (Rice Cereal) and introduced juice to help get things moving.

We have the same problem and the doctors have told us repeatedly (including a few days ago at DD's 4 month visit) that if the BM's are not hard then frequency doesn't matter. Our DD goes about every 4 days, which involves lots of pushing and grunting, but comes out soft. The doctors have told us that this is all perfectly normal.

[Anonymous]

juice?
you call those bottled sugary water JUICE?

juice is what you get when you SQUEEZE the fruit.

don't feed your baby CORN SYRUP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:juice?
you call those bottled sugary water JUICE?

juice is what you get when you SQUEEZE the fruit.

don't feed your baby CORN SYRUP.

If bottled juice says on the label that it's 100% juice, and there's no other ingredients listed, then how is it corn syrup? None of the posters are saying they're using fruit drink ...

Anyway, OP, we went through the same thing with DD at that age, and we used pear juice. It didn't affect breastfeeding. Then again, it didn't do much to help the constipation either and at 11 mos, this is something we're still dealing with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just came back from the ped, and they suggested it was about time I could start introducing diluted juice (apple and white grape they said) to DD. I was a little confused as I thought babies that young should be drinking only milk/formula. My DD is EBF. The juice idea was brought up because I asked what else I could do to help her with her pooping. She has a very hard time going and will go days without a BM. We often have to use glycerin suppositories.

My question is: If we go ahead and give her apple juice (1 oz water, 1 oz juice) will it interfere with her BFing? Will she want less milk? Will she start preferring the juice?

Please switch peds. I really can not believe a DOCTOR would tell you to give a 4 month old or a 4 year old juice. Are you sure? And milk, are you talking breast milk, not cow, goat etc...right?

[Anonymous]

There are three things that aid in relieving constipation: fluids, sugars, and fiber. Apple juice has fluids and sugars. Which is why it helps and AAP recommends for constipation.

Ignore the posters who ate so shocked by the idea. They care more about being superior than helping your baby poop. They would do the same if they were in your shoes.

the
Once you introduce solids, use fruits like plums and pears and peaches also. Anoid applesauce ( Not juice), rice cereal, bananas. These constipate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are three things that aid in relieving constipation: fluids, sugars, and fiber. Apple juice has fluids and sugars. Which is why it helps and AAP recommends for constipation.

Ignore the posters who ate so shocked by the idea. They care more about being superior than helping your baby poop. They would do the same if they were in your shoes.

the
Once you introduce solids, use fruits like plums and pears and peaches also. Anoid applesauce ( Not juice), rice cereal, bananas. These constipate.

Good answer!

[Anonymous]

OP here--thanks for all the advice. I think for now we're going to follow the posters who mentioned lack of BM for several days is completely normal and only intervene if DD is upset/uncomfortable by lack of BM..hopefully that will work..

[Anonymous]

Op, you can also try adding more fluids/fiber to your diet to see if that helps Breast Milk is not supposed to cause constipation so maybe something is lacking in your diet. I am also surprised that the doctor suggested juice, but if you do try that route I suggest you use pear instead of apple - i bit more fiber and a little less sugar.

Good Luck

[Anonymous]

OP - if it makes you feel any better, my DS would go up to a week without pooping at that age. Just never seemed to bother him so we let it go. We were told that he was just using all the BM as energy. I don't know - it just wasn't an issue.

If the ped is saying to introduce apple juice b/c of constipation, that is one thing. Generally, though, it isn't necessary to give your child apple juice at that age (or even ever for that matter).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:juice?
you call those bottled sugary water JUICE?

juice is what you get when you SQUEEZE the fruit.

don't feed your baby CORN SYRUP.

If bottled juice says on the label that it's 100% juice, and there's no other ingredients listed, then how is it corn syrup? None of the posters are saying they're using fruit drink ...

Anyway, OP, we went through the same thing with DD at that age, and we used pear juice. It didn't affect breastfeeding. Then again, it didn't do much to help the constipation either and at 11 mos, this is something we're still dealing with.

DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE IN THOSE LABLES?????????????????